WILDE & WEAVER life in the mill
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CONCEPT LIFE
IN
THE
MILL
Keila Cortés
Quarry Bank Mill in Cheshire is an example of an early, rural, cotton-spinning mill that was initially dependant on water power. This grand building opens up so much of the industrial heritage that helped shape the future of the textile industry in Britain. It shows a complete picture of what it was like hundreds of years ago and how far technology has come.
I visited and took inspiration from Quarry Bank Mill to develop my concept. The idea was to design a collection that would represent how I felt about life in the mill. I wanted to get across the harsh and laborious feeling of the mill while still keeping it modern. Almost as if I were designing for a mill worker from the 19th century that was alive and working today.
The factory was built by Samuel Greg in 1785 to spin cotton. By 1832 it was the largest cotton business in the United Kingdom. Quarry Bank took a major turn when Greg’s son took over the business and introduced weaving. As the mill continued to grow, Greg converted surrounding farm buildings to house workers. Work in the mill was often tedious and repetitive, shifts lasted 13 hours, even for children. The estate and mill were donated to the National Trust in 1939 and are open to the public. The mill continued production until 1959.
The feeling inside the mill where the machines were kept was very cluttered, but precise at the same time. An organised chaos. The power looms and warping frames were a big influence, especially the linear structure the threads gave them. I considered this factor when designing and used ‘the thread’ as constant inspiration running through my ideas.
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I took influences from the fact that Quarry Bank Mill was a cotton factory and decided to use denim fabric as the main fabric in the collection to represent this. I also wanted my collection to have the worn out feel that is felt when being inside the mill. I got the impression that this fabric was appropriate because of denims connotations with hard work. 11
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OVER THE EDGE A textured take on the classic denim jacket combining a graceful silhouette with modern fabrics to create the perfect layer for the winter.
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