About Me
Hi, I'm Maleehah. A Fashion Design Graduate from UCLAN.
I am a graduate designer specialising in womenswear. My time at university has allowed me to explore and experiment with finding my personal design aesthetic and has helped to strengthen my skills in sewing, pattern cutting and CAD.
My love for the Sci-fi genre has influenced my experimental designs throughout university. Going against the norm and designing unconventional yet wearable pieces is something I aspire to continue and develop further. My aim is to create new worlds and stories through my creations and for people to feel inspired when wearing them.
INSPIRATION
DUNE DYSTOPIA
In an era of ceaseless bombardment of bad news from extreme weather events to human rights violations and societal division, the dawn of a dystopian future is no longer a farfetched prospect, rather an impending reality. I have always been interested in post-apocalyptic fiction so the resurgence of this genre within the world of cinema [with Dune Part Two and The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes releasing in 2023] and it's parallels to today's society have heavily influenced my concept.
Inspired by dystopian designer Rick Owens, angularity and asymmetry flow throughout my designs from sharp shoulders to pointed hems creating apocalyptic, androgynous silhouettes. Together, these themes synthesise to create a sombre, otherworldly aesthetic for my collection.
MY WORK
PORTFOLIOS
CONCEPT BOARD
COLOUR BOARD
SILHOUETTE BOARD
FABRIC BOARD
INSPIRATION
DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT
SAMPLING
OUTFIT 1
OUTFIT 2
OUTFIT 3
OUTFIT 4
OUTFIT 5
OUTFIT 6
RANGE PLAN
FINAL LINE UP
FINAL LINE UP
PHOTOSHOOT
PHOTOSHOOT
DETAIL
Ready for a dystopian future...
Maintaining a sustainable approach was extremely important when curating my collection, from sourcing mainly dead stock materials to repurposing off cuts to ensure minimal waste. Countless hours of meticulous attention were spent perfecting the curved panels (inspired by meandering sand dunes) to achieve a fluid, futuristic look. To highlight the different panels, I used juxtaposing fabrics such as dead stock cotton drill, velvet, silk and lambskin leather. I trapped the excess leather left over from cutting out pattern pieces, in the seams, retaining the original jagged edges. The bold metallic glimmers of silver reflect luxury, modernity and futurism which are at the core of my theme. Inspired by planetary patterns, I designed digital prints on silky Solange jersey for the base of my multi-layered outfits and overlaid them with torn textures of hand distressed jersey. These unconventional details combine to reflect an air of mystery and futurism which is deeply embedded within my collection.
The more people that are afraid when they see new creation, the happier I am. - Rei Kawakubo
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