I was Inspired by my Grandad who spent his lifetime working down the pits, and the mining town I am from. I was also inspired by my local textile mills and wanted to locally source my fabrics where possible, to support keeping the textile industry in Yorkshire alive.
My message followed the direction of the miners’ wives and how the women supported their men during the 1984 miners’ strike. Although inspired by the unity of mining families and the solidarity of miners’ wives, the collection is about coming together in all aspects of modern life. This collection aims to bring a feeling of unity to this current generation by creating an inclusive brand.
INSPIRATION
This then led me on to further research in my local area and the joining of social media groups about the coal industry and the 1984 miners’ strike. I discovered that the miners’ strike is often told from the perspective of men, but women played a prominent role. Support from women took many forms, from joining the picket lines, providing food in the soup kitchens, raising funds, and organising protest marches.
Anne Scargill, the wife of Arthur Scargill, the then president of the National Union of Mineworkers wrote, “Most women were changed forever by the strike. They realised that they no longer had to be just a mother or a wife, they had a political education and a wider view. When that happens, the boundaries alter.” The voice of women and their campaigns to have their rights recognised became a central feature of my design inspiration.
DETAIL
The map print in the collection ‘1984’ is taken from my hometown, focusing on the mining collieries in my local area and specifically the mine my Grandad worked at. This print has been used throughout the collection ‘1984’ as the brand’s symbolic print.