My graduate collection 'Elements of the Sea' is a swimwear collection comprising of swimsuits, bikinis and beach cover ups. Initial inspiration for this collection came from my love of the sea, I have always lived near the coast and it is something I have always been fascinated by. As I live so close to the beach I regularly visit and this is how I came across the abundance of wierd but wonderful patterns, textures and free-flowing forms that most people don't pay any attention to when on their daily stroll. When it was time to make my decision on a theme for my graduate collection I instantly knew what to do. I particularly enjoy working with gouache paint, line drawing and colour so I thought to myself what better way to show off these skills then to incorporate them into this collection. My original idea for this collection was completely different, I wanted to design a collection which was based on practical processes such as screen printing and stitch. I researched a few fashion trends for 2020/21 and came across the transparency trend and thought it would work well with my 'Elements of the Sea theme. I started to look into different materials and processes which would coincide with the transparency trend. I initially thought of working with transparent, sheer materials like nylon and I was very intrigued by the devore process. To devore a fabric it involves a chemical process that creates a semi-transparent pattern against more solidly woven fabric.
Unfortunately I was unable to pursue this idea because of the Covid 19 pandemic. The university had decided to close so I know longer had any access to a studio space. I was very limited as to what I could do and as a result I had to come up with an alternative idea. To overcome this hurdle I thought I would stick to my strengths and do what I know best. I have always enjoyed combining both traditional methods of working with contemporary, so in this case I reverted back to my love of drawing and painting and then used photoshop to digitally enhance the imagery.
I was still intrigued by the transparent overlay trend and I was keen to take inspiration from it in some shape or form. I thought to myself I no longer have access to a sewing machine or a studio space. Therefore it would be a challenge to replicate these processes digitally. However, I am able to replicate the idea of layering and transparency with the use of photoshop by experimenting with differing opacities. This is when my initial idea for a swimwear collection started, swimsuits are very versatile in terms of print design because they can be bold, vivid in colour and a bit over the top. This was a perfect opportunity for me to fully express my creative abilities and still give a nod to the transparency trend I had researched. A swimwear collection gave me scope to explore layering because I had the option to design beach cover ups and kimonos which are typically sheer and transparent. As a result of my circumstances changing I had to carry out extensive research on swimwear brands to ensure I was targeting the correct audience. Some of the brands I was looking at were Hollister, Fat Face and Billabong. They all sell swimwear which is brightly coloured and heavily printed this theme is very much carried throughout my collection.
The colour palette for this collection was heavily influenced by my own primary research. My favourite fishing town in South-West Wales called Tenby is a place I would often visit every summer. I took a lot of inspiration from this town when choosing a colour palette as it is full of vibrant colours. The colours which stood out to me the most on my research trips were pinks, blues and aquamarines. This colour palette gives the collection a youthful feel and also provides a sense of nostalgia as these colours are often associated with the sea.
