Designing My First Runway Look

Not much longer than a year ago I was in medical school wishing to be somewhere else.

Today one of my designs went down the runway of a fashion show.

It was quite the surreal experience.

I'm a private person in the sense that I like keeping everything I've created to myself. Partly due to an overwhelming lack of self-confidence but mostly due to the fear of criticism.

You see, nothing I create is done purely for the sake of creating something nor will this ever be the case. My ideas are birthed from personal insight and emotion. Each piece has its own story and the details easily overlooked could be representative of feelings I've had stored on my chest for months. Finally discovering a way in which to surface.

I am in no way suggesting criticism is bad or something to be avoided however when you're placing what essentially encompasses you as a person up onto a pedestal to be criticized that's where things become a little bit more complicated. It's no longer purely a critique of your work but instead of you in your entirety.

Building on this seemingly fragile foundation, I have an avant-garde approach to design which in turn makes the reaction of people to my work extremely unpredictable.

My intention is to evoke an emotional response. If you see something I've created and you find the most applicable words to grasp in that moment would be anywhere along the lines of "that's pretty" I'd have to pull myself to the side for some serious re-evaluation because I've failed miserably.

It's kind of strange to anxiously anticipate the opinions of others while simultaneously giving them reason to talk. Trust me, I'm aware.

The first thing that had to be done in order to ensure this process was nothing less than an honest representation is rid myself of any worries or reservations.

I was ready to let a little bit of myself out into the world.

I knew when starting the academic year that we'd have to create a garment for the fashion show come August although it was nowhere near along the lines of what I'd expected.

We were told to create an outfit from unconventional, up-cycled materials. Taking things you'd find around the house and using them to produce garments fit for the runway. If this were not challenging enough, they tasked us with obtaining inspiration for these garments from either Bo-Kaap in Cape Town or the District 6 Museum.

Bo-Kaap is bright and colourful steeped richly with culture and heritage. A place of great significance, the energy radiating from this area is enough to inspire anyone. Given my tendency to stray towards heavier interests which are slightly more difficult to digest it's safe to say this would not be the source of my inspiration this time.

Growing up in South Africa, District 6 is something you're taught about early on in school.

The forced removal of residents is a byproduct of the drastic inequality during this time and indicates a significant point in South African history. So significant that its people are suffering from the effects all these years later. The pain is still very real and lingers in the air among whispers of people trying to ignore its existence.

The 1960's, which is around the time these grave injustices occurred, was in fact not as far away as some would like to imagine.

My aim was to somehow create a look that embodied this part of history.

Being born at the end of the era meant having no first hand experience of the environment. All I had were stories passed down from older generations within the family.

I began by visualizing the homes. Looking back at old photographs and recalling memories of visiting my grandparents was enough to provide me with a sufficient idea.

Lace curtains, patterned rugs and carpets, shades of deep reds from furniture fabric and browns from their accompanying wooden armrests. The vision was clear.

I would combine pieces so as to recreate the feeling of homes during this period. I wanted the imagery accompanied by the person physically walking in the clothes to represent the many families having to pack up the houses they have lived in all their lives and relocate.

The pants and top are both made out of lace curtain. Having this form the base of the look was important to me as the sheer appearance of the fabric emphasizes the idea of vulnerability.

The coat is made using an upholstery type material. Personally it resembles the carpeting you may have found in these homes and I was drawn to it primarily as a result of the colour combination and elaborate patterns. The length of the coat was increased dramatically in order to completely cover the floor and instill the idea of an old fashioned carpet. It further assists with exaggerating movement and reinforcing the concept of having a house in motion. This is after all the concept around which my entire thought process revolved.

Thus far I was happy with the story being told but it was not complete.

Chains represent restriction, confinement and constraint.

If I wanted the story to be an accurate portrayal I needed to ensure everyone was made aware that these families were forced out of their homes with absolutely no control of the situation. Their hands were tied both literally and figuratively. I created a headpiece entirely out of chains in an attempt to provide a metaphorical representation of this constriction.

My intention was for the strands hanging beneath the eyes to resemble tears. If you are gazing upon another person, most often the first thing you observe would be their face.

This was a subtle message I did not want anyone to miss.

A subtlety held the large responsibility of conveying years of unimaginable and incomprehensible emotion.

It is important to note that this was by no means me trying to speak on someone else's experiences. It is instead the product of internal reflection and resultant feelings in response to a tragedy far beyond the comprehension of anyone who has not lived through the atrocities of these times themselves.

That being said, I don't think it's possible for me to ever forget this day.

My first time showcasing work in front of everyone. Work that means something.

Opposing the idea of sitting in my room fantasizing about moments such as these while sketching ideas for my eyes only.

There's a special kind of satisfaction that comes from others appreciating what you've created and appreciating what means more to you than they could ever know.

Now that the inner workings of my mind has been exposed I do not think there exists the possibility of stopping any time soon. I have so much more to say.

I'm noting this as the beginning of an amazing journey.