The fashion industry is often known for its destructive impact on nature. Clothing production leads to high CO₂ emissions, pollutes soil and water, and contributes to the spread of microplastics. Yet Irem Pınarbaşı, who defines herself as a fashion designer, distances herself from these harmful practices. Through her work, she aims to raise awareness about the deep connection between humans and nature—and how that bond can be restored.
Fashion and sustainability are becoming increasingly central to public discourse. On one hand, there’s our hunger for trends; on the other, the growing pressure on the environment. “Many people blindly buy clothes just because they’re trendy, without thinking about the consequences of their choices,” says Irem. “That’s unjust, because the Earth is our shared home. I want to show that it can be different—rooted in respect for nature.”
Irem emphasizes that her work goes beyond traditional fashion design; she sees herself as an artist exploring and expressing the role of nature in our lives. This idea comes to life in her installation Modder Nature—a soft, cushion-like textile piece filled with padding and mixed with different types of soil. As the title suggests, it’s an homage to Mother Nature and her cycles of birth and death. “In religious stories, humans are made from clay, and as a Muslim (Irem is Muslim—ed.), you’re returned to the earth when you die. The beginning and end of life always lie in the soil. That idea became my source of inspiration.”
Irem’s inspiration deepened during a trip to Turkey, her country of origin. “While walking through the mountains, I noticed so many different colors of earth. That gave me the idea to use soil as paint in my work.” A key question she tried to answer through her art was: how can I give people a sense of home within nature? Modder Nature emerged as her response. “I literally used mud to capture the feeling of Mother Nature. The installation is designed to be interactive—to let people physically feel the soil. The idea was to evoke the warmth and safety of coming home to your mother, as if you’re resting your head against her.”
The artist is guided by religion, culture, and nature—in the hope of better understanding the world around her. “My work is a way to explore my curiosity about the world,” says Irem. “I look critically at the systems we live in and ask questions about our relationship with nature and the earth. These themes bring me peace and offer answers that I want to share with others through my art.”
Although Irem hopes her work evokes a sense of connection to the natural world, she’s also aware of the distance that exists between humans and nature. According to her, that gap is largely due to overconsumption, with the fashion industry playing a major role in it.
“We live in a society where you can buy an outfit with one click—an outfit made on the other side of the world—without thinking about the environmental cost,” Irem says. “There are two types of people: those who buy without thinking, and those who try to live more sustainably. What I try to do through my work is connect these two groups. I want to spark conversations, challenge people, and make them reflect—through art. I want them to rediscover the purity of nature and realize that we are part of it.”
That’s why Irem sees her work not only as art, but also as a form of activism—one that stems from love for the natural world. “I don’t believe you always have to be loud to get your message across. My work comes from love. It’s soft, but powerful. My hope is that my art—and the love for nature within it—touches others and brings them closer to the earth.”
Modder Nature is featured in Homecoming, an exhibition curated by Alien Mag at the Van Abbemuseum, on view from 28 June to 7 December 2025.
