Grace Cairns
A Woven History / On the Road Again
A Woven History - What happens in the past, affects our future. The industrial revolution (started in the 18th century) is a large factor of British history, creating thousands of jobs up and down the country with most being based in Lancashire. A woven history is a print collection inspired by a Lancashire mill – Quarry Bank Mill – during the industrial revolution. It focuses on the contract between clothes worn by the mill workers and the factory owners. This A/W collection has an oversized and exaggerated triangular silhouette. Fabrics such as cotton are used to represent those same materials created in the Victorian factories while more delicate fabric such as devore satin and viscose represent the wealthy factory owners. My prints are inspired by the machines housed in the cotton mills, such as the Flying Shuttle and Spinning Jenny, with a rich colour palette that consists of jewel tones with the contrast of light pastels and moodier tones of green and brown, highlighting the elitism of the 18th century. The focal point of my prints, however, is the ‘Toile de Jouy’, a picturesque print that was popularized in the 1700s.
On the Road Again - The idea of having no roots and going wherever you want to go if an idea that appeals to many. The so called ‘Van Life’ is a phenomenon that has become increasingly popular over recent years - from people making their vans their home away from home, ready to take off at the next convenience to people packing up their whole lives to make the van their home. This S/S capsule collection encapsulates this way of living, with garments that are designed to be mix and match, perfect for those who don’t have the space for a mass amount of clothes. The market level aligns to brands like Lucy and Yak who focus on bold prints and inclusive design that are made to last. My prints are inspired by the classic vintage VW campers of the 1960s and a road trip across the UK – from Manchester to Newcastle to Brighton. This is be accompanied by a bright and bold colour palette consisting of blues, pinks, oranges, and yellows. The colours range in tones to signify the progression of the road trip.