Monja Louise Heron p o r t f o l i o
Looking at the pure innocence of a child, Shutting the Window is a six outfit womenswear collection that steps into a world free of worry or evil; where no bad thing has ever happened. Innocence can be defined as a 'lack of guile or corruption; purity'; a mind untouched by the stresses and pains of adult life and growing up. Many argue that childhood is the best time of life; that it should be cherished and held onto, a time when everything is simpler and anything is possible. This is a reality for a child possibly because of an abundance of naivety and a lack of experience, but also because of the knowledge there is a parent waiting to catch their fall; a loved one will make everything better should it go badly. Shutting the Window explores how holding a hand to protect can give the courage to venture and create without fear. How waterproof puffer jackets and layers and layers of protective clothing allow safe adventures into a cold winter world. This Autumn Winter 16/17 collection discovers what it is to be innocent, what it takes to completely let go and see the world in a positive sparkling light again, and how the contrast of a perceived restriction can actually provide support to enable true freedom. Fabric choices help convey this point with thick and cosy cashmere over lightweight bamboo silk- protecting, but not containing or hiding the softer fabric. Fabrics are completely natural, free of bleach and chemicals and as untainted as possible. This reflects the pure and innocent nature of the collection and the childhoods it represents. As a child investigates the world, touch is often a principal sense used to discover new things, and so a sense of uninhibited exploration is achieved through different textures as well as warm and 'fluffy' fabrics. Fine and almost delicate materials reminisce of a new life delicately feeling its way in a strange world and mirroring the contrast that is at the heart of this story. Subtle protective details such as drawstrings assist in shaping garments and silhouette as well as demonstrating a mother's supportive hand. These small details softly remind of the safeguard any loving parent puts around their child, and offer a solid base to a playful silhouette. Silhouettes show the inquisitiveness of a child's exploration in life through large volume. Closer fitted and lightly tailored elements show support, helping garments cling to the body and so allowing big skirts to reach out further and aid unrestrictive movement. Outfits are layered to protect against the harsh winter elements, and to also help play on shape and proportion. This reflects on how children's appearances and bodies alter all wrapped up safe from wind and rain. Prints are inspired by children's unrestrictive and free moving drawings and artwork. Children's descriptions of their paintings give an insight to the mentality that anything is possible if looked at in the right way. Pink scribbles can become a hippo or a series of grey lines can show a castle. Prints show this freedom of thinking with hidden drawings amongst a first glance of messy scribbles. Oversized polka dots are also used to reinforce a playful mood whilst referring back to childhood. Used on bold silhouettes, prints appear to almost stand alone, again reflecting a bold freedom only found in youth. Colour is introduced through the beauty of uncorrupted natural dyes to reflect the untouched, pure minds of the innocent. Being limited through natural dyes, colour feels almost washed out at times, giving the collection a nostalgic element while demonstrating the restrictive side to childhood. Natural colours extend to the use of pigments within the screen-printed patterns to keep a consistent and sustainable aspect throughout all six outfits. A clean palette comprising of shades of natural whites with variants of purple, pink and yellow aims to further show the innocence of the collection. Modern takes on primary colours are used for both the connotations associated with each colour, but also the fact that these are the most pure colours; the colours from which all others stem. White is heavily used to show innocence and purity but also a blank page; a starting point for anything the mind can conceive. This is emphasized with scribble prints on a white backdrop, literally reflecting drawing on paper. Use of pink within jacket linings wrap the consumer in motherly love and bold yellows bring fun sunshine and warmth to cold months. A target market of a 35-50 year old strong, independent professional woman who isn't afraid to make a statement, but feels a lack of excitement, a dreariness within everyday life is set. She has a good income that allows her to invest in environmentally ethical life choices that also extends to high end and ethical garments. She wishes for key pieces that are easy wearing and interchangeable to suit a busy lifestyle, but that return a sense of fun and joy to an often monotonous routine.
