John Queer

As a unisex designer, I want to challenge gender constructs seen within clothing, empowering wearers to express their individual identity. Contemporary silhouettes in bold, colourful prints are oversized and trimmed with delicate finishes and fabric manipulations to create a playful aesthetic. ‘John queer’ is inspired by the challenges of coming out in rural towns in England, and the lack of a community and safe spaces in these areas. This issue is close to home for me as where I grew up, I didn’t feel like I could come out for years and didn’t really find my community until I moved to Manchester. My collection takes traditional farm wear and makes it fun and flamboyant. Alongside this, sustainability is a massive part of my design process. All the fabrics used in my collection are second hand or are deadstock, collected from charity shops from back home in Cornwall. I gave some of these fabrics new life by printing my designs onto them.