As the sun shines down on Bluebird Hills Farm in Springfield, Ohio, a group of cars cross over and park on a lush patch of grass. The attendees of McConnell Arts Center’s Farm to Fashion workshop enter to meet the farm’s resident alpacas, who are tucked away from the sun’s rays in the safety of the barn’s awning. Celeste appears, food in hand, encouraging everyone to feed and pet the herd. “Feel how soft they are,” she chirps happily. You may not immediately associate a farm with the idea of fashion, but this bucolic scene is Celeste’s sphere, where the two ideas are one and the same.
Celeste Malvar-Stewart is more than a fiber artist. Through her distinctive designs and the genuine connection she’s carefully cultivated with farms in the community, Celeste has become a sustainability trailblazer.
A local in every sense, Celeste works primarily from her studio in German Village, and chooses to source her fibers locally as well. Bluebird Hills Farm is local resource that's particularly close to her heart, which shows in her friendship with both the owner Laurel Shouvlin and the sheep and alpacas who live there.
Celeste’s journey into sustainable fashion began in 2003 when she came into possession of salvaged textiles from the 1960’s. She was moved by the history these vintage fabrics held. Since then, she has designed whimsical and inspiring pieces for her collections, incorporating both natural fibers and recycled fabrics. Her designs are hand-dyed and hand-felted, a time-consuming, but mesmerizing technique which makes each otherworldly piece truly unique.
Celeste begins this process by layering wool and alpaca fibers over her fabric, wetted with soapy water. In order to fuse the fibers together, she must scrub them between sheets of bubble wrap until they have become one layer attached to the fabric. Though laborious, it reveals a patchwork of colors and textures that is almost primal in its elegance.
After moving to German Village from New York City, Celeste was worried Columbus would not be able to match the excitement of The Big Apple; however, she soon found herself surprised at its vibrancy.
“I thought, ‘Oh, my god, there’s going to be nothing to do. What will I do?’” Celeste says. “But there was so much to do here!”
When she isn’t working in her studio, Celeste can be found teaching classes on sustainability at the Columbus College of Art and Design, working on collaborations with other local artists, or featuring her work on Columbus runways. In September, she will be appearing on the Inside Northwest Columbus Podcast.
The fashion industry is one of the leading contributors of waste and pollution, but designers like Celeste have shown that this can be changed through thoughtful practices like waste reduction and ethical treatment of animals. Her sincere, almost spiritual connection with the animals is so strong that Celeste knows every creature by name, and who provided the fiber for each piece she creates.
Celeste’s brand Malvar = Stewart features everything from runway-ready couture gowns to ready-to-wear pieces, with a goal of creating zero waste. She hopes her designs will bridge a connection between the wearer, their clothing, and the environment. Pieces can be viewed online at MalvarStewart.com or purchased from airoshowroom.com.
The beauty of her garments, she explains, is that while they’re made with intention, they don’t have to be perfect.
“There's a random aspect you have to be open to and embrace,” Celeste says, her voice radiating delight. “It’s so beautiful.”
The end result is not unlike Celeste herself - something magical and just a little bit wild.