My final year studying BA (Hons) Fashion at AUB has been a whirlwind of emotions and opportunities. I’ve been shortlisted for awards at Graduate Fashion Week (winning the Graduate Fashion Week Digital Fashion Award 2024) and come out with a First Class Honours. More importantly, I have grown as a designer and, hopefully, as a peer in so many ways.
Through my school years, I always had a passion for the creative subjects such as art and DT; however, I had more confidence in my abilities within academic subjects. It was during my A-Levels that occurred throughout the COVID-19 lockdowns where I pushed my confidence as an artist. I had chosen biology as I hoped to become a paramedic, mathematics as a safe backup and art as a passion project.
As so much of my A-Level study was at-home learning due to COVID-19, art was the subject I felt that I could develop and self-critique so differently to the others. I loved the chaos of not having a right or wrong answer. I believe my combination of academic and creative subjects gave me the outlook that enables my blend of textiles and pattern cutting, as well as physical and digital. I really enjoy pushing both parts of my brain.
My graduate collection uses bespoke textiles design, contemporary silhouettes and digital innovation to bring body diversity into menswear, as well as demonstrating more sustainable practices. The journey of bringing my collection to life was extremely cathartic as I was able to give a platform to issues that matter to me. I aligned my values with a gap that I recognised in the market.
The feminine energy that comes through my garments is inspired by my dissertation – Is gendered dress a catalyst for misogyny, enabling the oppression of women and queer men through the weaponisation of femininity, and does the fashion industry need to prepare for a shift to androgynous fashion? – which gave me the knowledge to translate my ideas in an appropriate way. The femininity in my graduate collection aims to show the boldness and power that can come from stepping out of gendered dress codes.
Whilst being at AUB, I have had the chance to work on a range of projects, including a live brief for Size? designing a menswear collection; a collaboration project for the catwalk at Graduate Fashion Week, and making my own collection from start to finish in my final year. I have been able to explore and learn traditional crafts as well as innovative, new ideas with the industry-leading facilities in the fashion department.
I am hugely excited for what may come in the next few years! I hope to be part of the transition to a more sustainable industry by continuing to utilise the benefits of digital creation, as well as bringing body representation into menswear and a more truly unisex market.
