EMMA JANE

This collection is a dynamic and creative progression from Emma's original inspiration, Thomas Moore's 'Utopia'. She was interested in the way he portrayed the dichotomy between the individual and the state and how the two conflict. This led her research to anomalies. 'The Outsider' by Albert Camus became a prominent source of inspiration, in which the main character is forced to the fringes of society because of his existentialist views. Broken sequences such as genetic anomalies, vertibral anomalies and the New York grid system all became part of the aesthetic of the collection because of their irregular and anomylous nature. There is a linear and interlinking theme within her designs. She has designed with the 'Outsider' in mind, using asymmetry paired with geometrical, sculptural and transitional shapes to provide the perfect styles for her niche market.
The colour scheme was inspired by the New York skyline. These have developed into stone, slate and sandy wools, sand-washed silks, moleskin and specialist cottons with bright silk terracotta highlights. She has used real X-rays of the spine to create supernatural prints. Because these prints are hand-rendered, it gives each one a further sense of individuality and irregularity.
The laser-cutting was originally inspired by the dates punched into the X-rays, but it also relates the the way our DNA make-up is just a code comprising of 4 letters repeated in different sequences. Each outfit of the collection is numbered one to six, and then these numbers are repeated at random to create a mathematical lace effect, which appears on the long-sleeved tee and the staircase dress. This collection captures the essence of her thoguht-provoking inspiration by deviating from the normal, common order of fashion.