Dana Nicola, design process

Dana Nicola’s collection, Implicit Demand for Triuth, is inspired by personal relationships throughout her university life, relationships with lovers and friends that didn’t quite make it, feelings that were never shared and words that we re never spoken.

“..it’s like, you know they’re bad for you, its like they’re a drug and you need a hit, you become each others drug and then when its over, you yearn for them, nothing is the same as that high”

Working within a dark luxury aesthetic, Nicola took influence from 1920s lingerie silhouettes, photographers such as Nan Goldin and Katastrofffe and performance art of the late 1980s/90s. With a conceptual inspiration she turned focus to surface textures, experimenting with hand dying techniques alongside applique, draping and layering of reclaimed leather scraps and skins, creating a moulded, draped leather bodice as well as her ‘bandage’ leather pants, with raw edges and an industrial feel. The shapes of the collection focus on the lines of the body, using the natural curves and lines of the figure to influence the cut and shape of the bodices and gowns.

The collection has an undeniable femininity, indulging a classic silhouette with experimental techniques and a modern edge. The monochromatic colour palette gives to the darker luxury aesthetic alongside her reclaimed leather accessories, using upholstery leather scraps and knotted leather to create cuffs and chokers, giving the final touches to a hopefully nostalgic collection..