MATTER Prints || Pants to See The World In

One of my goals this spring/summer is to add more patterned pieces that push my "fashion boundaries". I'm a huge fan of using clothes as a form of self-expression, but with my closet so focused on practicality, sometimes the neutrals and patternless silhouettes can get a bit boring. So, when I reveal my spring wardrobe, you can expect to see a bit more pattern/color/interest than I've worn in the past.

One of the first pieces I had in mind when I began brainstorming items to add to my wardrobe were a pair of trousers from MATTER Prints. Their designs are timeless, featuring unique patterns and shapes that instantly add variety and interest to a wardrobe. 

I chose the Easy Dhoti style in the Rana print because it easily goes with most tops in my closet and can be worn casually, as I've styled them here, or dressed up with leather heels and a jean jacket. 

MATTER is a Singapore based brand with a global reach. It didn't start out that way, though. Like most brands, they started out small, with a big dream. MATTER was the brainchild of two friends who set out to design "pieces carrying handcrafted grace in each thread and cultural heritage in their colors and shapes". 

They have a threefold mission: 

1. to foster designer-artisan collaborations

2. to inspire consumers to value provenance and process

3. to pioneer industry change and sustainability for rural textile communities

They accomplish this through working with artisans who use time-tested techniques to cut, dye, and create the prints that make their brand so unique. For example, to create their Sideswept Dhoti pant in the Mobi Pomegranate print, artisans spend a total of 40 artisan days from the beginning phase of carving, and dye making, to the finishing phases of textile printing and allowing the garment to dry. 

MATTER is truly doing everything right when it comes to transparency, artisan empowerment, sourcing, and designing clothes that are of the highest quality. 

“Our mission is to inspire consumers to value provenance – to ask of the where and why something is made, and champion alternative production models for textile artisans to expand their economic opportunities.”