About Me
Hi I'm Grace, a fashion graduate student from Leeds Beckett University
I am Grace Deacon, a creative womenswear designer who specialises in sustainable and ethical practices whilst expressing my creativity. As a designer, I am hands on and love working with fabrics to find new innovative ways to create designs.
During my time at Leeds Beckett University I focused my degree on being sustainable and ethical. Sustainability is a big interest of mine, not only in the design world but it's part of who I am too. I've always carried this element throughout my 3 years of university as well as in my placement year with Oxfam, where I was an upcyclist.
INSPIRATION
Breaking Free From OCD
My research began by looking into hobbies and interest which led me to base my final major project on a very personally topic which is Mental Health in particular Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I live with OCD and had done for the past 4 years; OCD is a major part of my life and still is therefore I wanted to showcase this by creating a collection based on living with OCD throughout my own experience.
I started by exploring my triggers and creating samples brainstorming ways to represent them. This led me onto looking into different fabrications and how they could help represent elements of my OCD. Alongside this, I knew I wanted my whole collection to be sustainably made due to the overwhelming amount of waste in the fashion industry. I felt I had a responsibility to create garments that had ethical and sustainable attributes whilst remaining non-seasonal or trend-lend making them more eco-friendly.
MY WORK
PORTFOLIOS
INTRODUCTION BOARD
MOODBOARD
COLOUR BOARD
FABRICATION BOARD
WHAT IS OCD BOARD
SUSTAINABILITY BOARD
TOILE DEVELOPMENT BOARD
TOILE DEVELOPMENT BOARD
TOILE DEVLOPMENT BOARD
TOILE DEVELOPMENT BOARD
MY TRIGGERS
CAPSULE WARDROBE
RANGE PLAN
LINE UP
DETAIL
I have created a collection that represents my life living with OCD.
For my collection I wanted to consider every minor detail into being sustainable. I sourced high quality fabrics whilst still be aware of my choices. I used organic cotton twill, organic cotton voile, organic deadstock cotton poplin and deadstock tulle, all sourced from independent Yorkshire suppliers and brands. I chose these fabrications in order to have a contrast so that it would show who I am as an individual and who my OCD is. Having an all white collection was influenced by the medical side of this mental health disorder. Each outfit in my collection is named after a family member who helped me during difficult times battling with my OCD. My final collection embodies my thoughts and feelings that come with OCD. The continuous thoughts is represented by the ongoing ruffles throughout my collection. This is contrasted with tailored garments to showcase how I want the outside world to perceive me. Although I do suffer with OCD, I am luckily enough it is something that no longer controls my life.Â
"Everyone can do simple things to make a difference, and every little bit does count"- Stella McCartney
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