30/06/2026
Last weekend, Commonroom had the honour to host a unique hands-on workshop for all those who not only wear fashion, but want to understand it. The workshop focused on fashion as a cultural practice and political medium.
Organized jointly by , Volkskundemuseum Wien and the Textilmuseum St.Gallen , the event celebrated the beauty of upcycling and the rich history behind blaudruck (Indigo dyeing), now declared as an intangible UNESCO cultural heritage exclusively in European countries.
In the first part of the workshop, Clôd Priscilla Baumgartner gave wings to participants’ imagination by demonstrating how men’s discarded shirts could be re-used. Participants detached the shirts from its attributions and transformed them into individual, fashionable and political statements.
Part two of the workshop saw Dakshayini Gowda (sanchaliatelier ) steering people’s attention to the origins and flourishing technique of dyeing textiles in Indigo and the intertwining history of blue print between India and European nations. Participants dyed tote bags or clothing in Indigo using various print techniques including Shibori, Baatik, block printing and more.
Commonroom’s catering throughout the event, along with delectable servings of wine and cheese towards the end by the Swiss embassy, made up for the unrelenting heat outside.
