Sky Cubacub

Sky Cubacub (born 1991) is an American designer, activist, and founder of Rebirth Garments. They were born in Chicago, Illinois and identify as a non-binary Filipinx disabled queer.[1] Cubacub graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2015, and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts.[2] Their fashion brand Rebirth Garments was launched in 2014. They also teamed up with the Chicago Public Library in October 2020 to create a fashion program called Radical Fit for the Chicago Public Library.[3] Cubacub has held several performances, exhibitions, and lectures from Chicago, to New York City, and Ottawa.[4][5] They’ve won several awards including the most recent Ford Foundation, United States Artist and Andrew W Mellon foundation Disability Futures Fellow in 2021.[6][7]

Early life

Sky Cubacub grew up in Chicago, Illinois in a Filipinx American family. From an early age, they dealt with anxiety, panic disorders, depression, and disabilities such as C-PTSD, PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), environmental illnesses as well as an undiagnosed stomach disorder.[1] As a non-binary queer person, they sought out gender affirming garments but because of their health, a need for garments that were accessible for individuals with disabilities was also present.[8] After attempting to purchase a chest binder while under the age of 18, they realized these types of garments were limited or not accessible for everyone.[9][8] Also, after previously making a garment for a cousin, another family member encouraged Cubacub to make a fashion brand for kids with disabilities. With this suggestion, Cubacub realized they wanted to make inclusive clothing not just for kids but for everyone with queer and disabled identities.[1] Their own clothing needs lead to the idea of creating garments and accessories that were gender non-conforming, in any size range and met the needs of individuals with apparent and non-apparent disabilities and disorders.[9]

Education

Sky Cubacub attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago from 2010 to 2014, studied fibers, textiles and weaving arts. They obtained a Bachelor's in Fine Arts (BFA). In 2018, they did a residency at the Evanston Art Center and introduced the Radical Visibility Collective along with collaborators, Jake Vogds and Compton Q. [10]

Career

In the summer of 2014, Sky Cubacub created a clothing line titled Rebirth Garments. It provides personal handmade attire and accessories for people of different sizes, genders, and disabilities.[1] Cubacub conducts interviews with customers and models, asking them questions about their preferred colors, patterns, accessibility, body, and overall visual expression of the garment. [1][8] Rebirth Garments specializes in lingerie, swimwear and dancewear. These garments are typically created in assorted bright colors. One material commonly chosen for its elastic properties is Spandex.[1] Cubacub has chosen to debut their garments with a dance performance in lieu of a runway fashion show. The collection was composed of 25 looks and incorporated music that was custom made for the performance.[10] During the Covid-19 pandemic, Cubacub incorporated facial masks to their collection.[1] As of recently, Cubacub and the Rebirth Garments team offer virtual workshops and lectures.[11] They have a variety of these workshops and lectures that are based on different topics, including no-sew fashion, performance, symbol-making, pattern-making, entrepreneurship, zines, and the Radical Visibility manifesto.

In the fall of 2020, the Chicago Public Library announced a program offered in partnership with Cubacub called Radical Fit, which ran through October 2020 to August 2021. The program offered online fashion tutorials events in-person and online where interested teens were introduced to a variety of fashion and craft projects, sometimes with the help of other amateur and expert designers.[3] Cubacub is also the editor of Radical Visibility Zine, a magazine promoting a safe space for those "who have often been excluded from mainstream fashion.[12]

Awards and recognitions

In 2018, Sky Cubacub was named Chicagoan of the Year by the Chicago Tribune.[10] They also are a 2019/2020 Kennedy Center Citizen Artist and a Disability Features Fellow.[13]

References

1. "About". Rebirth Garments. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
2. "Sky Cubacub on Their Obsessions". Spring 2017.
3. "Radical Fit Fashions for Teens: Online Tutorials and More Through August 2021". www.chipublib.org. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
4. "Gallery". Rebirth Garments. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
5. "Study Sessions: Sky Cubacub". whitney.org. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
6. "Sky Cubacub". www.cityofpaloalto.org. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
7. Messman, Lauren (2020-10-14). "Ford and Mellon Foundations Unveil Initiative for Disabled Artists". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
8. "In Conversation with Sky Cubacub". Shades of Noir: Journals. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
9. Bostedt, Shelbie Lynn (26 September 2016). "Chicago designer Sky Cubacub fills fashion void for queer-identifying clients, people with disabilities". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
10. Hawbaker, K. T. "Chicagoan of the Year: Sky Cubacub finds art in Rebirth Garments". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
11. "Teaching Rebirth Warriors". Rebirth Garments. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
12. "Radical Visibility Zine". Rebirth Garments. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
13. "Sky Cubacub | Kennedy Center". www.kennedy-center.org. Retrieved 2021-11-03.