After reading Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder, I was horrified by the reality of loneliness that many mothers face during their pregnancy and after birth. I wondered if there was a way to connect mothers of all ages through fashion and communication, filling a gap in the market for a haven of maternal connection and sustainable maternity wear. 

Through research, I found that the majority of women were either donating or discarding their unwanted maternity wear; however, with the over-saturation of charity shop notions, most clothing passed on is actually then placed in landfill. 

Courtesy was created to give users the opportunity to directly sell their unwanted maternity wear, collecting income and enabling users to responsibly part with their items. Alongside this, I wanted to create a space for mothers to connect to each other outside of motherhood, creating a digital third space that celebrates womanhood, art, and culture. 

My concepts have always been heavily inspired by society. With a problem-solving mindset, I have always loved and been inspired by reading; how books have the power to expand your imagination, create empathy and raise questions. I always aim for my work to create similar feelings and give a space for people to think and feel something new. 

When working on anything, I normally have thousands of ideas and find that mood/style boards help to keep my ideas together. I use these boards as a point of reference so that I can then reflect my work on and keep my ideas in a space that scratches my brain. I love using Photoshop and Pinterest on my iPad to create these boards, merging digital innovation with artistic expression. I also enjoy using software such as Adobe XD and InDesign as they allow complete creative freedom without too much complication.

To further develop my maternity wear community brand, Courtesy, in hopes of launching the business within the next couple of years.