Isabel Hambly
Meet GFF Talent Isabel Hambly, a fashion graduate at Nottingham Trent University. Isabel’s final project is a sustainable denim collection inspired by the unique British seaside. What started as a celebration of seaside holidays and the iconic imagery of Martin Parr and David Hurn, became a deep dive into the production of sustainable denim. Read on to learn more about Isabel’s project, what she has learnt in her time at Nottingham Trent and her plans for the future.
What is the most valuable thing you have learnt at university?
Whilst at university the most important lesson I have learned is that hard work pays off. A creative course is extremely demanding and involves a lot of emotional investment. However, it is incredibly rewarding when you have put a huge amount of determination into a project, and the outcome (whether that is a garment, sketchbook or portfolio) is something that you can be proud of. Additionally, with regards to competitions, I have learned that putting an immense amount of effort into a competition where there is only a small chance of succeeding is worth it!
The skills you learn in creating work quickly and to a brief is extremely important going into industry, and the sense of achievement, if you are shortlisted for a competition, is unparalleled! I was lucky enough to win an internship with Ralph Lauren in New York and have been shortlisted for the ISKO Sustainable Denim competition, both of which were international competitions. I also think that like-minded people find each other, and I have been so lucky to be surrounded by amazingly hard-working and talented peers and tutors, who can encourage and guide my work. They have pushed me to take risks, and the importance of making brave and bold decisions is another key lesson I have learned at university.
For example, I had not worked with denim before my final year and was daunted by the prospect of working with a difficult material that requires technical knowledge. However, I am so pleased that I chose to push myself and learn a new skill, as I have completely fallen in love with denim! Finally, throughout my 3 years of university the importance of sustainable design has become imperative to my practice. I have learned how sustainable approaches can open a new way of thinking about fashion design, allowing me to be accountable for the garment from the start to the end of its life span.
What was the starting point of inspiration for your final project?
I was on a British seaside holiday last summer, and the number of fishing nets washed up on the otherwise beautiful beaches caught my attention. I had always planned to develop a sustainable collection and decided to develop a concept which both celebrated and preserved British seaside culture, whilst highlighting a sustainability issue inextricably linked with British beaches. I began researching British seaside holidays and was immediately charmed by the quirky and kitsch photographs of British seaside resorts by Martin Parr and David Hurn. They beautifully illustrate the eccentric character of British seaside holidays, whilst also shedding light on the consumerism and litter generated by these holidays.
The iconic photographs of the British seaside-inspired my print design. I focussed specifically on deckchair stripes and Mr. Whippy Ice creams. I have always enjoyed linocut printing, as the outcome is delicate, rustic, and hand made. I used this technique to print the stripes and ice creams and manipulated them in photoshop to create the final prints. I then sourced a digital printing company which would allow me to use organic cotton for my final fabrics. Next, I began researching the locals who live and work by the seaside, focussing specifically on the fishermen and workers who provide the famous fish n’ chips at seaside cafés. The denim workwear worn by fishermen immediately caught my attention, providing inspiration for the materials and detailing in my collection.
Throughout this year I have become fascinated with sustainable denim. There have been many advancements in denim production, such as removing toxic chemicals in indigo and reducing water usage in the dyeing process, which means denim has become a material that can be produced responsibly. Added to this, denim is a durable material which gains value with age and rarely goes out of fashion. Therefore, denim has become an outlet for my interest in sustainability.
What form will your final project take?
The original plan for the outcome was a collection of 4 sustainable denim outfits, physical sketchbook and portfolio. The 4 outfits consisted of: a long denim coat, with shorts and a printed top underneath; floor-length flared denim dungarees, with a printed poplin shirt underneath; a mid-length denim cape, with printed canvas shorts; a denim wrap dress, with contrast print, and a cotton poplin shirt underneath. All printed garments feature my own print. However, due to the recent pandemic, some of my project plans have changed, as the university has closed, garment manufacture has come to a halt, and the future of my collection is less certain.
