About Me
I'm Nina, a French/English designer inspired by people.
Born in the UK, I grew up in the French countryside. Farm life wasn't for me so I decided to move to London when I turned eighteen to pursue a creative degree; at this point I had no creative background so decided to do a Foundation year at my current University. Fashion was always something I was interested in and I taught myself how to sew and pattern cut.
The making side of things was always something I enjoyed and trial and error has always been the best way for me to learn. People have always been my biggest source of inspiration (one of the main reasons for my move to a city) and I find most of my design inspiration from looking at people's street style and the work of photographers who capture it. I like the idea of giving people the possibility to express themselves and tell their own story through my designs, I don't want my work to just be styled in the same way I envision it.
INSPIRATION
Welcome to my graduate collection entitled 'Under my skin.'
‘Under my skin’ is my graduate collection. It is a showcase of my personal and creative journey and finds it’s inspiration within my personal experience.Through this collection I wanted to show the skills I learn but also allow techniques and materials to inform my creative choices. This is the most personal piece of work I have ever produced. My wish when developing this concept was to get deeper into my own creative journey and processes, to explore what feeds my creativity positively and negatively.
I wanted this collection to be about allowing yourself to be your own source of inspiration, your own Muse but also to be completely transparent with yourself and others. All your experiences are part of your journey, good and bad they all bring something to the table. These garments are an illustration of where I am in this moment in time without neglecting who I was when I started this journey. Think of them as an X-ray of my creative journey so far, an X-ray that we can all relate to in different ways.
MY WORK
PORTFOLIOS
DETAIL
This collection is not what I initially envisioned my graduate collection to look, it's deeper.
I originally envisioned my graduate collection to be a list of different types of garments all ticking boxes to show off my skills and present me as employable but this collection is so much more. I learn how to apply the skills that I have learnt throughout the years but also push them further to create my own visual signature. I learnt how to incorporate silicone into fabric crating an almost skin-like, wet look texture whilst still showcasing aspects of the wearer's skin and the fabric fibres. Through this collection I learnt to push my limits and understanding of fashion and design and to express myself through the garments I created without fear of judgement. I want to continue to design in this way, to keep showcasing my strengths but also my weaknesses and vulnerabilities, to inspire myself and allow others to inspire me. This collection has taught me a lot and I hope others will hear this message and that it will help them learn and grow into themselves.
'Under my skin' is essentially an ode to ones-self, to expressing ones journey despite the restrictions imposed by the society that surrounds us.
Graduate Fashion Week in partnership with:
