Naomi Findlay’s collection is based on Scottish travellers, a key part of her family heritage. Her mum grew up as a traveller when she was younger but eventually grew out of this lifestyle as she got older. Travellers have always had a negative connotation pinpointed onto them by society as their way of life is unfamiliar, this isn’t the way she views them as her mum has always told exciting stories/ experiences first hand. She wanted to incorporate these quirks into her collection. Travellers are a misconceived society and Naomi wanted her collection to show the positive side of them.

The collection is very boxy and oversized, the models silhouettes aren’t shown just like a caravans exterior doesn’t show its contents. A large inspiration of the collection was caravan living and how they function. This is why elements go up and down like blinds in a caravan and the tied elements connect like awnings. The knits are inspired by the organic nature of the tents early travellers used, sail fabrics were used to create these shapes, in turn, inspiring the upcycle of the torn sail.

She created the jacket by firstly planning what parts were less damaged on the old sail and cutting out her pattern pieces. Every panel had to be washed after cutting to ensure the tough coating on the outside of the sail was diminished and made for a workable fabric. Then bleaching would take place to ensure as many of the old stains were gone and the white was looking crisp, this long process meant mistakes had to be minimal.

The collection prints are all digital based. The initial pattern was inspired by the ornate detailing found on old imari crown derby plate sets. Travellers collect these and have them displayed in their caravans either in the window or a cabinet as it is a symbol of wealth. By adding fun colouring and simplifying the design it gives a modern look to an otherwise traditional concept. The second print has the words ‘mislo granhes thaber’, this translates to ‘traveller knows the road’ in shelta, a lost traveller language. The font is inspired by fairground ride scrolls as working at shows is a key occupation for many travellers.