Oliwia Florentyna Chrobak- BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology
Quiet Survivor
My project, THE QUIET SURVIVOR, explores identity through the lens of mental health, focusing on the invisible pain, emotional weight, and unseen scars carried every day. Expanding from my previous project, Survival Apocalypse, this work becomes deeply personal. It reflects my own growth, vulnerability, and internal struggles over time, including moments of feeling overwhelmed and consumed by my own thoughts.The Unisex collection draws inspiration from deserts, shells, and sea life to explore the tension between protection, fragility, and adaptation. The cracked desert landscape symbolises both breaking and becoming—fractures that represent pain, survival, and transformation. Sandstorms reflect moments of emotional invisibility, where identity feels hidden beneath pressure and uncertainty. Balaclavas and face masks further symbolise concealment and the heavy pressure to appear whole. In contrast, the patchwork garments combine earthy tones with bold elements, expressing the ultimate tension between wanting to disappear and wanting to be seen. A key accessory within the collection is a sculptural face mask inspired by futuristic armour and survival gear. Its sharp geometric structure creates a protective shell, symbolising emotional defence and the barriers we build to conceal vulnerability. While the mask obscures facial identity—reflecting how mental health struggles are often hidden behind a composed exterior—its strong, warrior-like form ultimately communicates resilience, endurance, and survival. Through structure, concealment, and texture, THE QUIET SURVIVOR represents the experience of surviving silently while continuing to evolve.
