Rivets

There are many parts of a garment that we rarely notice on their own. Seams, zippers, rivets. They belong to the structure of the garment rather than its decoration. They are not patterns or ornaments. They simply do their job.

The original purpose of the rivet was equally straightforward. In the nineteenth century, Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis began reinforcing the pockets and other high-stress areas of jeans with copper rivets, allowing the garment to withstand greater strain and last longer. Since then, rivets have remained a means of connection and reinforcement, rarely becoming the focus themselves.

Over time, however, rivets became increasingly visible. They appeared on shoulders, cuffs, leather jackets and boots, gradually developing into a visual language of their own. In some contexts, they grew larger, brighter and sharper, coming to represent strength, rebellion and identity.

While designing this T-shirt, I found myself wondering whether a rivet could exist in another way. I didn't want to hide it, nor did I want to emphasise it. Instead, I tried to think of it simply as a material, no different from cotton, stitching or a button. It has weight. It feels cool to the touch. It catches the light gently. It remains unmistakably metal, yet through its arrangement, it begins to form a different kind of order. What interests me is not the material itself, but how a change in the relationship between materials can create something new.