HYPER NATURE SUPER HUMAN‘Don’t use fur, use your imagination’

LCF 2012

The ‘Design Against Fur’ project ran by Respect For Animals set our students the task of designing without animal products. We took it one step further by asking students to use animals and nature as their inspiration and information. The results were beautifully crafted pieces that incorporated new technologies. ‘HyperNatureSuperHuman’, the film that coincides with this portfolio equally demonstrates that no animal need be used to produce beautiful fashion.

This wonderful project spanned a range of courses from the School of Design & Technology, the School of Media and Communication and the Graduate School including:

MA Fashion and the Environment

BA (Hons) Fashion Contour

BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Womenswear

BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Menswear

BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Surface Textiles Knit

BA (Hons) Cordwainers Fashion Accessories: Product Design and Development

BA (Hons) Fashion Design Development

BA (Hons) Make-up and Prosthetics for Performance

BA (Hons) Make-up and Prosthetics for Performance

BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear: Product Design and Development

Foundation Degree Hair and Make-Up for Film and TV

This was an exploration into fashions fascination with nature and in particular, animals. This project shows natures vast inspirational influence on our student designers who took this protest project even further as these delicate, sensitive and fully considered results show. – Enjoy

Rob Phillips

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Creative Director, Rob PhillipsPhotography, Hill & Aubrey assisted by John SeyerBeauty Director, Pace ChenCasting Coordinator, Gillian EvansIllustrated graphics and typography, David Hardy Shot on Location at London College of Fashion, Lime Grove Photographic and Film Studios.

Ashleigh Downer

Designer: Ashleigh DownerBA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Womenswearhttp://showtime.arts.ac.uk/AshleighDowner http://my.lcffirstmove.co.uk/graduates/6811

We have unknowingly created our own Dystopia. Within which we consume more than we have resource for with little awareness of the elements around us. If beauty is the goal at what point does sacrifice render it ugly. For me as a designer this inspired the objective to create a piece without using any material with animal orientation. Inspiration was taken from fragile almost crystalline marine creatures such as Demospongiae and coral which are constantly under threat due to mining, pollution and over fishing. There delicate structures were something I wanted to replicate within my piece, highlighting that animal related products are not needed to make something beautiful.

Beauty: Lidia Patrizia BA (Hons) Make-up and Prosthetics for Performancel.cimule1@fashion.arts.ac.uk

The visual aesthetics and creative potentials that can be explored through make-up are of particular interest and play a large role in the contextualisation of my work on the BA (Hons) Make up and Prosthetics for Performance at London College of Fashion. I articulate my ideas through technical experimentation and material manipulation, while constantly seeking to reinvent and question traditional make up techniques. Having been inspired by crystallized marine creatures throughout this project the above techniques have been thoroughly executed and demonstrated to achieve a piece that works simultaneously with the final collection created.

Modelled by Patrycja Stefaniak from LCF Street Image: Amoeba Dress - Neoprene, glass bead and plastic tubing embellished, dip dyed pompom dress.

Mai Tieu

Mai Tieu BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Surface Textiles Knithttp://showtime.arts.ac.uk/MAITIEUhttp://my.lcffirstmove.co.uk/graduates/6750Beauty by Pace Chen Modelled by Kim Hippie from LCF Street

The brief was to produce a garment created using non animal products to showcase ethical alternatives to the use of fur. I chose to crochet the dress using 100% rayon yarn because of the brilliance of sheen and colour availability, it is the ethical alternative to silk. Inspired by the amazing jewel tone feathers of farm chickens and the stunning variety of textures they created, I combined several techniques of hand crochet to replicate the feathers in knit form. Using several different tones of yarn at the same time to achieve a multi dimensional effect. My aim was to produce a garment created entirely using plant based yarns to highlight the amazing alternatives to animal yarns available such bamboo, cotton and rayon.

Image: Loop, bullion and crocodile stitch, fringing, crochet rayon dress by Mai Tieu

Cherelle Brown

Cherelle BrownBA (Hons) Cordwainers Fashion Accessories: Product Design and Developmenthttp://showtime.arts.ac.uk/Cherellebrown http://my.lcffirstmove.co.uk/graduates/6898 Beauty by Pace Chen Modelled by Raphael and Daniel Olaiya from LCF Street

The inspiration of the bag came from the Rhesus Monkey that was the first animal to be sent into space as an experiment in 1944. This research lead to looking at other primates and their similar body structure and characteristics. It was touching to come to the realisation of how comparable we; as humans are to these creatures yet we abuse their existence. Once looking at the bag, the eye assumes the shapes used are taken from the vision of the human anatomy, when in fact they are taken from the structure of a Chimpanzee. This idea displays the incredible resemblance.

