About Me
Fashion Design Through The Eyes Of Estelle, LAU Graduate.
‘In Everlasting Memory’ has been created as a perennial collection by British designer Estelle Smalley, her ‘ready-to-wear’ garments focus on feelings of; love, loss + grief, and the heightened importance of personal connections, endeavouring to convey the ephemeral nature of emotions and convert them into physical garments.
Having a background education in art and photography helped me form my own complex narratives and highly detailed concepts. being able to pull ideas from everything I see and feel, for my graduate collection I explored the feelings of grief and mourning looking back to historic events and how people dealt with death. Highlighting the importance of personal connections. I practiced a degree of pattern cutting throughout my collection, however my preferred approach to clothes making is moulage on a stand and or my own body.
INSPIRATION
'In Everlasting Memory'- An Ode To Those Lost To Covid-19
My graduate collection is an ode to my late grandfather who passed from covid-19. I drew inspiration from a wide range of sources; studying, death photography, historic garments and accessories associated with grief & loss, dating back as far as 1665-1666 (Bubonic Plague) and the post-war period of 1918-19 (The Great Influenza), both part of pandemics which affected the society and history of Britain. Plague pit maps and microscope images of Covid-19 molecules are referenced in her beaded embroidery for
design ‘No.3’; the print designs are subtle but evident in context.The themes of Estelle’s collection are intended to be ‘relatable’ for everyone, to some extent; having recently experienced a viral pandemic, as we move forward, the importance of love & care for others around the world is increasingly fundamental to developing a better society; where everyone tries to be more considerate of their neighbour, be more inclusive and give more of themselves.
MY WORK
PORTFOLIOS
Concept
Colour + Fabric
Initial Design Development/Ideas
Press Piece
Tights
beaded bodice- covid-19 molecules/plague pit maps
Accessories
Final Line-Up And Cads
'King Of Hollywood' Menswear/Colour,Fabric
Design Development
'Apo-The-Ke', Paul Smith
Colour + Fabric
Customer
'Kingsman' Cothsurgeon Live Brief
Concept
Silhouette
Colour + Fabric
Collage For Inspiration
Illustrations + Cad
DETAIL
'My Whole Collection Depends On My Accessories'
My collection consists of shoe covers, headresses, bags to compliment and elevate my designs. Using a heat-press malfunction I designed bags and using my print/embriodered samples to inspire jewellery like earrings/necklaces and face jewellery.
"I think there is beauty in everything. What 'normal' people perceive as ugly, I can usually see something of beauty in it."—Alexander McQueen
Graduate Fashion Week in partnership with:
