Sunday best

Crescentwood

Blue jeans and a t-shirt to church. Never!

There are a few generations brought up to wear their Sunday best on the sabbath. Men in suits. Women in dresses. Anything else was deemed a mortal sin.

Steve Lennon, a services co-ordinator at Crescentwood’s Unitarian Universalist Church invited Lennard Taylor, Canadian internationally acclaimed fashion designer and author, to present on the transformative power of how you “cover your skin,” while addressing the spirituality of how “come as you are” is a form of social justice, Sunday, and every day. All of Lennard Taylor’s fashions are designed, sewn and manufactured in Winnipeg. Steve knew that “Lennard’s positivity would be welcome in these troubling times.” Steve says Lennard’s book, The Art of Living, “reflects the Unitarian Universalist sentiment that we are all connected to everyone and everything.”

As Lennard is fond of saying, “you are what you wear.” He wears happy socks and his tie is made from a tape measure. His energy is contagious; his message is powerful. His mission is “to help people smile and feel good” and “to change the way people think of the fashion industry,” particularly ‘fast fashion.’ He challenges us to think about the 85 per cent of old clothes that end up in a landfill. That’s 80 billion items of clothing clogging our water systems and polluting the land. Having worked in fashion overseas, he is a champion of working to eliminate child labour in textile factories. As a zero-textile waste and sustainable enterprise Lennard will mend, rework and redesign clothes originally bought in his store into new wearables or into artwork. He sees clothing as living garments with memories woven in.

While seeing fashion as art Lennard also views the clothes we choose to wear as armour and that “every piece of your clothing tells a story.” He believes many of the mental health issues in the world today stem from the clothes we wear. He says that while “transformation begins from within,” the clothes on our outsides can influence our attitudes and spirits. For him, “dress for success” means wearing items that help build confidence. His unique clothes can also keep you warm with battery run vests. He says, “there are clothes for everybody and every body.”

You can’t miss the front yard repurposed sculptures at Lennard Taylor’s Studio and Hem House, located at 67 Sherbrook St. For art, clothing, learning and a dash of happiness, he can be reached at 204-791-4547. Or e-mail him at info@lennardtaylor.com and sign up for his newsletter.