AMY COTTRELL V2

Isobel wears Look Four from Plasticity Collection

The collection

Taking cues from the hard exteriors of insects combined with the beauty of movement, Plasticity provides an edgy elegance in it’s unique custom pieces.

Body ONE

Bodysuit

Original print on Eco Active 85% polyester 15% Spandex

Jacket

Pineapple leather (Pinatex) featuring asymmetrical exposed zip closure

Textured Pleated Skirt 90% silk 10% polyester Sunray pleated

Long Pleated Skirt 100% silk organza Sunray pleated Bioplastic Belt

Handmade bioplastic material, edible & biodegradable Natural dye - Spinach

Backless bodysuit in orginal print on eco lycra, pineapple leather jacket, sunray pleated silk skirt long (brown) and short, bioplastic belt and bag in green

Pant & Skirt

Repurposed sheer fabric with silicon applique Skirt featuring pineapple leather buckle closure

Cropped Strappless Bodice

Original print created from bioplastic image on Eco Drill 100% cotton

Recycled Plastic Bead

Top

Beads handmade and melted around strands of fabric - 100% cotton

Recycled metled platic top, cropped bodice in orignal raspberry print, silicon applique pant and skirt, bioplastic bag in red

Bioplastic Vest

Handmade bioplastic material, edible & biodegradable Featuring bioplastic flowers and recycled melted plastic beads

Mini Skirt Pineapple leather (Pinatex)

Recycled Plastic Bodice Handmade melted beads molded together into sculpted bodice

Bioplastic jacket in yellow, recycled plastic structured bodice, pineapple leather mini skirt

STrapless dress

Same base under bodies four and five with different applique techniques using bioplastic and recycled melted plastic handmade beads

Dress

Dress

Repurposed fabric Hand applied recycled melted plastic bead strands Bioplastic Boots Handmade bioplastic material, edible & biodegradable

Repurposed fabric Hand applied recycled melted plastic bead strands Bioplastic Boots Handmade bioplastic material, edible & biodegradable

Bioplastic Dress

Handmade bioplastic material, edible & biodegradable

Individual pieces of bioplastic constructed together with eyelets

Natural dye - spinach

LOOK 4

Recycled melted plastic dress, bioplastic boot in red, mini and medium sized bioplastic bags

Silk Bodice

Paper mache technique applied to fabric (100% silk)

Featuring pineapple leather strap and buckle closure at back and neck

Bioplastic Skirt

Handmade bioplastic material, edible & biodegradable Individual petals created and constructed together with eyelets Natural dyes- tea

Recycled melted plastic beads drip off skirt

LOOK 6

Bioplastic skirt in yellow, brown silk moulded bodice using paper mache technique, 3D printed heel

Plasticity explores our relationship with the man-made substance that was once strongly associated with progress and is now held responsible for major environmental damage. Transparent plastics have often been used in fashion to communicate futurism (Borelli-Persson 2019), ironic considering the future of plastics is in doubt. In nature, plasticity describes how organisms have the ability to adapt, changing their form and function (Skipper et al 2010), to fit into a harsh and challenging world. This collection reflects on the idea that while manmade development and progress is exciting, it comes at a cost and is creating overwhelming challenges, particularly in the form of climate change. Just like insects that have adapted of hundreds of thousands of years to changing elements, it is essential that we learn to adjust to new conditions in order to survive and likewise, the use of plastics also needs to adapt and change as we move forwards. With more than 50% of textiles containing some form of plastic, the urgent search is on for a more sustainable way to clothe the world (Usborne 2019). Plasticity explores the use of recycled and repurposed plastics to create beautiful feminine garments, as well as the use of bioplastics, as a way of redefining the use of plastics within the modern world.

The Plasticity collection acknowledges that change can be difficult and in order to move forward with hope and harmony, things that are important to us, such as warmth, joy, knowledge, treasures from our past, and freedom, remain a part of our progress. Plasticity embraces a balance between fluidity, movement and freedom with an underlying structure, rigidity and constraint which provides protection and an essential foundation for expression, adaptability and evolution, allowing the future to become filled with possibilities.

