HOW TECHNOLOGY ENCOURAGES SUSTAINABILITY AT BLO INTERNATIONAL
By: Hillary LeBlanc
Technology has arguably improved and advanced our society beyond belief. With augmented reality, virtual reality, various goggles that blend virtual and life spaces and of course, the rise of AI, tech has ingrained itself into each space that humans control. Though some elements of fashion are still held up by sticklers to the ‘old ways’, Mexican-born designer Pablo Rodriguez Davila is using technology to make his fashion more sustainable.
Davila came to Canada two and a half years ago to study fashion and developed a collection for a competition that has since evolved. In this process he realized that the traditional ways of sketching designs on paper were holding him back. “So I used programs like Clo, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Substances and that helped me out to produce whatever I had in mind.” Davila adds that by using these tech solutions you can learn more about your prototype before using materials. This tech also helped Davila with sketching within the apps so he was able to spend more time on the collection and less time learning how to draw.
In the way that Davila uses technology, the software programs are primarily used to reduce time during the sampling process and pattern assembling. He adds that the programs allow him to “make sure that measurements, seam allowances, notches and grain lines are as close as possible to the final garments and incorporate materials within the system so we can see how it will behave including buckles, zipper pulls, buttons and more embellishments. This reduces waste material. When printing patterns we use a printer we literally found on the streets and use recyclable paper for pattern assembling. We try to always be on alert for those types of reusable papers or technologies that we can save and have as an option to use for print or cutting patterns in this specific example.”
Sustainability has always been a priority to Davila as he has built his brand Blo International. Davila shares that in his personal life, he’s the type of person to pick up trash from the streets.
When it comes to fashion, he shares a recent film that has inspired him. “I recommend watching Fashion Reimagines with designer Amy Powney. She goes to the source like transportation. Where is she going to obtain the materials? How is she going to obtain sustainable, natural materials? Watching that movie captivated me and encouraged me to ask how I can make my own fashion, but with these examples and inspirations”.
Though sustainability is important, Davila is also hesitant to call his first collection sustainable because he knows there is more that can be done and feels he wants to find more that he can contribute within fashion sustainability before officially claiming the label to his brand.
Photo Credit: @batchan.official
With the first show of Blo International having just happened in Toronto at Startup Fashion Week, Davila is hopeful he will have good reception to the collection but will take all feedback and continue to work on his craft. “I envision this first release like betting or gambling. I am doing the best that I can, the most honest work with my heart, with my passion and hoping that I receive feedback from journalists, from people, from the world, from whoever can connect with the work that I do.”
Davila tells us that the collection, named Mira Al Cielo, “emphasized the beauty and ethos of nature with a blend of self awareness and how these two relate in an environment view and personal view”. Continuing with the theme of technology, Mira Al Cielo also showcases the use of new technologies to create new channels for communication & production in the realm of fashion, which is part of the ethos of Blo International.
Cover Image Credit: @jimorgillphotography