Image: Large Fold Gusset, Canvas, PU and black plastic Weekend Bag by Cherelle Brown.

Stephanie Steele

Stephanie SteeleMA Fashion and the Environment s.steele1@arts.ac.uk

The hard texture of crocodile skin, and the shape of the crocodilian body inspired a heavily embroidered and beaded cocoon coat. Naturally dyed cotton/organic cotton yarn, a mixture of different types of beads and a wadded silhouette offer up an obviously craft-oriented take on the animal. Visible external seams, raw edges and internal mark-making allow the craft to become tangible instead of hidden whilst also making the garment feel like the wearer’s skin – they become the crocodile. Shades are earthy, tonal and iridescent inspired by the many colours of a crocodile’s skin, the earth it lives on and water it lives in. The techniques I used to create the coat are; macrame knotting, bullion and french knots, strand stitching, hand-beading, natural dyeing from plants (cutch, tansy, st john’s wort, gall nuts, walnut husks, henna, coffee, camomile), recycled cotton tape, cotton yarn and organic cotton yarn, organic cotton thread, cotton thread, recycled PET felt by Ecofi and organic cotton wadding, acrylic, glass, wood and ceramic beads – all to capture the depth of a crocodile skin landscape.

Beauty by Holly DawkinsBA (Hons) Make-up and Prosthetics for Performance h.dawkins1@fashion.arts.ac.uk

For the beauty I was inspired by the texture and pattern of crocodile’s skin and wanted to use this and recreate it in a beautiful, organic way of embellishing the skin. I collaborated with the designer’s design and decided to adopt her use of intricate beading into the makeup and reflected the structure of the garment into the hair with the intention of blending the garment and the beauty, creating one human hybrid of the crocodile.

Modelled by Abby Wilson from LCF Street Image: Anyang - naturally dyed yarn & hand-beaded and embroidered padded felt cocoon coat.

Matthew Ghabrial

Matthew Ghabrial BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Menswear m.ghabrial2@fashion.arts.ac.uk

The cruel trade of snakeskin, which is constantly being fuelled by the fashion industry, inspired this project. The main goal in mind when designing was to take snakeskin in all its simplicity and emulate it. I then want it to add an element that was not available in snakeskin. That element was to cut so deep into the surface and then stretch the fabric transforming it from 2D to 3D. By pushing the design element of the surface to stimulate both the wearer and spectator, I am hoping this would inspire other designers to take similar contemporary approaches rather than using the ancient practise of skinning innocent animals, and eventually putting this cruel trade in the past where it belongs’.

Beauty by Orsolya K. GesztesiFoundation Degree Hair and Make-Up for Film and TVo.gesztesi1@fashion.arts.ac.uk

I was really pleased to have the opportunity to support the protection of animals using non-animal materials by creating beautiful designs for fashion. Matthew and I looked at snakes to draw inspiration from. With his choice of transformable material his design could capture the movement and effect of snakeskin that I wanted to further articulate. I took inspiration from Matthew’s colour work and the material pattern whilst also looking at other snake features like inset eyes and bolder mouth contouring patterns. The outcome was a snake skin like texture to make the model look like he was either morphing or shedding skin. I am in absolute support of this campaign that has been thoroughly enjoyable and inspirational.

Modelled by Simi Jaiyesimi from LCF Street Image: ‘Super lux neoprene track suit, laser cut in a 3D python skin pattern’.

Jessica Preece

Jessica Preece BA (Hons) Fashion Contour http://showtime.arts.ac.uk/jessicapreece http://my.lcffirstmove.co.uk/graduates/6571 Modelled by Carol Martin from LCF Street

‘Dangerous Seduction’ was initially inspired by the representation of ‘Sirens’ from Greek Mythology in Pre-Raphaelite art. The range will encapsulate the feeling of a seductive woman who uses her sexual allure and intelligence to get what she wants, hypnotising people with her beauty, whilst remaining dangerous. I wanted the colours to project eeriness, airiness, a link between the dark and the light, as shown in the paintings of the Sirens. I achieved through hand dying an ombre effect. In the images of the Sirens hair plaits were a predominant feature, this fuelled research into horsehair braiding and plaiting as inspiration for textures. Braiding provides an element of texture to the collection, integrating and blending into the garment seamlessly. Alongside braiding, fine tassels will be used to replicate the idea of hair, fluidity and motion. As a designer I’m primarily inspired by moods and emotions, and how these can be expressed through colour and texture. For the Design Against Fur piece I was initial inspired by plaiting and braiding, particularly the intricate designs used on horse’s mane. This lead me to produce samples of my own braids and plaits in different fabrics. I found that fine synthetic tassel worked particularly well. It behaved like real hair or fur; it has movement and texture, and can be manipulated into different shapes. As well as being dyed to give the same effect as fur and ombre dyed to add depth to the tassel. My final garment is a basque with tassel cups exposing the skin beneath, wide plaited straps and an exposed centre front panel with ombre dyed tassel draped across the stomach.

