# Old Clothes as Art Derick Melander Creates Second-Hand Clothes Monuments By Meghan Young | Published 2010-01-20 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/derick-melander References: [psfk](http://www.psfk.com/2010/01/pics-derick-melanders-massive-second-hand-clothing-sculptures.html) & [derickmelander](http://www.derickmelander.com/index.htm) Sometimes it’s important to make a statement (and I’m referring to 'make' quite literally here) in order to inspire some semblance of a change; with his [second-hand clothes sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/basket-sculptures), Derick Melander does just that. Bringing attention to the sad state of [textile waste](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/remake-by-burberry), Derick Melander has carefully folded these thrifty items into towering structures. But in case you worry that they themselves defeat the purpose, Derick Melander donates the clothes afterward. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.1/10 - Popularity: 4% | Activity: 80% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Textile Waste Awareness:** Creating art installations using second-hand clothes to raise awareness about textile waste and promote sustainable fashion. - **Upcycled Fashion:** Transforming old clothes into unique and innovative fashion pieces, providing a sustainable alternative to traditional fast fashion. - **Donation-based Art:** Using donated clothes as materials for art installations, showcasing the transformative power of collaboration and giving back to the community. ### Who This Affects Most - **Fashion Retail:** Retailers can explore offering upcycled fashion lines or creating partnerships with artists to promote sustainable fashion. - **Art and Sculpture:** The art industry can embrace the use of unconventional materials like second-hand clothes to create thought-provoking installations. - **Environmental Sustainability:** Organizations and initiatives focused on textile waste reduction can partner with artists to raise awareness and promote sustainable practices. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Upcycled Tent Garments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/music-festival-waste.md) - [Upcycled Object Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nendo-and-daniel-arsham.md) - [Upcycled Sculptural Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/eps-expanded-polystyrene-serie.md) - [Disruptive Fashion Art Galleries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dirty-looks.md) - [Sustainably-Focused Experimental Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/upcycled-fashion-collection.md) - [Repurposed Studio Scrap Pottery](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/daon-pottery.md) - [Closet-Clearing Challenges](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/closet-clearout-challenge.md) - [Sculptural Knitted Objects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sculptural-knitted-objects.md) - [Marine Waste Display Fixtures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/display-fixture.md)