"When we are children we seldom think of the future. This innocence leaves us free to enjoy ourselves as few adults can. The day we fret about the future is the day we leave our childhood behind." - Patrick Rothfuss
with thanks to
Photographer Lindsay Holman Model Robyn Frances Makeup Artist Mhairi Stewart
Diffused for H&M from the Shutting the Window collection, this lineup targets a 13-18 year old girl with a strong personal style. Taking themes, such as the ethical message from Shutting the Window, this collaboration aims to fit within H&M's Conscious collection with use of all British-made fabrics. Specifically focusing on a child's world of make-believe through story telling and play, these bold garments are unrestricted and lighthearted. Taking tales told by nursery children, a collection filled with happy endings keeps teenagers young enough to enjoy the curiosities of childhood in a fast growing world. Mimicking dress-up play, tutu skirts and frills make fashion amusing for a younger audience. Looking further into the exploratory and free side to this story, a bold colour palette is produced and silhouettes take on expressive volume. Hand drawn repeat prints derived from Shutting the Window's scribble pattern evoke a carefree naivety perfect for this target market. In keeping with AW17/18, cosy knit and fake leather shield girls from harsh weather, while metallic rose-gold, block colours and exaggerated sleeves bring fun back into the chore of dressing up warm.
"lots of ladies and boys. They're at a show but there's no stage so they just dance around"
W
A
V
E
S
Waves is a high-end and luxury collection to feature in London’s pioneering Dover Street Market. Designed for creative individuals, this autumn/winter womenswear collection slows life down to match the dreary pace of winter. Inspired by themes within Virginia Woolf’s novel The Waves, this collection looks at the desire for order and meaning within life and in particular the glimpses of meaning and reality amongst a monotonous routine, or the
“Fin in a Waste of Waters” The fin breaking the surface comes to symbolize the way meaning and reality can break the surface of life with no warning; that life follows no set beginning, middle and end. To reflect this idea of life merging and loosing meaning, garments do not follow a body shape and pay no attention to waistlines or conventional structure. Instead, garments feature drape within straight silhouettes alongside a muted colour palette. Breaking through the uniformity vand lack of structure, details of deconstructed tailoring inspired by traditional work wear represent the fin in the water, or finding and loosing meaning in life. This collection aims to have a ‘one size fits most’ policy to break common conception and to fit the monotony of the story. Garments are adjustable in their wear with alterable ties and wraps to appeal to the creative customer, as well as an interruption to the repetitiousness of everyone looking the same - despite wearing that same garments. Waves targets 25-35 year old innovative women in well paid jobs that aim to push their style in experimental new ways.
Inspired by visits to distant villages in the Great Rann of Kutch, India, and investigation into traditional crafts such as mirror work embroidery, Kachchh is a SS17 menswear collection exploring masculinity through the exquisite colours and prints found throughout the world’s largest salt desert. Looking to WGSN’s SS17 trend Encounter Culture, Kachchh turns to a globalized rather than westernized approach to fashion. Inspired by the traditional kurtas and creative drapes found in India’s ‘wild west’, this collection brings a multicultural look to summer through light layering and heavy print. Prints look to traditional block printing as well as taking influence from the borders found throughout female saris, while colour reflects the happiness these people express at life through contrasting and bright shades. Bringing these colours and prints into a western world questions what can be perceived as mvasculine and feminine, where floral patterns and bright pinks adorn easy wear practical garments. This story aims to bring a relaxed and chilled out feeling, providing joy and contentment in grey cities. Designed for a midlevel target market, this collection looks to brands such as Dent De Man and Paul Smith for an experimental modern man looking to stand out in a dull world. Aged between 25 and 35, the Kachchh gentleman aims for a twist on traditional tailoring and isn’t afraid to branch out in his garment choices.
Inspired by the art installations of Berndnaut Smilde and Olafur Eliasson, this SS17 sportswear collection explores the loss of nature in life; how, for the public to be in awe of the natural once more, it must be brought indoors and displayed as art. We must be told that something is beautiful to appreciate it. In a fast paced world, life is spent in cities and indoors rather than in the country finding the wonders in fields or atop hills. This collaboration with Adidas displaces the beautiful country landscapes of Scotland through colour and print and moves them to man-made high performance fabrics reflecting both Smilde and Eliasson’s works. Focusing on transitional garments, this collection takes women from work and the streets of London to the gym; with practical and solid details contrasting with shapes reflecting wistful spring morning walks. Focusing on a target market of 25-35 year old women, this collection is ideal for those with a fast paced life conquering the city. The women who choose to run on a treadmill for convenience rather that on a farm road, those who long for a weekend in the country but who never have the time to escape.
H 0 0 1 3 2 9 0 8