My approach to fashion is informed by a background in character design and illustration. With each look I have the goal of fully recreating a world within my head, not just creating a piece of clothing. In the world of this collection, the hypercarnivorous behavior of most humans is reflected visually. The uses of fur in human garments are blended with the original biological functions they serve in animals. Each garment is lined in blood red, standing in contrast to the pastels and neons of the exterior. These tensions between human and animal, regal and feral, are central to my work.
Fashion is as heavily gendered industry, and male androgyny and femininity are often reduced to a trend. I have a unique approach to gender within my work, in that I work with androgyny, but strive for my work to be engaging enough that gender is the least exciting thing going on. I’m already deconstructing this human versus animal dichotomy, so why would an even more arbitrary one like gender matter? I produced a collection that incorporates these elements, but stands on its own merit as a collection about animal ethics, reflecting these two aspects of my life that I often feel forced to choose between.
This collection was born out of my disillusionment with the way humans relate to animals. To be human in our current culture is—in part—to be superior to all other species, and I want us to get to a place where to be human is just to be one of many animal species on the planet.
A central element of my design philosophy is a completely animal-free process, rooted in my vegan ethics. I seek to push the limits of plant fibers and simulate the qualities of animals through fabric manipulation instead of using the animals themselves as my materials. Strong fashion can stand on its own, and relying on the pelts, skin, and fibers of other animals not only robs them of their bodily autonomy, but also robs us of the opportunity to create our own materials. True innovation comes out when presented with a challenge, and finding unique ways to create is an opportunity.