About Me
Hi, I'm Tara, a graduate from The University Of Portsmouth.
Tara was inspired by her love for Grime music and the combination of formal fits and streetwear clothing. Looking at abstract prints created using bold royal colours and lyrical art for her textiles. Using cotton satin to create a luxury feel, quilted jersey for texture and cotton canvas to give weight to the more formal pieces within her collection.
The message of my work is to celebrate the art that is Grime music. To allow individuals to express themselves in any way they wish and to create clothing that has meaning through the use of bold prints and variation in garment fits. My aim is to produce a final collection that positively expresses London as the home of Grime music and celebrates the black artists that have created the genre.
INSPIRATION
Inspired by grime music and urban settings. Creating a more positive association with the genre.
The media often associate the UK Grime scene with criminal or anti-social behaviour. The genre is weighed down by negative connotations and racism. Only recently has it been noticed for music that is created to give a voice to the voiceless, characterised by meaningful lyrics that talk about the artist's backgrounds, their struggles and their life experiences. I wanted to create a body of work that celebrates the art of the Grime genre and what inspires it.
My printed coat design is inspired by the lyrics of Stormzy’s “Don’t Cry For Me” written by hand, digitised and screen printed. Digital prints on all pieces were also created using hand printed abstract paint brush strokes inspired by urban art found in East London, the home of UK Grime. The tailored fit of the trousers and utility vest paired with a slim t-shirt and oversized modular puffer coat, elevate the typical music video streetwear aesthetic to high fashion formal wear.
MY WORK
PORTFOLIOS
DETAIL
Combining tailored fit and streetwear styles with cargo details.
Modular fashion is key to this collection shown in the creation of a reversible puffer coat with detachable zip-off sleeves. I began the design process for my prints by what inspires me in real life; UK Grime music and the artists' heritage as well as the abstract street art of East London. This led to me creating my prints as artworks, by hand, then later digitally printing one and screenprinting another. The boldly patterned puffer allows for the garment to be worn in multiple ways with both printed sides unified through the use of the same bold royal colour palette. Cargo pockets and utility detail accessories on both my utility vest and tailored trouser add a more streetwear style to the formal fits. My combination of fabrics ranging from cotton satin to quilted jersey allow me to capture the essence of both style inspirations, balancing the luxury look with casual attire and inspired by my research on Grime artists’ wide ranging fashion aesthetics.
Stop policing the art that gives a voice to so many. Celebrate the art of self expression, made in the streets for the streets.
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