Acid Survivors Trust International | Fashion Unveiled: Beauty & Devastation
Where every thread tells a story of survival
The Challenge
In collaboration with Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI), Kit & Caboodle had to transform Dray Walk Gallery on Brick Lane into an exhibition celebrating Ugandan acid attack survivors through fashion.
Seen from above, a white gown streaked with black falls toward the floor like spilled ink. Plush emerald fur torn open to magenta beneath, with luxury and damage held in one object. Bursting with print and colour, the survivor-made collection stood proud beneath the gallery’s suspe Suspended against layers of muslin, the indigo kimono reveals a flash of flame red through every cor Hung beside Mohammed’s story, a black bodice gives way to a riot of green and orange. Every stitch a livelihood: a crochet clutch made by a survivor supported by the Cambodian Acid Survi Matching gingham, set at a mother’s and daughter’s heights, makes the toll of a single attack imposs A folded office shirt and tie, splashed and eaten through, brings the violence into the everyday. Crocheted by survivors in Cambodia, this emerald shoulder bag carries the story beyond Uganda. Backlit by the window, a mustard jumper and scarf seem caught mid-gust, light pouring through every Beneath suspended grids and soft muslin walls, survivor-made garments gather like a joyful crowd.
Insight and Ambition
Fashion carries a hidden history: the chemicals used to bleach and dye textiles have been linked to acid attacks for over 200 years. ASTI's curatorial vision placed beauty and devastation side by side, with survivor-made garments alongside pieces distressed as if by corrosives. Our concept of veil and reveal used light, texture and layering to let each story emerge gradually, keeping resilience at its heart.
Coral paisley blooms and a playful ruffle hem show off the craftsmanship behind every piece. Bold vertical banners announced Fashion Unveiled to Dray Walk, while the glass frontage opened the s Intimate photographs of survivors’ daily lives fill the wall, with a single mirror among them so vis Facing the street, corroded grey sportswear invited passers-by to look closer. Through the glass, corroded sportswear and the peach ball gown pull the eye deep into the gallery. ASTI’s Patron recalls meeting survivors in Bangladesh and urges businesses to join the fight against “My proudest achievement is seeing survivors become empowered to rebuild their lives.” Linneti Kirun The curatorial statement sets the scene, tracing fashion’s beauty and its devastating underbelly.
Highlights
Neutral fabric swags drifted overhead like cloth fresh from the mill, tracing where and when acid attacks have struck.
Garments seemed to move: sportswear frozen mid-stride, a scarf caught in winter wind, mother and daughter dresses hung at their real-life heights.
Ritah, Hamida and Mohammed were introduced as designers first, with their portraits and own words displayed beside each collection.
Selective window blackouts left glimpses of the gallery open to the street, to draw passers-by inside.
With a message from ASTI's Patron, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, the show gave a tiny survivor-built cottage industry a London stage.
Turquoise, rust and coral: garments that speak of confidence regained. Behind the scenes, a moment of joy during the final touches on the tulle gown. Ritah’s story begins with a question she still can’t answer and ends at a sewing machine, with a fut Beside Ritah’s story, a pink dress finished with a playful red ruffle. Now earning an income from the clothes he makes, Mohammed shares his story beside a bold geometric d Mohammed met Fatima, a fellow survivor, in hospital; today they are happily married with four childr Surrounded by bolts of vibrant fabric, Hamida pairs her tailoring with a fresh food business. Beside Hamida’s story, a vivid printed dress shows how far new tailoring skills can travel.
