My fashion process in its entirety derives from my love of collage. The way I design and construct my work is similar to how someone would cut out and merge images together to create an alluring work of art. My love of collaging derives from making something new out of clothes I never wore. Cutting apart clothes, sewing them back together, and incorporating multimedia practices to rework an article of clothing jump-started my love of upcycling. These practices eventually caused me to become very passionate about the harmful industry of fashion and its effects on garment workers and our planet. To make a change I lead with this question whenever starting a new work, how can I change the way garments are made to better the effects of this industry on our world?
Fabric Manipulation Part 1, 2023, Spray Paint, Zippers, Buttons, Jewelry, Fabric Scraps
For this Design I project we were required to come up with a concept and create fabric manipulations from the concept. I was inspired by Elsa Schiaparelli's early work from the 1930s-1940s. Schiaparelli was involved with the surrealist art movement and she made her work when Art Deco was popular in architecture. I tied in elements of architecture, surrealist work and Schiaparelli's love of shocking pink and accessories. When making the manipulations I incorporated my own elements of collage, spray paint, appliqué and my grandmother's old jewelry to tie in with the theme of 1930-1940s.
Fabric Manipulations Part 2, 2023, Spray Paint, Zippers, Buttons, Jewelry, Fabric Scraps
For this Design I project we were required to come up with a concept and create fabric manipulations from the concept. I was inspired by Elsa Schiaparelli's early work from the 1930s-1940s. Schiaparelli was involved with the surrealist art movement and she made her work when Art Deco was popular in architecture. I tied in elements of architecture, surrealist work and Schiaparelli's love of shocking pink and accessories. When making the manipulations I incorporated my own elements of collage, spray paint, appliqué and my grandmother's old jewelry to tie in with the theme of 1930-1940s.
Design I Sketchbook, 2023, Paper and Glue
These collages were made for my Design 1 project in order to give me an idea of what my fabric manipulations would look like. I was very inspired by Elsa Schiaparelli's love of shocking pink and surrealist embellishments.
Plaid, Pleated and Pink, 2023, Cotton Fabric, Zipper, Interfacing, Hook and Eye
Construction 1 godet skirt with raw edges
Pinstripe Button Up, 2023, Eye Buttons, Silk Fabric, Interfacing
Construction 1 button up with an angled collar and cutout details in sleeves
Intergral Sketchbook, 2024, Glue, Paper, Thread, Receipts
Integral Sketchbook with childhood photos, receipts, boarding pass and old artwork
Final Fashion Fabric, 2024, Photoshopped image from sketchbook, 26x29 inches
This image was burned into a silk screen and used to print most of the fabric I used for my garment. I warped it in photoshop in order to create a sense of movement.
Memorabilia 1, 2024, Bleached Duck, Cotton Gauze, Handwoven Cotton, Cotton Voile, Zippers, Black and White Fabric Ink, Black Fabric Dye
A detailed view of the sleeve and profile of the Memorabilia garment. Features drawstring installed in the sleeve with cutouts of cows and my body.
Memorabilia 2, 2024, Bleached Duck, Cotton Gauze, Handwoven Cotton, Cotton Voile, Zippers, Black and White Fabric Ink, Black Fabric Dye
View of the back and front of the Memorabilia garment. Cow Manipulations drape at the bottom of the garment. Detailed frontal view features receipt print on top and casing that rests on top of the wearer's chest.
Memorabilia 3, 2024, Bleached Duck, Cotton Gauze, Handwoven Cotton, Cotton Voile, Zippers, Black and White Fabric Ink, Black Fabric Dye
View of the back and front of the Memorabilia garment. Cow Manipulations drape at the bottom of the garment. Understructure connected to the yoke allows the skirt to be held up in place. Angular collar connects to shoulder straps to keep the sleeves supported.
Do you ever collect receipts or memorabilia from a special event to remember it later? When brainstorming for my work I kept coming back to the idea of identity and how I became who I am today due to the memories and moments from my childhood. The beginning of my process started with taking out receipts I’ve kept in my wallet that held a special memory. I found childhood photos, one being of a calf I helped take care of with my sister, best friend and mother. My intention was to use these receipts in my collages to portray the importance of memorabilia. I cut out certain people, faces, objects and put the barcode from the receipt onto the photos in place. I reworked and warped my collages in photoshop, then transferred it to a silk screen in order to print on my fabrics. I used the outline of crumpled receipts and drapings to come up with the shape of the garment. The structure of the work coincides with my concept of memorabilia. The work shifts between this guarded and exposed state, just like a piece of memorabilia. This is because the viewer would not know of my garments’ importance unless I told them the meaning behind it. With the mass amount of fabric covering the body in addition to the exposed chest, the wearer is protected and vulnerable at the same time. This garment is like a collage of my memories, in the way they all merge together to create who I am.