Body & Garment
The interaction between a garment and the body is not just about presenting oneself to the world—it is also about the intimacy it holds within.
The piece we wear today shapes how we move and perform through the day. The sensation of fabric on the skin, the tension of a tight fit or the ease of a loose one, can subtly influence gestures, posture, and even mood. When a garment is worn, the body and the fabric exist in dialogue: there is an equal level of reaction from both entities, one affecting the other. The body imprints folds, wrinkles, stretches, stains, and leaves scent on the garment; in turn, the garment guides posture, affects movement patterns, and can shape the wearer’s behaviour.
Garments carry scent and warmth; they become repositories of presence. Their folds remember the shape and gestures of the body after they are removed. Elastic bands wrinkle over the waist, lint collects in the belly button, clinging of the fabric after humidity; for a brief moment, the warmth of the body stays even after the garment is taken off. Sometimes, a piece of sweater carries the presence of someone long after they are gone, as the garment becomes an object associated with that person.
This zine explores the subtle exchanges between garment and body, approaching fashion as an intimate performance. Both exist in constant dialogue, shaping and reshaping each other. One Thousand Poets invites poets, essayists, photographers, illustrators, and visual artists to explore this theme of dialogue between body and garment—seeing fashion from a philosophical perspective, not just framed within aesthetic value. Submissions can take any form, any medium, any voice.
Body and Garment is scheduled for publication at the end of 2026. This collective work will be a space to reflect on and document the invisible conversations between garments and what they inhabit.
