Finding my voice as a sustainable designer


A final garments photoshoot?
Tick fo' dat. ✔
(pics by @isobelcolnaghiphotos for @thatgexboy's mag!)

As a second-year fashion design student, I constantly strive to incorporate sustainability in my work. The fashion world hasn’t always been one that's excited me, it is my desire to make a change for the better, through more ethical and eco design approaches to this oh-so-polluting industry.

As there are so many ways in which one can do this, I have gotten to know myself as a designer in exploring this within my uni briefs. Whether that be through the durability of the end piece or up-cycling from waste, to natural dyeing and zero waste pattern cutting. I like to be creative with my silhouettes, exploring garments that either flatter or stand away from the body.



The creative process for my white shirt was using an up cycled white sheet and laser cutting the wooden buttons. It was inspired by kintsugi, the Japanese art form of using gold lacquer to fix broken ceramics (visible as the gold thread hand stitching), as well as kimonos and the night sky. I focused on the defragmentation of a shirt, pulling it apart and putting it back together.


My pink bodice drape is also made from an up-cycled white sheet and hand tie dyed. The joy of this piece is it fits different sizes, as the straps on the back are adjustable (size 8 through 14). The clips are up-cycled from old backpacks as well!

The final black dress is zero waste, made from black denim. It was inspired by triangles, kites and architecture. The shapes formed abstract the body, as this was developed by draping on the stand. Despite the headaches and long evenings in the studio attempting to piece together the final product, it was very worth it in the end!

I hope this has inspired in some way to keep this sustainable ball rolling!

 All the best,
Catherine x

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