0072

My graduate collection is influenced by the plane crash in the Andes Mountains in 1972, and follows the survivors’ tale of events. The passengers on the flight belonged to the Uruguayan Rugby team at the time. This influenced a casual, sportswear silhouette in the collection, with roll-necks, sweatshirts and a rugby uniform as key garments to layer with. I looked at the aeroplane itself and incorporated imagery from vintage military aviation uniforms from the early 1970s, and around the time of the crash in the collection. This influenced more traditional silhouettes and key details such as patch pockets, heavy duty fabric and functionality. In photographs of the crash, the survivors have layered their clothes in order to keep warm with material wrapped around them, so I have tried to cover the body with layered garments. I up-cycled objects that would have been in the debris of the crash site, like emergency blankets, an army blanket, a flame retardant blanket, and made them a stand out feature to show the importance of sustainability, and keep the survival element of the collection alive.