Eden Keshia, Design Process

Eden Keshia’s graduate collection is inspired by the curiously beautiful artworks created during early infancy. The erratic brush-strokes and experimental nature of the paintings and scribbles prove to be an interesting starting point for colourful prints and hand-painted designs. Always adorned with hand-rendered intricacies, designs feature hand-painted details, bespoke embroidery and tactile embellishments, intended to appeal to all senses. The ethos of this collection embraces the concept of a slower-paced fashion; the design process focuses on creating high-quality wearable art pieces which can be kept and treasured.

The knitwear in this collection was created by hand and then embellished further using appliquéd tassels and metallic wool. Many of the fabrics selected for this collection have been carefully manipulated to achieve surface patterns and textures, which are truly unique. The tactility and movement of fabrics have been selected to create a miscellany of textures from hand painted prints to embroidered leather and velvet.

The leather garments in the collection have been reworked from donated leather jackets, a process which respects contemporary fashion up-cycling and it compatible with a slower-paced fashion industry. The reconstruction of leather garments allows a forgotten item to be transformed into something contemporary and completely unique; no painted marks, stitching or embellishment would ever be identical to that of another garment.

Embroideries were inspired by paintings created during early childhood; cad methodologies were used to design and create the digital embroideries, which were then appliquéd onto the garment and embellished further by hand.

Colours were inspired by the colours used in early childhood paintings; these vibrant tones were a focal point of the collection, influencing fabric choices and the type of embellishment.

The collection involves careful construction to reflect the intense and elaborate design process. The craft involved in the textile finishes will be a continuity throughout the looks; from embellished knitwear to intricately embroidered catsuits and hand-painted leather garments.