LITTLE MATRON
Little Matron is a concept that derived from a childhood memory of playing with Russian dolls when I was younger at my Grandmother’s house. My initial inspiration came from the unpacking of Russian Dolls, these partitions that allow the dolls to be taken apart and slotted back together are signified by giant zips which allow some designs to be interchanged with one another. The function of some zips allow garments to be disconnected at the waist which make tops and bottoms interchangeable, they can also then be zipped back together. Other zips reveal pockets whereas other remain as normal openings. For this collection I have used interior fabric and wool for base fabrics which was inspired by traditional Romanian folk costume during a visit to the Horniman Museum, London. In addition to this I have layered wools on top of interior fabrics with the application of traditional blanket stitching, other forms of hand embroidery and 3D flowers can also be seen within this collection. I have also applied heat press vinyl to add a contemporary feel to the collection. Laser cutting has also enabled me to create my own wooden zip toggles. This collection has allowed me to utilise the capabilities of a laser cutting machine more than I originally intended to. The textile application for each garment stems from my experimentations of print design within my pre-collection. Using a traditional item as part of my main concept inspiration has enabled me to immerse myself surface design and hand embroidery. Throughout this collection it became evident that the floral print from the Russian dolls was a common thread which tied the collection together.
Photographer: Michelle Connop MUA: Zara Charles Models: Rachel Lopez, Hannah-Faith Marram, Devan Brown www.lorenjaifreeman.com lorenjaifreeman@gmail.com