costume a la victime

 This collection aims to reimagine the future of luxury fashion by identifying the changes needed to modernise the industry for the current world. I am looking to create a high-end collection which is sustainably made and designed to be handed down through generations by exploring modular design, reversibility and innovative tailoring. The fabrics used will be low impact and/or upcycled and innovative fastening techniques will ensure easy replacement or repair. 

My main source of aesthetic inspiration comes from the Incroyables et Merveilleuses, a French sub-culture from the 18th century which came about as a result of political turmoil and was characterised by very particular extravagant fashion. This links to the question of how the current pandemic and political issues as well as the climate emergency could affect the future of fashion.

Further aesthetic inspiration will come from the paintings of André Derain – whose use of colour and texture I find particularly captivating – and from the concept of baby blankets – why do we form such strong connections to these textiles and how are they ‘personalised’ by excessive wear and tear?

This will be a womenswear collection designed to take busy people from office to evening, so the garments will be interchangeable and easy to layer. Using bright colour and texture, I hope to create pieces which are timeless without looking boring. Prices will be around £400 for trousers or £800 for outerwear; by keeping these fairly low for the luxury market, I aim to allow more people access to good quality clothing. A strong heritage story and ease of personalisation aims to encourage wearers to keep, mend and hand down these garments.