This portfolio consists of my main research and design development that led me to creating my 3 look collection.

DRAWING FROM HIPHOP’S VISUAL LANGUAGE, KATE EMBRACES OVERSIZED, RELAXED SILHOUETTES,  AS TOOLS FOR CONFIDENCE AND IDENTITY. WHAT ONCE SERVED AS A FORM OF PERSONAL CONCEALMENT FOR KATE HAS NOW BEEN REINTERPRETED AS A POWERFUL STATEMENT OF SELF-EXPRESSION. THROUGH RELAXED FITS, BOLD EMBELLISHMENTS AND LAYERED DETAILING, THE COLLECTION REFLECTS HIPHOP’S LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH FASHION AS A FORM OF COMMUNICATION AND PRESENCE. AS WELL AS CONNECTING TO THE REMIXES AND LAYERED SOUNDS FOUND WITHIN HIPHOP MUSIC ITSELF AS THE LOOKS BUILD SIMILAR DEPTH THROUGH TEXTURAL, COLOURED AND EMBELLISHED MATERIAL CONTRASTS.

APPROACHING THE CULTURE WITH RESPECT FOR ITS ORIGINS, KATE’S COLLECTION HONOURS TRADITIONAL HIPHOP SILHOUETTE AND MATERIAL CHOICES WHILST INTRODUCING EDUCATED DESIGN DEVELOPMENTS THAT BUILD UPON HIPHOPS VISUAL LANGUAGE RATHER THAN REDIFINING IT. EMBELLISHED ELEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE GARMENTS REFERENCE HIPHOP’S RELATIONSHIP WITH STATEMENT DRESSING, WHERE SHINE AND DETAIL BECOME PART OF THE VISUAL RHYTHM OF THE LOOK.

WHILE SUSTAINABILITY HAS GAINED PROMINENCE WITHIN HIGH FASHION, IT REMAINS UNDER-REPRESENTED IN STREETWEAR DUE TO FAST FASHION DOMINATING THE STREETWEAR INDUSTRY. EACH GARMENT IN KATE’S COLLECTION IS MADE FROM EITHER 100% NATURAL FIBRES OR 100% RECYCLED POLYESTER, ALONGSIDE INNOVATIVE MATERIALS SUCH AS SAVIAN FUR BY BIOFLUFF, PIÑATEX BY ANANAS ANAM AND DESSERTO BY ADRIANO DI MARTI CO. BY INTEGRATING THESE MATERIALS INTO FAMILIAR STREETWEAR SILHOUETTES, THIS COLLECTION DEMONSTRATES HOW INNOVATIVE MATERIALS AND EVERYDAY STYLE CAN COEXIST. RATHER THAN POSITIONING SUSTAINABILITY AS EXCLUSIVE OR HIGH FASHION, THIS COLLECTION PRESENTS RESPONSIBLE MATERIALS IN AN AESTHETIC THAT RESONATES WITH CONTEMPORARY STREETWEAR AUDIENCES ACROSS MULTIPLE GENERATIONS.

BY MERGING HIPHOPS EXPRESSIVE ENERGY WITH EMERGING SUSTAINABLE TEXTILES, “SUSTAIN THIS” PROPOSES A FUTURE WHERE HIPHOP AND RESPONSIBLE DESIGN STRENGTHEN ONE ANOTHER AND MOVE FORWARDS TOGETHER.