Design Manifesto!
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The majority of my inspirations come from my Adventurous and Daring personality. I have never been one to follow the crowd. Avoid the crowd. A timid, small person, I am - but my designs voice matters that can’t be spoken . To me, design is innovation as well as functionality. I appreciate detail and shape, I like that a whole piece can transform a body because of these aspects.!
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I have a great love for Art; The heavy brushstrokes of Van Gogh’s paintings drive my fascination for texture in garments. Each painting gives a chilling view into his life - his happiness, sorrows, afflictions. You meet the Artist through their work. To me, Fashion is Art. The body is the blank canvas that comes alive when a designer gives a piece of their life to their design. It’s a way of expressing yourself. To meet me is to wear my garments.!
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My greatest passion - one that heavily influences my work is Travelling. It’s how we live our lives. Whether on a commute to work or a Backpacking trip across Europe, there are so many aspects to derive from each journey. The different sceneries that I have seen whilst travelling has broadened my creativity. I find beauty in the different hues of a sunset that is reflected along a lake, as well as the mosaic rooftops of an old church. I can incorporate these details into my design work; extracting extraordinary colours and intricate patterns that each place holds. I can create new shapes for garments from the architecture that has been around for decades. This new shape, this new design is what I leave as my mark. My unique mark in this world. As a designer. As one of the Billions of human beings that live on this planet.!
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Music plays a big part in my identity, both in design and personally. Each genre of music portrays different attitudes that influence the varying styles in fashion. My music taste has greatly influenced my non-conformist views of the world. My favourite genre - punk and rock and roll. It screams out REBELLION. That is me. That is my aesthetic. Like musicians who have no fear in experimenting with their sound; I enjoy transforming new shapes for garments. An example of this is when I made an oversized denim dress that I slashed into which revealed scrap fabrics through the denim. Not only did I create a garment that is not of the typical feminine shape but I was also able to ethically consider my fabric choices of which the industry lacks. I want to make a difference. I am not afraid of using the male body as a starting point for the female form. Women are equal to men. Men are equal to Women. I have a firm belief in Equality. I visualise a world where there are no boundaries between the genders. This means Women’s silhouettes will no longer be based on the hourglass figure. I want to break the rules, and create the unthinkable. !
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I am inspired by designers such as Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo and Alexander Mcqueen. I love how they experiment with the shape of their garments, having no creative boundaries in their work. These chosen designers bring their creations to life. Designers that have very strong Design Identities. I was lucky enough to be able to see their work in person at exhibitions I attended such as the “Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion” Exhibition which featured Yamamoto’s and Kawakubo’s work at the Barbican and Alexander Mcqueens “Savage Beauty” at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Knowing which designers fuel me is important as I am able to identify the type of designer I could become through them, inspired by their work and their lives. If I had my garments displayed at an exhibition, I am comfortable in the knowledge that my work would fit in well with these designers. !
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I wish to acquire a specialism in Womenswear. I want to focus on creating clothing for women that isn’t the typical ‘feminine’ shape. I want Menswear for Womenswear. I am aware that the male and female body are very different to each other in structure hence