Change requires bravery, strength of character, innovation, and dreams of something better or new and the Plasticity collection represents this for the modern, daring, risk taker. The use of innovative techniques and recycled plastic create structured bodices and protective shells, unique textures and opportunities for reflective light. Despite being manmade, the pieces reflect the beauty of nature and create a sense of flow or movement bringing life to the collection. The shimmery light reflecting off plastic that represents running water, creating a sense of fluidity and freedom is juxtaposed against structured lines and a sense of underlying strength. Effortless elegance and beauty underpinned by stability and structure is reflective of classical dancers that mould and reshape themselves constantly as a way to express themselves to their audience.

In the Plasticity collection, excitement is created by similar contrasts, where natural meets manmade, structure meets free flowing, hard meets soft and movement meets stability.

Plasticity provides an opportunity to break free from constraints, it is a way to push boundaries and strive for something better. Organic elements that reflect the natural environment, created out of structured manmade elements, represent a sense of resilience and survival. Panels of ruffles and textures create a sense of movement that contrasts with the unyielding stability of solid panels in heavier, more structured materials such as plastic and stiffened fabrics, which provide a sense of protection and overall, a futuristic sense of beauty and wonder.

market placement

Plasticity is for women who are strong, spirited, and individual. The Plasticity woman is intelligent and has strong ideas and ethics, she values environmental responsibility and refuses to compromise her love for luxury fashion to achieve this. She is successful professionally, is very social, keeps active, is well travelled, takes fashion seriously, prides herself on her choices and likes to stay ahead of the trends. She covets beautiful and unique pieces and values quality and innovation. She loves exploring fashion trends and ideas. She also enjoys looking at vintage consignment and new emerging designers as a source of unique pieces.

The Plasticity collection is made to stand against modern day couture, bringing a cool edge to more traditional and elaborate couture while at the same time being recognised for a strong social conscience and a leader in finding sustainable solutions in fashion. The vibrant colours of the bioplastic contrast against warm earthy tones and the effortless style of this collection is sure to appeal to the modern, confident and stylish woman that appreciates the detail and craftmanship of high-quality, unusual pieces. The collection brings a sense of opulence and optimism, a positivity and fearlessness and an escape to a new more futuristic world where we live in harmony with plastics. Made from bioplastics, pineapple leather and other unusual materials, and paired with natural fibres such as silk and linen, with original prints and intricate hand embellished detailing, these pieces are made to remain a wardrobe favourite for many seasons to come.

Key Colours Ethereal Tints Neutrals

Colour palette

Ethereal tints derived from natural sources and neutrals tones combined with metallics create this harmonious colour palette for Plasticity.

1.

Development

The innovation of sustainable and unusal materials brings real value to this collection, exploring new forms of plastic and their diverse use discovered through experimentation.

Bioplastic Development

natural dyes Blueberries

boot sample

Print created from image

eyelet details on each petal

melted plastic beads to hang off eyelets

lifted during drying process to allow edges to curl once dry

Bioplastic skirt Development

Bioplastic Leather Development

A leather-inspired bioplastic created using the texture from the surface of a trestle table. Bioplastic is poured onto trestle table and left 8 days without touching to dry, allowing it to form a sheet with a leather-like texture. The air that gets trapped within the bioplastic and table surface brings out a stronger colour and also forms a more stable, stronger material.

use dropper to add bubbly texture

recycled plastic melted beads used throughout collection

Plasticity collection was presented as part of Melbourne Fashion Week’s student Runway October 2022

Complete works by

Fashion

Credits

design and accessories by Amy Cottrell Photography by Adam Epps and Jessica Dooley Model Isobel Celeste Makeup by Alyssa Chan

Pattern making, construction, creative direction, model selection, trend research, tehcnical sketches, illustrations, styling, animations, print design, graphic design, materials by Amy Cottrell