Emily Read - BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology
I story tell within my work, communicating through textures and shapes, each garment is sparked from a personal experience, storytelling through drawing and painting, I take my feelings and express them through art, using a variety of textiles, I relate them to how that moment felt to me, making the shape of each garment personal. Each emotion develops into a design, which eventually furthers into garments, combining fluidity with functionality, I take the initial shapes and pair them with constructed detailing.
My final major project enhances my use of this technique, drawing deep inspiration from my personal experience with ballet dancing, an art form that has shaped my sense of discipline, commitment, and focus. I danced from the age of 3 years old to 15 years old. Throughout the project, I highlight the variety of emotions experienced whilst dancing through abstract drawing, shape making and collaging which translate into my choice of textile techniques, remaining my work artful.
The combination of practice and performance wear, featured in each outfit was brought into fruition by collaging, blending the refined, luxurious elements of show costumes with the raw, functional aspects of sportswear. The "off duty ballerina" aesthetic emphasizes the dancer’s reality, where beauty is intertwined with an inherent sense of responsibility.
Combining my past in dance and my present in design I celebrate the universal forms of personal expression, making my approach to fashion meaningful.
