If we go far back in time, we could argue that sewing the very first clothes was the beginning of the fast fashion movement. Crazy, right?! We see that Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, and had just sinned:
“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” -Genesis 3:7
They needed something to cover their shame…fast! Leaves were readily available, so that’s what they used. There was no regard for making something to last, it was just a garment for the immediate need of the moment. Fast fashion at its inception! There was no exploitation of workers; Adam and Eve were the workers. However, wrong had been done and therefore the first clothes came about.
From the beginning, humans have looked for quick satisfaction and quick results. We are inherently impatient. However, thankfully God is patient with us. When he saw that Adam and Eve had sinned, and therefore caused a rift between God and mankind, he declared that there were consequences. Big consequences. Yet, then we see a compassionate shift:
“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” -Genesis 3:21
Garments of leaves offer little protection and longevity. They were quick and easy, but would need constant replacing. God offered a more long-term solution: garments of skin. However, to create garments of skin, a sacrifice needed to be made. Something had to die. For man to be covered by a sacrifice foreshadowed our need for Jesus. For mankind to have a restored relationship with God, we needed to be covered by blood.
Sin created a rift between God and mankind, and mankind’s efforts to bridge that gap will always fall short. We are not capable of saving ourselves or forgiving our own sin. We can try to cover it up, but ultimately that just distances us more from God’s love. Instead, we can accept what God was willing to do for us, and enjoy communion with him again.
It is humorous to think of the first clothes as fast fashion, and God’s clothes as slow fashion. Yet it really isn’t that much of a stretch. The fast fashion industry is built upon exploitation, waste, and poor stewardship. Ethical clothing companies, like Elegantees, seek to honor God by mirroring his love for people and taking care of what he has given us. Through breaking the fashion industry’s cycles of sin and shame, we can show the world that God has something better for us all.
He offers opportunity for relationship with him, regardless of what our past looks like. He offers a fresh start with him each day. God offers his son as a way to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. What the serpent in the Garden intended for evil, God redeemed in every way.
Mankind’s first garments were hastily sewn to cover shame. We are eternally grateful that God offered us something that was Sewn to Restore.
Sewn to Restore 