I am lucky to have already pattern cut 3 out of 4 of my outfits and have finished making 2 of them (dungarees, coat). I am going to complete the 3rd outfit in final fabric (cape) from home, and if I have the time and resources, I plan to pattern cut and complete my final outfit (wrap dress). Once I have completed my collection, I plan to do a photo shoot, which will allow me to showcase my work in the place of a fashion show. I would like to view the change of situation as an opportunity to enhance my skills in 2D. I look forward to the photoshoot, as fashion photography is a passion of mine, and will help me develop contacts with models and skills in photoshoot staging.
It is also beneficial to have a significant amount of time to perfect my sketchbook and portfolio, enhancing skills that will be essential for the industry. For example, I am now creating technical packs alongside my outfits, in order to demonstrate how each garment will be made. This process will aid my knowledge of construction, as well as teaching me a crucial skill as a fashion designer.
What materials have you used and how did you source them?
My coat is made from sustainable denim. I sourced the denim from The Sustainable Angle: Future Fabrics Expo. Whilst at Future Fabrics I secured a sponsor from Blu Projects, a company who link luxury brands with sustainable denim mills. Blu Projects kindly sponsored this outfit, donating the fabric for this coat. The fabric is made from 60.9% organic cotton and 39.1% linen. The gives the fabric a beautiful drape, as well as being lightweight and airy, making it suitable for spring/summer. The denim is Fairtrade, does not use toxic chemicals, and uses less water than usual indigo dyeing techniques.
My cape is made from sustainable denim from the Organic Textile Company, a UK mill based in Wales. I also sourced this mill from The Sustainable Angle. The denim is made from 100% organic cotton, uses a reduced amount of energy and water, and treats its workers ethically. This fabric is also end-of-roll, and therefore is not in one singular length. This fabric would have been discarded as it was in small pieces, however, I am able to make use of it as the cape is made of many small panels.
My dungarees are made from 100% organic cotton. I sourced them locally to my hometown in the sustainable section of a fabric shop. Each of my print designs will be printed on 100% organic cotton, ranging from cotton poplin to canvass and drill, which are also all certified Fairtrade. The printing process does not use any water, as it uses heat transfer, and therefore no water is polluted due to waste dyes. I have chosen denim because it is durable, timeless and gains value with age. I have designed each of the pieces in my collection to be classic, functional and aesthetically pleasing so that they age gracefully and have a long lifespan.
How has it evolved from your initial ideas and what have you learnt along the way?
My initial ideas focussed heavily on the landscape and pollution of the British coastline. This research was helpful for colour and texture and gave me a strong focus on sustainability. However, it did not provide enough inspiration for garments and fabrics, as I had not yet focussed the imagery on people and clothing. I turned a corner once I started researching the people who both live in and visit seaside towns. This provided an inspiring contrast between the gritty denim workwear of local fishermen, with the eccentric and quirky dress of holidaymakers.
This research also brought more character and life to my collection, helping me to style my garments with unconventional and kitsch accessories, such as socks and sandals, oversized sunglasses and silk scarves wrapped around model’s heads. I have used digital print for the first time in my final collection. It was a great opportunity to learn how to make successful repeat patterns using Photoshop and Illustrator. My first print designs were using digital images and photographs.
Although they were successful, they did not have the hand-printed feel I have always loved from traditional printing techniques. Therefore, I decided to mix together hand printing and digital print to create a final outcome which felt both luxury and wearable. A pivotal point in my collection was when I decided to concentrate specifically on denim. I have always been a details-driven designer, finding beauty in exquisite stitching, interesting pockets, and flattering silhouettes.
Denim allows me to showcase these interests through contrast topstitching, creating new ideas for denim pockets and functional details, and combining soft feminine silhouettes with a tough fabric, typically used for boxy shaped workwear. This was also my greatest learning curve, as working with denim requires specific technical knowledge and understanding, which I had to pick up quickly throughout the course of this year.
