Nicole Mclaughlin

 Born in 1993, Nicole Mclaughlin is a New York based fashion designer. Mclaughlins sustainable ways of turning inanimate objects into garments to be worn, started off simply as a hobby, but in 2018,  she made it into a career. 

Previous work of hers includes transforming old volleyballs into slippers, cameras bags into bralettes, and crafted board shorts from packets of Haribo sweet. McLaughlin’s fascinating, unique creations has given her the interest and opportunities to have worked with huge brands such as: Puma, Calvin Klein, Prada and Hermès. 
A huge part of McLaughlin’s work  is holding global workshops. These include getting  many different people involved, to help them realise the possibilities of pre-existing items. These workshops allow her to support her community and also allow her to connect with people all around the world.

Most recently Nicole is working on creating a non-profit organization that enable young people to have the resources they need to create. Mclaughlin is connecting large companies, especially those with deadstock and overstock materials, to schools and universities in need. Her ideal plan to keep the youth involved in her work, is to hold a regular series of workshops with a continued focus on the importance of sustainable practise and eventually, a summer program concentrating on education and skill-based improvement. Not only does this program aim to teach the youth how to draw and make things, it teaches the importance of why we create these things and how this modern way of creation will help to maintain the planet we live in.

I find Mclaughlin’s use of completely, random objects for her creative practise as so interesting and inspiring. Her work makes me feel contemplative and I’m now looking at my unused beanies, that have been sitting on my bedroom floor for years, wondering what I could create with them.

Link to Nicole Mclaughlin’s website: https://nicolemclaughlin.com/

Link to Mclaughlin being interviewed: 

Mclaughlin’s work: