The chaotic and dirty atmosphere that we associate with slums is depicted through my collection in a contrasting, colourful and captivating manner. Inspired by a visit to Mozambique and the upcycled items used to survive there, I wanted to display a sense of the overlooked creativity in similar urban areas.After photographing household rubbish and debris around Leicester and studying slums, I used an array of bright acrylic paints and expressive marks to create small and large scale paintings that suggested a less ugly and more positive outlook. Influential artists include Mowgli Omari, Albert Irvin and in particular, the large scale works of Mark Rothko. In the latter part of this project, my designs became bolder and more graphic after gaining inspiration from Marni, Prada and Celine.My collection is printed onto silk satin, making it suited for the high end women’s fashion market.This collection will be showcased at New Designers in London from the 28th of June to the 1st of July 2017.