DON'T LET THE BED BUGS BITE

  • laban leake

The collection started from looking into Auto Erotic Asphyxiation. This is a seldom talked about topic that is considered to be taboo within society. It particularly engaged me due to it not encompassing any particular race or class. This notion of not being attached to any particular class gave me a wide scope of where my research could lead onto. At the time of researching this topic I had a particular interest with the Uighur Muslim population of Xinjiang and the way they are being persecuted in China, being sent to ‘re-education camps’ to rid them of their so called ‘extremist views’. They are all monitored round the clock by the Chinese security forces, so I felt that this fitted well with my initial theme of auto asphyxiation not being linked to any class and being something that goes on behind closed doors away from the view of prying eyes. The line-up consists of a mix of draped and soft tailored garments, I wanted to show that this subject related to even those at the top of political systems. The use of draping structures, flowing off the body and re-attaching over the head has been done to create an illusion of tubes coming off and onto the body, as if sucking all the air out to cause affixation to the wearer. Draped skirts with padded details have been used to suggest the garment holds pockets of life supporting oxygen to the wearer. There is also a safety element to some of the garments. Outfit three for example is based off the MA-1 air force life preserver jackets and horseshoe preservers worn by deep sea divers. I have for the purposes of the collection, elaborated on these designs to develop something that may be used to save the wearer if choking out and going into the onset of hypoxia.