MARCH 10, 2023. GRACE EBERT

All images © Kellie Swanson

Kellie Swanson imprints jackets, jeans, and other garments with the rich blue of cyanotypes as part of her clothing line KSX.

Artist and photographer Kellie Swanson imprints jackets, jeans, and other garments with the rich blue of cyanotypes—an early form of photography that uses UV light to produce monochromatic prints—as part of her burgeoning clothing line KSX. With grainy textures that complement the weave of fabrics, the brilliantly hued wearables feature natural specimens like ferns and flowers found around Swanson’s home in Bozeman, Montana. All of the garments are secondhand, and the artist sources most from thrift stores and vintage shops, ensuring KSX takes a more sustainable approach in an industry infamous for its waste.

Swanson began the upcycling project in 2020 as a way to re-engage her creative practice, and it’s since yielded several collaborations and collections, which sell incredibly fast.[…]

More: Brilliant Botanical Cyanotypes Adorn Kellie Swanson’s Upcycled Garments — Colossal