Our July cover story looks at the sketchbooks of some of fashion graduates in NCAD with photography by Ruth Connolly.
“‘Waste not, Want not’ is a loungewear collection inspired by my late grandmother’s philosophy of treasuring and taking care of her possessions and garments, and the sentimentality that is attached to personal belongings. From a young age, her values and consumption habits were influenced by popular World War Two shortage expressions like “Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do”, “New from Old” and “Waste not, Want not”.
I reflect on the absence of my grandmother by fabricating memories of her and creating ways to wear her precious belongings on an everyday basis. Visual research for this collection was inspired by her beloved undergarments like her girdles, garter belts and slip dresses. I explored ideas of sentimentality, ownership and personalisation of clothing through the juxtaposition of traditionally “disposable” clothing like a grey tracksuit, loungewear and undergarments. Using techniques like embroidery and print to materialise memories, I found ways of making any garment a future heirloom.”
See Megan Thomas, Eve O’Reilly, Linda Byrne, and Conor O’Brien sketchbooks.
