About Me
Hi, I'm Amy, a graduate from the University of Portsmouth
Amy was inspired by health and wellbeing, specifically in heart failure in youth and adolescents. Sustainably driven, she used recycled fire service uniforms, symbolising modern day armour, to explore and represent this issue.
My goal as an aspiring designer is to educate myself and others on sustainable fashion, and new and unusual ways for the industry to do this. My collection is about spreading awareness in a responsible way shedding light on the health and wellbeing of today's youth, using fashion as a platform not only for identity and aesthetic but for positive change. Designing for all; producing fashion that helps all.
INSPIRATION
My inital inspiration was to create a collection that raises awareness about heart failure in youth.
I wanted to create a body of work that raised awareness for heart failure in youth and adolescence. I chose to upcycle fire service uniforms in a sustainable approach that reinforced conceptual ideas. Inspired by samurai armour for form and silhouette, the uniforms reflected this idea of a modern-day armour. These qualities underline my context of health and wellbeing.
The fire service uniform and samurai armoury symbolises bravery and protection; attributes of the young people fighting illness and heart failure. I wanted every part of my design to indicate these ideas. Using mixed media such as screen printing, embroidery and laser cutting to show organic shapes motifs, a contrast to the utilitarian aesthetic of the uniform. Organic swirling prints, embroideries and complex pattern cutting are reminiscent of something trying to engulf the body as it fights it off.
MY WORK
PORTFOLIOS
DETAIL
I used donated fire service uniforms for a large proportion of the collection.
I wanted to explore sustainability and upcycling in my collection. Fire service uniforms are garments that cannot be used again once they can no longer withstand heat and will end up as fabric waste. Reusing these donated materials provided creative challenges when designing and pattern cutting. I designed by splitting my garments into sections, this allowed me to arrange textures and textile ideas that I would not do without these restrictions. Core to my collection is health and wellbeing and wanting to raise awareness in youth and adolescents. This seasonless collection is for unisex youthwear and is highly versatile through layering and detachable and adjustable elements. Detailing coming from surgical tubing and stitching draws medical procedures into the collection.
Fashion not only is a way of expression, identity and creativity, it impacts all areas of life such as health and wellbeing, producing sustainably will benefit us all!
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