One of the more interesting designers to me is Janelle Abbott and her brand JRAT. Based in Seattle, Janelle isn’t your typical fashion designer—she’s also a performance artist and, as I recently discovered from videos on her website, a dancer. Having grown up with parents in the rag trade, she approaches fashion from a completely different perspective. There’s no talk of “her girl” or dressing celebrities. Instead, her focus is on process, transformation, and pushing the boundaries of zero-waste design.
Janelle’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond just using leftover materials—it defines her aesthetic. Her work feels like an extension of the DIY spirit that once made Chopova Lowena so exciting, before they pivoted to mass-producing polyester skirts that mimic their original upcycled apron creations. There’s also an energy akin to Tati Haupt, another designer who creatively upcycles knitwear.
For AW25, entitled HOMESICK, AGAIN, JRAT continues its exploration of reworking found materials into completely new forms. The collection is an imaginative clash of the familiar and the whimsical—garments crafted from reclaimed button-ups, khakis, hoodies, medical scrubs, and more. Abbott employs a unique adaptation of chenille technique, layering and slicing fabric into rich textures. Ceramic buttons, created in collaboration with Seattle-based artist Jessica Marie Mercy, add an element of handcrafted charm.
The show began with a model seemingly asleep on a bed. Slowly, they stirred, groggily rising and walking through the space—more of an immersive environment than a traditional runway. As they reached the end, they returned to the bed, where another model lay sleeping. They gently woke the second model, and the sequence repeated, each new model flopping onto the bed in exhaustion, only to be roused and sent off to walk. The cycle continued throughout, reinforcing a sense of weariness and repetition, a visual metaphor for the collection’s theme.
In the program notes, Janelle describes this sensation, stating:
With consideration to the political developments of November 2024, the collection ultimately embodies an alternate experience of déjà vu; a déjà vu one might hope to experience in a dream. The feeling of: I’ve been here before, I’m here again, and it’s all different, yet exactly the same. HOMESICK, AGAIN offers comfort and safety in the face of uncertainty and fear.
This interplay of exhaustion and renewal mirrored the garments themselves—pieces that carried the history of their previous lives yet found new purpose through JRAT’s zero-waste techniques.
Just as important as the clothes was the styling and accessories, which fully embraced JRAT’s ethos of repurposing the overlooked. At first, the eclectic mix of objects reminded me of the randomness you’d find in a junk drawer—only to realize that one belt was quite literally named the “Junk Drawer Wrap Belt with Seattle Souvenir Keychains.” This junk-drawer aesthetic extended into the models’ hair, where braids were adorned with an assortment of buttons and lapel pins—unexpected details that became strangely captivating.
By drawing attention to things typically dismissed as junk, JRAT challenges the way we perceive waste, value, and beauty. In a fashion landscape that often prioritizes polish over purpose, Janelle Abbott is a designer more people should be paying attention to—one who proves that fashion can be thoughtful, resourceful, and radically creative all at once.
Below photos ©Blue, courtesy JRAT
Credits:
Venue: Kaleidoscope @kaleidoscope.bk
Music: Keyes Wiley (DJ Dark Wiley) @dark_wiley
Lead Stylist: Em Seely-Katz @that.esque
Hair Artist: Ryuan Kennedy @sexyscalps
Hair Assistants: Jet Keefe @jetkeefebeauty
Toireza @killerheads
Caeli Harris @caeli.harris
Ondine @ondine_ondine
Lead Photography: Blue @sustainablequeer
Assistant Photography: Lu Testa @107_luvt
BTS Photography: Victoria Campa @vwcampa
Videography: Nina Bowers @ninabowers
Assistants: Zoe Waechter @zoewaechter Theo Chhan @overbit333
–Katya Moorman
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