500 word statement- Charlotte Godfree
I am a womenswear designer and I like to create garments that are oversized and asymmetrical in shape. I find adding subtle touches of asymmetry to my designs and pairing them with the oversizing creates this effortless aesthetic. I am motivated particularly by 1960’s fashion because I find that era holds so much joy and playfulness in terms of womenswear clothing like the mini skirt and bold colours, it tends to draw me in the most when researching my concepts.
My graduate collection ‘Ocean treasures’ is a project inspired by the phrase ‘the world is your oyster’ and is all about dreaming of a paradise after lockdown, which for me is a pink sand beach and turquoise water. Drawing silhouette inspiration from pearls, conch shells and sea urchins and combining that with sixties beachwear, classic Balenciaga couture and exploring details from playful nineties Chanel looks this collection is all about having a care-free summer holiday in utopia. I wanted to create that feeling of deep relaxation when you step off the plane and go into holiday mode by creating a collection suitable for the walks along the beach, cocktails with the girls and swimming costumes for the poolside. My motivation for this concept is derived from the anticipation of being released from lockdown and waiting for that permission to go on holiday after a year of being constrained to our local areas.
To convey this feeling of serenity we are all craving after this year I carried it through the media used for the artworks within the portfolio. I have used light washes of watercolour for skin tones with subtle pink blushes here and there to mimic that total calmness that washes over you when you arrive at your holiday destination. The eyes hold that same laid-back awareness of being in total bliss without a care in the world. To add depth to my illustrations I like to draw the garment on a separate piece of paper to the figure, then later carve it out with a scalpel and stick it on top in place to create a raised layer, almost like the figure is being dressed in layers. I find this technique adds a subtle 3D element to the illustration as it mimics the texture of real clothes and how they hang of our bodies.
The houndstooth and gingham prints are an important statement in these garments as I have always viewed them as joyful and withhold positive energy which goes synonymously with the happy-go-lucky theme of a summer holiday in paradise. Inspired from my 60’s research into Andre Courreges, I chose to blow up the houndstooth and gingham prints on the already oversized garments to make them appear even bigger than they already are once draped onto a model. A lot of my silhouette inspiration came from natures treasures found in the sea so I wanted the fabric fibres to reflect that and be natural too, this concluded using linen and cotton as my only fabrics in this collection which supports the natural feel of the concept but also adds an environmentally friendly element by leaving out synthetics.
BA (Hons) Fashion 
Will Saunders | Fashion
