GLOBAL YOUNG TALENT 2020: CHESKA STUDIO | SUSTAINABLE SPORTSWEAR COLLECTION DESIGNED BY LILY FRANCESCA HEAD HEAVILY INSPIRED WITHIN SPORT EQUIPMENT AND PRACTICALITY

Drawing attention to the importance of sustainability with her outstanding sustainable sportswear designs is Lily Francesca Head Lily aims to Lily to inspire people to be more innovative in their ideas and to produce less with her latest collection. In light of her most recent feature as part of our Global Young Talent in the December issue of Harper’s Bazaar UK, we had the pleasure of speaking to the Global Young Talent 2020 about the importance of limiting production and the importance of innovation and uniqueness.

1. You studied at Winchester School of Art and specialized in menswear, why did you decide to design sportswear?

I have always been drawn to sportswear and street style even after exploring many areas within fashion. I design with the mission of creating sustainable pieces making sure everything I’m doing has a purpose when I design. I wanted to challenge myself as sportswear is not typically known for being sustainable as this field uses a lot of fabrics that are main sources of our world’s pollution. I know creating sportswear in all recycled and sustainable fabrics that still have the same benefits as synthetics would create a conversion and open a lot of peoples’ mindsets in why they are still contributing to this issue.

"I design with the mission of creating sustainable pieces making sure everything I’m doing has a purpose when I design."

2. What was the inspiration behind your collection?

I have always been inspired by things around me using fabrics from home interiors and objects. I wanted this collection to inspire people to be more innovative in their ideas and to produce less. Practicality plays a big role in my collection by using recycled boating rope and washing line. The main fabric used is from old sleeping bags. My designs show an appetite for experimentation while being sustainable, with expressive print merging with zero waste techniques and athletic background. My research into streetwear combined with sportswear led me looking into street gangs, crimes, and prisons where the colour story of orange tones taken from uniforms. Just touching on the surface of prisoners' rights I wanted to highlight the issues of how dehumanising the system is.

3. Why do you believe sustainability is important?

Being a sustainable designer has become more important to me as my years of studying progressed, learning more about what damage the industry I’m going into is doing to our planet made me animate I was going to design and create with the world in mind, I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my favourite designers such as Christopher Raeburn and Stella McCartney. There are so many new sustainable fabrics to explore in the world of sportswear.

"Being a sustainable designer has become more important to me as my years of studying progressed, learning more about what damage the industry I’m going into is doing to our planet made me animate I was going to design and create with the world in mind, I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my favourite designers such as Christopher Raeburn and Stella McCartney."

4. Can you talk us through your design process and the skills necessary for your pieces?

My design process starts with the inspiration I get from everything around me. For this particular collection it started with finding inspiration from sports equipment finding multi use for them giving them a new purpose. Throughout my years of studying I have always gathered pieces of fabrics and small finds that interests me creating a collection of items that give me inspiration. The skills needed creating this collection is being open minded and forgetting every rule you know about what goes where. In general, to be noticed within any area of the create industry you need to have ability to think innovatively.

5. How will you take your findings from this collection to influence your future garments?

Designing and working freely is what I wish to always have the power to do. With any current work or future deigns I wish to carry about the same attitude as I believe the process should always stay fun to achieve the best outcome. Something I am passionate about is expressing yourself through design and having that freedom to explore your emotions. Designing sustainably within my work and brand is something that won’t change and will always have in mind in every stage of the process.

"Designing and working freely is what I wish to always have the power to do. With any current work or future deigns I wish to carry about the same attitude as I believe the process should always stay fun to achieve the best outcome."

Discover Cheska Studio's full collection

Words by Reka Dala