TômTex | GRRR

Leather at its best comes with a hefty price tag for the most buttery supple goodness, whilst the world is in danger of being over come with a high level of fast fashion poly knock offs, just as horrible for the environment and worst of all, prone to shattering after a few wears. In come TômTex who have cultivated the most sustainable technology leather alternatives from bio materials such as seafood waste. Founding partner Uyen Tran partenered up with Thuy Nguyen to costume the looks in “GRRR”, a photo project highlighting LGBTQIA creatives.

The mission statement is clear and concise to “convey that people are striving to live in a new world where they can find their own identity and build a future with conscious choices about material use”, Tran constructed three costumes for three different LGBTQ creatives using her groundbreaking techniques which creates a leather alternative made from discarded shrimp shells and mushrooms.

The vision is manifested as a BDSM tinged play land that challenge cultural norms and ignites conversations. One image presents a corset made from TomTex’s leather as a centerpiece of a feminine figure juxtapose with her face enveloped in a Dali-esque mustache and her shoulders posed openly and legs a gat evoking butch realness. Her “daddy” energy poses beside a giant egg—another Dali reference suggests a subversion of gender representation that invites viewers to contemplate the complexities of identity and expression.

“GRRR” is currently featured in “Means of Production,” a large-scale group exhibition held in a 26,000-square-foot warehouse in Queens, which houses a hosiery import business and artist studios. Curated by the collective Lunch Hour, the exhibition displays the diverse experiences and rich heritage of its creators.

Founded by Uyen Tran, Ross McBee and Atom Nguyen, their combined knowledge with design and technology attributes to making sues the sustainability intersects the technological advancements made in TômTex’s material fabrications. Their mission to merge ecology, inclusivity, and style is ever prevalent in their continuing efforts to create.

Written by BJ Panda Bear