Maria in Wonderland, Who in the world am I?

My collection 'Maria in Wonderland' takes inspiration from memories of my childhood and the clothes I used to wear at birthday parties, which were kept for me to pass down, and more recent items for special occasions. My concept developed when I visited the Alice in Wonderland exhibition at the V&A. It showed Alice to be a symbol of empowerment as she explores her identity as she grows up. I combined the concept of Alice and myself on the journey of growing up, looking at the concept of time - reminiscing through old photographs and appreciating everything around you as you get older. My collection transforms my childhood clothes into a contemporary version for my future self. Laser cutting and 3D printing allowed me to play with scale and shape. I took inspiration from the Mad Hatter’s tea party, used tablecloths from my birthday celebrations for the laser cutting design and played with heart shapes for the buttons and buckles – 3D printing my name on them.