Graduate Collection- From Suffering to Suffrage

From Suffering to Suffrage’ focuses on the shift in the roles and attitudes of women before, during and after WW1; a time of social upheaval, but also a turning point for the progression of women’s rights. As we enter into a new age of feminism, parallels can be drawn from the initial struggles faced by the Suffragettes in the first wave of feminism. This collection aims to celebrate and empower women, recognising how far the rights of women have come over the last century, and highlight how far there is still left to go in the fight for equality. There is a large focus on sustainability throughout the collection; deadstock materials have been used throughout to contribute to the combatting of overconsumption and the environmental impacts this has. Taking inspiration from the ‘Make do and Mend’ movement that many women adopted throughout the war, the collection makes use of leather offcuts, sourced through a sponsorship secured with British leather supplier Pittards Plc. Patch-working the hand-picked leather offcuts to create the garments in this collection adds character and individuality to each piece. I created the 'Holloway' brand as part of my final major project- going hand in hand with my collection 'From Suffering to Suffrage' a concept inspired by women, to empower women. Holloway was inspired by a period in history where women were subjected to inequality and hardship. The Suffragettes were the key driving force behind advocating for women’s rights during this period, despite the significant danger and threats posed to them in doing so. Many suffragettes were imprisoned in retalliation to their protests, and upon release were awarded with a ‘Holloway Brooch’. Representative of Hope and freedom, ‘Holloway’ perfectly captures the essence of the brand and everything that it stands for.