Each piece in the Harsh Environment collection features original textile treatments done by hand: rusted, dyed, felted, and painted. The oversize dress of shiny, satin-faced organza has been contact-dyed to rust and imprinted with a haunted, corroded landscape. The center yoke of the dress has been painted with acid-dyes. The second look features a contact-dyed silk jersey blouse, with rust lines created by steel cables, and "oil drips" produced by mineral reactions with kidney beans. Silk organza rusted pipelines ring the bamboo voile skirt in asymmetrical fashion. A cascade of rusted and dyed silk cords circles the neck and fall to convey a sense of liquid motion. The final piece in the collection is a flowing cape of nuno-felted merino/silk blend wool, which drapes and moves as if the wearer is adorned by a layer of the earth's crust. The juxtaposition of the natural, icy landscape with the rust and corrosion of industry speaks of our intimate connection with the earth, and reflects our reliance on and responsibility for its resources and environment.