Image: Ombre tassel basque, made from Polyester Satin, Stretch Nylon Powermesh and Rayon Fringing.

Min Heo

Min Heo BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear: Product Design and Developmentm.heo1@arts.ac.uk

Fashion has always been accused of animal cruelty. In order to make something more beautiful or wear the beautiful ones, humans have done anything they could. Still, they pay astronomical amount of money worldwide everyday to satisfy their desire. However, during the last decades, people began to care about ‘Sustainable Fashion’, using eco-friendly materials in radical ways. These efforts make the behaviour of fashion become more sensible, proving that the fashion consumers are not just mere victims of materialism, greedily swallowing tons of animal products and naughty chemicals. For this challenge, I decided to use wood, quilted padding and hemp as main materials. From the old days, people wore cotton padding jackets or vests to warm up. Those who could not afford expensive leather or fur outfits had sewn jumpers or coats for their family to spend the winter warmer. It is a material of nostalgia, and it really is enough to keep feet warm and comfortable. Although I had to change the material into 3D Plastic Printing due to the technical restrictions, the whole process of research and inspirations came from those materials. My design is inspired by an animal called Okapi, widely spread in the Republic of Congo but hardly known to people, like they are not aware of the fact what they are about to purchase actually was an animal once breathed and lived.

image: White, 3D printed Okapi shoe with computer-simulated organic patterns. The patterns on the shoe are generated by natural flow of water simulated in computer.

Ottavia Lepre

Ottavia Lepre BA (Hons) Fashion Design Development o.lepre1@fashion.arts.ac.ukBeauty by Pace Chen Modelled by Charyse Ebenga from LCF Street

‘Next Nature’ is inspired by Piccinini’s work of human-animal hybrid creatures and their ability to coexist. The vision of a transhuman species is the reflection of the change in habitat; a change initiated by humans that breeds unexpected conditions. The hybrid represents the vital connection between nature and humans and the power of creation-destruction that this relationship can release. ‘Next Nature’ aims to provoke reflection and re-assess the value of entities through its raccoon-inspired design and sustainable practice and materials. The design is 100% handmade with crochet techniques. It re-creates the animal look through its shape, cut and colours and its fur through hand manipulation of polyester and acrylic yarns. The leather-like top of dress is made of polyurethane-coated cotton yarn.

Image: Polyester and acrylic crochet dress

Louise Maxwell

Louise Maxwell BA (Hons) Fashion Contourhttp://my.lcffirstmove.co.uk/graduates/6825http://showtime.arts.ac.uk/louisemaxwellBeauty by Pace Chen Modelled by Sonia Power at Close Models

The empowerment of age is often flouted by idealists but very rarely is this reflected in the aesthetic industries in ways which avoid nostalgia and sentimentality. We are often told how beauty should be seen as a positive only for it to be subsequently masked with a veneer of youth. Instead the characteristics of age itself can be used to create garments that compliment the ageing form. The collection uses structural foundations that compliment the body, layered with hand worked, broken down materials to create chaos from order. Techniques such as weaving and bespoke craft, are borrowed from history and implemented into the garments to enforce the inspiration and facilitate the design. Embracing and longevity of life and discovering beauty in the decomposition of forms and embracing the fragility, delicacy and ultimate decline of life is what empowers this idea.

In this piece for the Design Against Fur brief, the characteristics of age itself can be used to create garments that compliment the ageing form. My garments use structural foundations to support the mature body, layered with hand worked, broken down materials that are crafted to create chaos from order. Techniques such as weaving and hand cutting are borrowed from history and implemented into the garment to enforce the inspiration and facilitate the design. The broken down pieces are hand woven with chiffon then frayed to create a soft feel to the garment and reflect the decomposition of the idea. The garment is inspired by natural forms, specifically by the decaying of organic substances to reveal the skeletal structure below. Leaves and the way they decay had a huge influence over this work. It reflects age and has supporting layers within the garment to compliment the ageing body in a way that empowers and flatters the wearer. The garment is layered with hand woven aspects, creating a soft fragile feel that reflects the inspiration. It is a garment that is crafted and cared for, made for an older generation using techniques taken from history.

Image: Hand cut, eyelet, woven lycra gown with trapunto, eyelet, laced knickers by Louise Maxwell

With a very special thank you to

http://www.respectforanimals.co.uk/home/http://www.closemodels.com

Natalie Brown, Programme Director - Performance