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Meriam JellitiDohaLauren Michelle Morell’s Across Borders: Textile Heritage pop-up exhibition is currently on display at M7. Through cross-cultural garments, the exhibition aims to raise awareness of the environmental impacts of fast fashion while also paying homage to sustainable Qatari Bedouin and indigenous American textile traditions. The exhibition is funded by a grant from the United States Department of State in honour of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and Qatar. The pop-up exhibition, which is located in QC Hub at M7, is open to the public until August 30.Across Borders: Textile Heritage, which is rooted in both Qatari and indigenous American cultures, showcases innovative approaches to preserving traditional and sustainable practices, highlighting Qatari sadu weaving and indigenous American patterns. The garments, in contrast to modern fashion production, embody traditional, environmentally friendly textiles and promote the legacy of zero-waste processes. Lauren and her weaving collaborator, Sarah Hannibal, invite viewers to trace Qatari and American weaving traditions and reflect on sustainable textile and fabric sourcing and application. Aside from the garments, the exhibition includes a short documentary about sadu traditions, which was produced in collaboration with Heenat Salma Farm and Caravane Earth. The exhibition emphasizes heritage preservation, sustainability, and diversity in order to achieve the ethos of cultures living in harmony.In response to the exhibition, U.S. Embassy Doha Chargé d’Affaires Evyenia Sidereas said: “Sustainable fashion is no longer a trend; it is a necessity. Creatives have an enormous role to play in addressing the climate challenges facing our environment and communities today and finding solutions for a more sustainable future. This exhibition underlines the importance of achieving environmentally-friendly practices in all fields – including fashion. The United States remains committed to supporting programs that reduce carbon emissions, improve wastewater production practices, and promote mutual values of self-expression and cultural preservation.” Fashion Designer Lauren Morell remarked: “All that is exhibited here has been upcycled and recycled from curtain material, blankets, carpets, and rugs. Sara and I have collaborated on the aspects of weaving and the textile heritage has been a huge inspiration with my background as a Latina American and living in Qatar for eleven years. So I’ve always incorporated throughout my brand, my own brand different textiles together. It hasn’t been anything new to me. I’ve always incorporated different patterns, different textures, and upcycling recycling and it has been an honor having the support of individuals and organizations which promote heritage preservation and sustainable fashion – particularly from the U.S. Embassy in Qatar and M7.”Morell stated that as a third-culture citizen, she is inherently influenced by American, Latin American, and Qatari cultures, and that this exhibition brings these elements together through innovative statement garments made from natural sources and post-consumer waste.Lauren Michelle Morell is a fashion designer whose work is inextricably linked to the redefining of tradition. She is a Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts graduate in Qatar. In 2019, she launched her fashion label LorenaaMichelle, which fuses Middle Eastern culture with a fashion-forward pop of urban Latin fusion. She was raised all over the world and was exposed to many different cultures. As a result, her modern ‘nomadic’ upbringing has influenced her artwork and designs. According to M7 business and development coordinator al Dana al Misnad, the main focus is currently on developing programs and exhibitions for the country’s local creatives in order to bring them from a local audience to a global audience and provide them with the exposure as well as the tools they need to get there. “Today’s exhibition is being put on by the talented Lauren and Michelle in collaboration with the US embassy and M7.” The exhibition is entirely funded by the US embassy to support Lorena, and it focuses on textiles in Latin America and textiles in Qatar, such as traditional textiles and traditional practices such as weaving. Sarah Hannibal, a talented local weaver, is collaborating on a steady weaving project. So she took the traditional study of weaving and used waste fabric scraps to create an entirely new way of doing things. It focuses on tradition, sustainability, and the cultural bridge between the two countries,” she said.
