Concept

After reading the brief for the first time I was immediately inspired by the concept of creating an airborne garment, as the idea of flight has always appealed to me since a young age. Naturally my mind went to things that can fly: birds. Although birds are often a source of inspiration in the fashion industry I knew that I wanted my mini collection to tell a story. I wanted the story to comment on the impact of humans in nature and the way that the natural world always conquers. Through this thought process I decided upon the story of the caged bird, and its rise back to power. Naturally, the kings of the sky should not be contained.

Besides the fact that this collection shows the literal reality for these poor birds, I divulged a little further and thought about how this collection could mean something deeper about the girl in the garments. Allowing society to force one into one’s own “cage” restricts them from reaching their full potential. The idea of breaking free from these restraints and expectations will allow one to finally feel comfortable with themselves and be able to achieve what they are truly capable of achieving.

I wanted to use the the different shapes of the body of the eagle to represent each step in the process of release. The shapes created by the eagle connects the literal to the figurative and creates a dynamic beyond the expected.