From solid to fluid states of solidarity and becoming with clothes

Fashion, as a field of practice and industry, finds itself in a state of transition and seeks alternative paths for staying with the Earth in more respectful enmeshings. Such a state is favourable for the emergence of new alternative practices and relationships. This article explores one of these practices and relationships as notions of solidarity and asks what solidarity can offer fashion, a field in a state of transition. In this article, I explore the notion of solidarity from the perspective of becoming with — a state in which constant flows of affects enable change. To discuss and explore the topic, a video-based artistic performance in a traditional Finnish wooden sauna is presented and invites the reader to reflect on and experience the things they wear more intimately. When experience is placed at the core, the ontology of clothing (what clothes are) becomes secondary to their affects (what clothes can do). From sharing knowledge on garment construction to eliciting thoughts of more responsible futures, engaging with clothing has more to offer than one may usually think and may lead to warmer and less solid states of solidarity.