May 27th saw the launch of my very first full collection for ROSE EERIE. I always assumed this would have come at the end of my degree, however graduating in the first lockdown in 2020 really put a spanner in the works. It’s taken two more years to really find my feet as an independent designer, finding ways to motivate myself and make work whilst also trying to get into the swing of postgraduate life. I don’t regret the delay though, as this presentation at Wraith truly felt like everything falling into place - perhaps, this was the way it was always supposed to be.

This body of work explores my own personal experience with the queer underground scene, questioning ideas gender and being, all set in the places we find ourselves most - basements somewhere in east london. Garments are interchangeable and looks are not fixed, meaning every shoot or show has an element of spontaneity, as looks are custom styled to the model, reflecting not only the beautiful individuality of people that inspires me so much but also the important role the muse plays in the creation of my work. Everything in this collection is diy and handmade, striving to reduce waste and harm to the environment by using found fabrics, and up-cycling existing clothing that would otherwise have been discarded or thrown away. The socks for this collection are hand knitted by my mum and use salvaged wool scraps found in charity shops. Scraps of fabric have also been repurposed and used in an exclusive line of chokers made for the collection by Alex Just Spat. Styling for the collection was a collaborative effort between myself and longterm collaborator and close friend Eddie Langham, who’s creative vision and dedication to this collection truly made it what it is today.

The presentation / performance took place in the courtyard of Electrowerkz, with it seemingly beginning out of nowhere and making room for itself amongst the crowd. I took the role of tailor, surgeon and ringmaster; sewing pieces of a bridal gown onto Zoe as the models ritualistically circled us, bringing me offerings of more fabric. Once the garment was created, Fleur entered the space as the opponent, and tension built between the two as the rest of us kneel to watch, as if this is the culmination of the ritual we are performing. Magda provided a live soundscape for us to move to, and the piece culminates in a fierce wrestling match between Zoe and Fleur, with the garments ripped and destroyed, and all the models following Fleur carry the defeated Zoe out of the space.

The conceptual ideas and direction for the piece came from myself and Zoe, with the choreography by Zoe and Fleur. I can’t thank them both enough for the time they took to be a part of this work, it would literally not exist without them. I also have such huge gratitude for Magda who wasn’t actually supposed to have to play live music, but she did and absolutely saved the performance by doing so. Each and every model meant so much to me, each person took significant time out of their day to help me bring this vision to life, and I truly appreciate that more than I can probably put into words. The entire collection also would not be what it is without Eddie, who spent hours styling the lookbook and performance with me, and generally being an incredible support throughout.

It obviously goes without saying that none of this would have been possible without Wraith itself or Parma Ham for commissioning us - it was incredibly special launching this collection at Electrowerkz, a space I’ve spent so many nights at, and at Wraith, a night I’ve been attending since it began. It was truly the right place for my work to be showcased, and the right audience who really understand and appreciate it.

The photo documentation of the performance was by El Hogg, an amazing photographer responsible for all photos shared on this post so far, who really captured the energy of the performance and created some images I will treasure. Below are images from No One Studio, the resident photographer at Wraith, who captured some beautiful shots of myself and the models wearing ROSE EERIE during the night.