UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 18 JUNE 2018
A Birmingham City University student has taken inspiration from nature for her final year fashion project and produced a clothing collection with garden turf.
Sandals with grass insoles, an over-the-shoulder turf bag and a turf skirt are amongst the items which make up ‘Nature’s Vandalism’, a collection created by Lucy Saltinstall.
The 22-year-old designer from Market Harborough in Leicestershire says the inspiration for her clothing creations came from an American trip.
“The collection is initially based on The High Line in New York, which is an old disused railway line that has been regenerated into an elevated park that runs through the city”, said Lucy.
“I discovered it whilst visiting the city last year and I loved how it was such a calm, botanical escape in the midst of one of the busiest cities.
“The concept then developed into looking at nature within urban landscapes and the resilience of it, researching the work of artist Michael Landy and photographer Wolfgang Tillmans, who gain inspiration from roadside weeds and wild nature confined into urban spaces.”
The ‘Nature’s Vandalism’ collection also includes an apron with a turf insert and dungarees with turf pockets.
Lucy debuted her designs in front of thousands of people on the Graduate Fashion Week catwalk earlier this month, ahead of a display at Birmingham City University’s Inspired Festival, an annual celebration of the talent and creativity of final year students about to embark on their careers.
The ‘Tuff Turf’ that Lucy used from home improvement retailer Homebase is a multipurpose and hardwearing synthetic grass, more commonly used as a low maintenance and care-free alternative to a real lawn.
Lucy’s future aspirations include working with British designer Christopher Raeburn and on sustainable fashion.
“I love his style and that his garments are androgynous, as well as the fact he uses recycled fabrics to create his collections but executes it so well that you wouldn’t know it wasn’t a completely new garment”, added Lucy.
Find out more about fashion courses at Birmingham City University’s Open Day on Saturday 30 June.