Working on design ideas for a small collection go with my latest art couture garment

Got the pencil out to sketch some design ideas today. And it feels good! After spending time where ever I could over the last 12 months to get my art couture completed, it was suggested by a good friend that I also design some made-to-order garments to launch at the same time. It feels great to extend the ideas further and develop a small luxury collection to go with my art couture and the concepts behind it.

As much as I love designing for trends in the fashion market, I also find it satisfying designing garments based on a theme or things that inspire me. My art couture garment is inspired by mycelium and the symbiotic relationship it can have with other plants. Whether it be the mutual exchange of nutrients or the breaking down of plant materials. In this a mutually beneficial relationship.

The garment is also inspired by the fungus(the fruit of the mycelium) I have seen growing on silver birch trees. The silver/white textured bark against the sculptural forms of the fungus is key to the design, as well as the mycelium roots growing from beneath the bark. I also picked up on the dark edges of the splits you see in Silver Birch bark for design elements and lines, creating a beautiful contrast to the base fabric.

Mosses can also grow on Silver Birch trees where it is moist enough to collect the water it needs. The green moss I found in a photo of a silver birch tree became inspiration for textures and now it has become an inspiration for a top in the design ideas for the collection.

The concepts for these made-to-order garments are now an extension of the mycelium, birch and moss. Inspired by the art couture piece they will form a small collection of mix and match luxury separates made of silk.