Everything from the wardrobe

Last winter, fear gripped me. I was afraid that death would put an end to my happiness. I thought about what would be left behind. The things that needed to be tidied up, the clothes. My clothes. With my shape, my scent, the stains. The repairs that had been neglected here and there, because I hung them back in the closet with missing buttons. The jacket with the torn lining that still hadn't made it to the tailor, even though I had planned to do so two summers ago. It holds my spirit within it. The trends that I have followed. I started photographing my clothes. One by one. I laid them out on the floor and climbed a step ladder. I began with my winter clothes and my underwear. I did research and looked up where each piece was made. I counted the number of items: 230 pieces in total. 37 percent black in color, 31 items from China. I compiled the photos into a handmade book.
Text and image by Mémé Bartels