Lucy McRae x Bianca Spender garments & Knoll sunlounge

Created as part of Transformative Repair, an exhibition that brings together emerging and established Australian artists, designers and craftspeople to reinterpret broken objects, using innovative approaches to repair and reuse. Australian designer, body architect and science fiction artist Lucy McRae (Los Angeles) has created an evocative look at the future while celebrating the past and present.

This transformation began as a box of unsaleable clothes provided by fashion designer Bianca Spender (Sydney). Although Spender’s studio has a repair process for both pre- and post-consumer garments, these particular clothes had manufacturing defects – often minor imperfections – considered unrepairable. The garments were posted to McRae who transformed the blue, silver and grey-toned garments. She added the orange sea-rescue materials for which she is known, using the fabrics to upholster foam cushions, adorning them with labels celebrating the collaboration.

The cushions are custom made to fit a decommissioned 715 Outdoor Chaise Lounge, an iconic piece of mid-century Modernist design. Designed by Richard Schultz in 1966, as part of his Aluminium Leisure Collection for Knoll.