Traceable

Traceable is an insightful, thought-provoking documentary that was released in 2014. The film features and is centered around the innovative fashion designer, Laura Siegel.

In Traceable we witness Siegel's creative process and the multifaceted dynamics of the fashion industry from an unexpectedly intimate perspective. This underlying current of the behind-the-scenes fashion industry holds the narrative thread of the movie. It subtly wars against the notorious characterization of the fashion industry as a world of glamour, vanity, and superficiality. Instead, we are led into a contemplative journey to understand the inner workings of a segment of the fashion sector called slow fashion, advocating for mindful consumption, sustainability, craft, and quality over quantity as against fast fashion.

In this documentary, we are drawn into Siegel's quest to ensure the integrity and traceability of her designs from conception to consumer which is a newfound concern in the global fashion industry. We are also introduced to the concept of transparency in the supply chain highlighting the stark contrast to the anonymity inherent in mass production in the fashion world. This leads us treading on two almost pole oppositional aspects of the fashion industry – Slow Fashion versus Fast Fashion.

Siegel's collection is heavily influenced by traditional crafting techniques from rural artists across the globe. The film portrays Laura Siegel's journey to prove that fashion and sustainability need not be mutually exclusive ideas, juxtaposing against the tragedy of the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013, which killed over 1,100 garment workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This incident served as a gruesome reminder of the dark underbelly of the thriving global fast fashion industry and fueled designers like Siegel to seek new ways of producing and consuming fashion.

The core theme of Traceable talks about the human aspects of the production chain. It endeavors to challenge a mindset where people are kept distanced from the enormous process required to create an article of clothing. The movie reveals the actual workers at the grassroots level of manufacturing—the weavers, dyers, sewers, and local artisans—who usually remain invisible behind the glitz and glamour of the fashion industry.

The varied texture of the film comes alive with the hued landscapes of India, where we observe Siegel directly working with local artists she collaborates with for her collections. We observe patterns of life and work in rural India transforming into beautiful creations on New York catwalks. And we begin to comprehend how Siegle's devices of production is beneficial for the local economy and culture.

While the broader narrative of Traceable revolves around fashion, sustainability, and ethics, it is punctuated with moments of introspective dialogues, vibrant cultural landscapes, and the minutiae of Siegel's crafting process. The film touches upon the far-reaching consequences of fast fashion, not just on the environment, but on people's lives, and stirs us to consider the cost of our consumer culture and the true value of garments.

The documentary was directed and written by Jennifer Sharpe and the cinematography brings to life Siegel's journey with vivid colors, evocative images, and juxtaposed scenes of traditional crafting methods against modern fashion shows. The juxtaposition of rural and urban, slow and fast, tradition and modernity paints an intriguing spectrum of contrasts.

In conclusion, Traceable is an intellectually stimulating film that delves into the realm of sustainable fashion through the pair of talented eyes of Laura Siegel, who uses traditional artistic methods to create her wearable wonders. The film challenges us to reflect on our consumption practices and rethink the way we buy and wear clothes. It masterfully interweaves the personal journey of a passionate designer who cares about her craftsmen and the global dialogue around the fashion industry's sustainability. Regardless of whether you're a fashion enthusiast, an environmentalist, or a conscientious consumer, Traceable is sure to leave you with food for thought.