Lineage
3 person tandem-style dress
Drawing on maternal, ancestral connections; a common motif in IFS therapy as traumas and burdens are often carried on intergenerationally through the matriline.
The piece is connected by golden pieces of fabric, which highlights the kinship connection between the family members, whilst alluding to the longitudinal struggles stored in the maternal line.
The idea originated from a therapy session where I explored people-pleasing tendencies, highlighting how I noticed them intensely in my mother and grandmother, as an intergenerational burden intrinsically linked to us all.
Points of connection between each person:
- Shoulders – this is where burdens are carried and tension is stored
- Hands – maternal connection fostered through the nurture of her hands
- Feet – idea of following in the footsteps of my female predecessors
- Uterus – because this is the physical point of maternal creation and connection
Rage
Inverted volcano dress
I have always been intrigued by volcanoes, and in some senses I regard my personality to be volcanic, but at this point in my life those traits were deeply internalised. Thus, I was left with an inverted volcano as the motif for this dress.
The rage and intensity of emotion I felt following this event is depicted by the magma, which is released inwards and downwards, towards the ground, as I felt I could not express this outwards.
I found it far easier to internalise, and repress any sensations; blame myself and build intense contempt for myself, which this dress represents.
The nature of the experience itself quite volcanic. The severity, the processes following, the uproar it brought to my personal life, the impact on my psyche, nervous system, relationships – another reason volcanic imagery is relevant.
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Solitude
This piece was inspired by my visit to the glow worm caves in Waitomo, New Zealand.
I travelled solo, and felt incredible solitude for the duration of the trip. This moment specifically illustrates when I felt most at peace, under the luminescence of the glow worms.
This degree of serenity is something the design of the dress represents to me, as I felt so aligned in a way that I had previously struggled to before. As is depicted in the shapes and details of this dress, aligning with my physical features and colour palette.
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Energetics and protection
A dual piece where the garments combine to highlight that our energetic fields (essentially our spirits) need protecting, and that not everyone gets granted access to the beauty of them. The garments work together but have a separate purpose too, as with these aspects of the self.
The Core:
- The physical representation of my energetic field – colours, chaos, intertwinement.
- Made of ribbons – each ribbons represent memories, emotions, and aspects of my identity. All related to the inherently complex nature of the self
Protection Jacket:
- Inspired by my dear tortoise Phillipa. She has always been an emblem of strength to me in times when I needed it most. I got her when I was a teenager, struggling with several severe mental health conditions, leaving my soul was very fragile.
- Her strength (anatomically), and stoicism guards her from dangers, with her shell acting as the perfect protective layer.
