‘Backstage- 1974 tour’ My collection focuses on suede and leather, hand cut appliqué and studded denim suits. Vintage clothing from the 1970s, in particular the American denim and leather wear from designers like ‘East west musical instruments’ ‘North Beach’ and ‘Roncelli’, inspire me greatly. The cuts and proportions are exiting and juxtapose one another, such as the large bell bottom jeans and shrunken fits of the leather jackets.
I collect rare 1970s garments, so have a large archive of details to study from. I feel an attachment to the vintage clothing in my personal collection as it’s survived a whole lifetime before being mine, which I hope to endeavour in my designs. I have also been running a small vintage clothing business from the age of 19, began reselling at 15 and permanently set myself up at Portobello market on the vintage fashion Friday a few years ago. Rummaging through car boot sales with my dad on the weekends as a teenager trained my eye for curating and selecting rare and unique pieces. As I’ve learnt to curate vintage, my knowledge of fashion through the decades, details and fabrics assists me through my design processes and decisions.
I wanted to use natural materials only for this collection, and will continue to also for any future collections. I think it’s important to combine natural fabrics alongside other natural fabrics, as it creates a feeling of luxury, durability and enables these garments to sustain for longer periods of time. Considering the poor quality of modern garments, there won’t be as many collections of rare ‘vintage’ pieces in 20 plus years to come, therefore I feel that if I am going to bring more garments onto this planet, they may as well be made to last.
‘Backstage- 1974 tour’