Meet GFF Talent, Hebe Iris Blackett, a fashion graduate from Kingston University. Iris’ final year collection is inspired by her late father, and the experience of getting to know him after his death through old photographs. Grief has influenced her work, as she explores the different phases and experiences of grief since loosing her dad. Read more about Hebe’s collection below.
What is the most valuable thing you have learnt at university?
I’ve mostly learned that comparing yourself to others is the most counterproductive thing you can do as a designer. Accepting that you can’t excel in every area and nurturing your strengths is key in both your own work, and in being able to take inspiration from others rather than feeling inadequate and jealous. Everyone has their own unique point of view, and you will only struggle if you try to imitate others.
What was the starting point of inspiration for your final project?
My dad died in November 2018 and this was the main inspiration for my graduate collection (entitled Walrus, my dad’s nickname). While clearing out his house I found old imagery taken on Polaroids and disposables from the 90s when he worked as a rep for streetwear brands and these images acted as my starting point for design and creating a distinctive aesthetic. I also knitted a jumper around this time and took a lot of solace in handcrafting such as macramé too, so these have been key design details throughout.
I have researched traditional, historical and personal mourning dress (including the outfit I wore to my dad's funeral) as well as the practice of associating florals with death, and all of these aspects have coalesced to form my FMP concept. My prints combine my own drawings of laburnums, a significant plant to my dad and I, and some designs inspired by the music video for New Order's 'Blue Monday', which was my dad's favourite song and which we played at the beginning of his funeral. The more graphic imagery and handwriting offset the florals and feminine feature, avoiding a twee aesthetic.
What form will your final year project take?
Originally my graduate collection was going to consist of 6 full looks, alongside a look book and perhaps a publication about my dad, his death and his legacy. I have now had to rethink and be more realistic about what I can achieve by myself in isolation. The collection will now hopefully consist of 3 or 4 full looks with a lot of macramé accessories such as bags, jewellery and veils as these are easy to produce at home and require only rope and wire (and, as proof of concept, help alleviate the anxiety induced by the pandemic). I had already begun to plan a photoshoot with a photographer friend, and hopefully we will still be able to do this for both our portfolios (and personal satisfaction) later in the year in order to produce a lookbook and publication.
What materials have you used and how did you source them?
All the knit within my collection is created with fabric offcuts sourced online which would have otherwise been going to landfill. The intention is to combine these scrap pieces with deconstructed items of my father's own clothing, incorporating a part of him into the work. Marine rope and guy lines are being used for the macramé as it is sturdy and holds its shape in a way that creates an almost form-fitted aesthetic and creates clean lines as well as an industrial twist on something that looks delicate and almost lacey at times. Other materials such as silk, denim, crepe and seersucker have been sourced from Berwick Street and precisely measured in order to reduce waste as much as possible. All fabric offcuts are saved in order to be used in the knit pieces.
How has it evolved from your initial ideas and what have you learnt along the way?
Initially, I was aiming for a sportier aesthetic, with an eye-catching colour palette and a great deal of hand knitting. I had some trouble pinning down my key colour palette and felt thrown off by toiling, where my pieces seemed to work well in white and neutral tones. Taking some inspiration from the Ascot racing scene in My Fair Lady on recommendation from my tutor I realised I could tell the story I wanted more cohesively by contrasting textures and monochromatic prints with flashes of one colour – fluorescent yellow. I've learned that less really is more in my work - this is something I have always believed but have found hard to implement.
Trusting myself and what I think works has become easier for me throughout my degree, but most of all this past year where I have been able to see that I am capable of making the decisions needed to produce a collection I am happy with. The aesthetic of the collection is highly feminine in some areas, incorporating frills, shirring and bows, however many of my patterns are very boxy in shape creating a somewhat androgynous feels in parts. I wanted to maintain the initial inspiration of the streetwear imagery throughout the designs, however take the edge off some of the more utility-style looks by incorporating aspects of dramatic Victorian mourning dress.
What are the messages and themes behind your project that you want people to take away? Do explore any topics like diversity, sustainability or politics in your work?
I enjoy talking about my grief, and the things that have helped me through it so far. People often find it a very awkward subject to broach, and I more than understand that - I certainly feel a little awkward when someone casually asks me what my collection explores. But what I have found is that as soon as discussions around difficult areas such as death and grief begin, it is far more comfortable and cathartic, and many more people have been touched by death than you may think.
This isn't supposed to be a dark project, I've taken it on as a dedication to my dad, who loved and worked in fashion and supported me all the way through my education, and I'd love to see people take away from my work that grief can be as much about celebration and meaningful memories as it is sadness and loss, and that it's not something you should be afraid to talk about. I would also love for students to see that you don't necessarily have to be an amazing pattern cutter to create functional garments that convey a profound message and understand that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, and to work to those.
What’s an aspect of the fashion industry that you’re passionate about fixing or having a positive impact on?
Handcrafting is an area of fashion and design that I think already has a positive impact on the industry, and it's something I'd love to get involved with professionally. Handcrafts promote slow fashion, and the connection between a maker, an object and an owner is only amplified when so much time is invested in its construction, and I think that care is something really special that is lacking in many areas of industry. Jonathan Anderson stated that handcrafting ‘is about creating objects that have a formula of their own and speak their own language, creating a dialogue that didn’t exist before’; the ability to imbue an object with a history simply through its construction is incredibly appealing to me and something I'd love to help proliferate in industry.
What is your plan once you finish your BA?
I can't say I have a plan set in stone after university. Many different areas of industry interest me and I'd love to explore my professional interests further. I enjoy writing about fashion, so fashion journalism has long been an aspiration, however through my graduate collection I really have rediscovered my love of handcrafts, so I'm once again stuck! Some further exploration and experiences are required I think, in order to settle on a path.