A new kind of fashion exhibition is taking shape in Leeds—and it might just change how you think about the clothes you wear.
Wearing Sustainability, running from 28 April to 15 May 2025 at the School of Design, Leeds, invites visitors to explore the hidden narratives woven into garments from the past, present, and future. It's a celebration of craftsmanship, technology, and sustainability—and a rare glimpse into how digital innovation could transform fashion’s impact for good.
At first glance, Wearing Sustainability is a visual feast. Treasures from the Yorkshire Fashion Archive sit alongside sustainable designs by award-winning brand Cunnington & Sanderson and visionary creations from BA Fashion Design Innovation students. But what sets this exhibition apart is what you can’t see—until you pick up your phone.
Using Augmented Reality (AR) experiences powered by SEAMM, visitors can digitally "try on" reanimated historical garments and contemporary pieces, seeing them brought to life in ways once unimaginable. The ZERO dress piece is also connected to a SMART Digital Product Passport (DPP)—an interactive page that reveals the story behind the garment: its materials, its journey, and its environmental impact.
Through interactive focus groups and surveys, Wearing Sustainability also invites visitors to help shape a future research project on sustainable innovation in fashion—making this not just an exhibition, but a laboratory for industry-wide change.
If you’re in Leeds, don’t miss this opportunity to be part of fashion’s transformation. The exhibition runs weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm at Space@Design, School of Design, Leeds, with a special opening event and panel talk on 1 May 2025 at 4:30 pm.
Come and discover the untold stories of fashion—and the digital tools reshaping its future.
