For this collection, I wanted to create a narrative involving the mermaids I thought about as a child.

The idea is built around a group of friends, my age, enjoying a 24-hour stay at the beach. All of whom, individually, leave an item of clothing behind.

These garments get taken out by the tide and become entangled on a rusted shipwreck on the seabed. The clothes are found by a group of mermaids who combine inspiration from their surroundings and what they have seen of the human world to repair the clothes. The influence ranges from shells, shipwrecks, swimsuits, fishermen at sea, to scuba divers, with reference to fire and smoke that has inspired the collection’s burnt edges. These garments then return to the shore, beautifully altered from what they once were and are then found by the same group of people who are looking for their lost clothes.

My target audience for this collection is sun worshippers and not focused on age. The loose pieces are intended to be flexible; they can fit different sizes with their fastening ties and can be individually selected to be worn with more traditional garments. The dizzy thrill of nature and risk is represented with seemingly weak fastenings on the clothes, thin threads and ribbons that threaten to work loose and fall.

The use of highly durable neoprene was for its insulating warmth, long life and sea-faring quality. The main focus is on natural fabrics, like the silks I have used, which are less likely to pollute the environment. The silks are biodegradable and will, in time, break down.