Concept Statement: My collection was created in response to the wasteful consumer culture promoted by red carpet events and social media. Clothing is meant to be worn and experienced, not worn once and discarded or stored away until it’s thrown out. I designed my pieces to be adaptable for several layers of formality and to be interchangeable in order to be worn for a variety of events without losing the unique, first-look experience. The rise and fall of the plastic age is reflected in the minimalistic organic forms and sculptural elements.
What were the main fabric or fabric manipulation processes you used in your garments?
I aimed to use all natural fibers due to their decomposition ability. I decided to use greatly differing materials, such as silk and wool felt, in order to show the wide range of textures and opacities that natural fibers can have. The silk had a floating, ethereal quality while the stiffness of the 3mm wool felt provided unprecedented sculptural qualities. With these materials, I also experimented with surface embellishment, screen printing, and laser-cutting.
What will you take away from your time working with Art2Wear?
Working on Art2wear brought the design process to life over the course of the year. It was the longest duration of a project that I had worked on and that time allotment gave me the opportunity to really push myself and my processes. It was empowering to see my previously learned techniques and rough ideas combine into a physical, moving, display of my vision. The entire process reinforced the time management, determination, and creativity that design embodies.
How has Covid-19 affected your collection, if at all?
Due to challenges with warehouses closing and shipping being delayed, I had to adapt my last two looks in order to make them work with the materials I already had. This involved reducing the amount of wool felt used in one piece, and replacing the silk skirt on the other with a wooden hoop skirt. These changes improved my collection in the end due to the addition of unique silhouettes and creative materials used.
I’d like to thank my family for supporting me through the highs and lows of this unpredictable year.
