SUBLIMINALS

Dedicated to exploring and unearthing the fearless style of queer women throughout history, this project was personally driven; highlighting the lesbians who are not seen or appreciated for their courage in style. Starting with research in the 1800s and exploring decades’ worth of style until the early 2000s, this project curates a line-up of garments that represent these eras of queer women, placing them in a digital fashion film inspired by gay clubs, with the aim to educate and inspire. As physical artefacts, I have handcrafted leather bags to pay homage to the lesbian accessories, expressing that intimate, hidden love. Digital work is intangible, you cannot hold, feel, smell or own a digital medium, yet it connects us in ways no other form can. Value in art is placed on what we can possess, so, digital media is often seen as the lesser than. Yet the creation process remains the same- concept, research design and execution. Creating digital fashion is about being your own designer, pattern cutter, seamstress, stylist, model and photographer. Every outcome lies in your intention during the process. It is work that will never quite feel complete. Designing digitally allows me to change without waste and design in partnership with my mistakes. It is about skill and patience. When I bring my work to the physical world it takes the form of accessories. Each bag is paired with a digital look, they are digital’s contrast, something we can and will always hold. Through my work I build my own world, challenging the idea that digital is less real, proving the future of fashion lies in the dialogue between digital and physical, both similar craftsmanship.