A short summary of your project

Hi there this project is called Stingray aw24, it is my final collection of my BA Fashion Design degree in which I have designed and made six looks in response to my inspiration 'she was in love with a fisherman'. I am raising £1000 to help fund this collection, this money will go to the expenditure of the materials, shoot and metal. 

Who are you?

I am a designer and multi-disciplinary creative whose work spans a variety of mediums within design, focusing on the use of unconventional materials that ignite my creativity.

The story of me final collection

From the Bustling fish shop of my grandmother to the solitary voyages of my fisherman grandfather and the brave service of my great-grandfather, a Frogman in the Navy, Stingray AW24 becomes a canvas for the story for the ‘Fish Lady Huntress’. ‘She was in Love with a Fisherman’, a truth echoed through generations shaping the persona of a woman torn between a fisherman’s love and the call of the sea. Repurposed wetsuits weaving salt stained memories of surf sessions, fishing escapades and adventures that shaped my youth. To the sturdy elegance of chainmail, forged Pewter and naval silhouettes, each piece embodies a balance of power and grace. Stingray celebrates the connection to the sea and the timeless strength of feminine resilience. Beckoning the wearer to journey through the realities of love and duty guided by the spirit of a woman who dared to navigate her own path.  

Where will the money go?

The money raised will go especially to the cost of the 64,000 individual O rings in which I have hand individually linked each O ring to create a floor length backless chainmail dress inspired by being 'caught in a Fishermans net'. Alongside this the cost of my fabrics, using traditional velvets that have been inspired by naval silhouettes, wool and of course the making of all the buttons and fastenings, which have been made from Pewter and I have metal smithed in the Foundry. The money will also go towards the funding on my final shoot. The shoot is based on the north coast of Dorset. I will be booking two models to wear my collection, this will be a two day shoot where the funding will go towards paying two models, petrol and food. If I raise more than my target the funds will go towards booking an in studio shoot to photograph my garments in full body shot, as well as the funding towards printing as I will be professionally printing my final Look Book in which I am collaborating with Photographer and friend to create a visual documentation of the final shoot. 

Here are the summed up costs of parts of my final collection that the raised money will go towards funding:

Materials

Chainmail: £317.40 (64,000 individuals sterling silver O rings)

Pewter: £89.95 (750grams of Pewter, buttons, fastenings, buckles, details)

Velvets/ wool: (look two) £81.40 and (look three) £161.25

Final Shoot (period - 2 days):

Models: £200

Travel (petrol) driving to Dorset and around/ from London and back: £86

Food ( 6ppl/ 2 days) : £64

Here are some process images of my final collection: including the look 6 - the chainmail dress, look two and three - the naval silhouettes, made from velvet/ wool and Pewter.