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?
Sustainability has been at the forefront of my collection, from the initial concept, fabric sourcing, through to conscious design. I would like people to take from my collection, that to make a positive impact on the natural world, sustainability needs to be considered in every part of our lives. My idea of sustainability is far-reaching, in terms of sustaining local communities, protecting the natural world, and people who are involved in every step of the production of clothing, from the cotton farmers to the machinists. To sustain local communities, my concept looks to celebrate seaside towns in Britain, which are often among the poorest areas in the country and suffer from the seasonality of their income.
They also struggle with a huge amount of waste washing up on their beaches, and I hope to help clean up these beaches, by weaving off-cut fabric through fishing nets and making them into bags to accompany my collection. To support the natural world, I have researched potential solutions to fashion sustainability problems in my dissertation. One of these solutions is designing for emotional durability to improve product longevity. This research has directly impacted the way in which I have designed my collection.
Making sure each piece is designed to last, authentic, and feels like a ‘special’ piece that the owner would cherish. I have made sure that the materials in my collection are organic, free of harsh chemicals and use reduced water and energy in their production. I have also ensured that the workers involved in the production of my fabrics are treated fairly. I have done this by sourcing my fabrics from The Sustainable Angle: Future Fabrics Expo, an organisation which only promotes fabric mills which treat their workers safely and fairly, as well as ensuring the material itself stands up to sustainable accreditation.
What’s an aspect of the fashion industry that you’re passionate about fixing or having a positive impact on?
Whilst attending a conference on sustainability, held by the British Fashion Council, I learned about the harsh reality for many garment workers making our clothes. For me the most important problem within the fashion industry is the exploitation of garment workers across the globe. I believe that before working to improve any other sustainability issue, the workers making the clothing must have their safety ensured and be treated fairly. Fashion Revolution, established after the Rana Plaza disaster, has achieved some fantastic work, imploring consumers to ask #whomademyclothes and I hope that if more consumers were to put pressure on brands, the companies would have to be more transparent and accountable.
I have written two pieces of journalism which are linked to my dissertation and final collection. One of them explores the conditions of factories in Leicester, used by fast fashion brands such as Boohoo. This piece of journalism is entitled “The Human Cost of £3 Dresses: Uncovering the ‘Dark Factories’ hidden behind ‘Gram-Worthy-Glam’.” I investigate the feasibility of £3 dresses and implore the reader to begin to ask questions about the ethical treatment of garment workers exploited in these ‘Dark Factories’ in Leicester.
My second piece of journalism explores how brands can be genuinely sustainable, rather than being called out for greenwashing. This is usually the result of a sustainability PR campaign, tarnished by the brand being exposed for a breach of human rights. I explore Fashion Revolution’s transparency index, concluding that the first step towards sustainability is for brands to educate themselves and their consumers on their entire supply chain. As an individual, I hope to have an impact on the fashion industry firstly by ensuring that I know where the garments I have designed are being made, and secondly that the factories that I use are audited and treat their workers ethically.
What is your plan once you finish your BA?
I am excited to start working once I finish BA. My dream job would be working for a sustainable brand as a womenswear designer. I am really looking forward to putting my 3 years of training into practice within the fashion industry. I have previous industry experience at Ralph Lauren, where I worked as both an apparel and concept designer for purple label. I really enjoyed working for a luxury brand and I would like to continue working for luxury, as I enjoy the attention to detail, and creating ‘special’ garments. I found concept design very interesting, as I love generating ideas for new collections. I also enjoyed the apparel design side as I could focus on the intricacies of the design, as well as considering fabrics and colour.
It was a fantastic opportunity to work in New York, and I would love to work abroad again in the future. It is interesting seeing different countries approach to design and to become familiar with another culture. I would also be really interested in working as a denim designer. I have accumulated a lot of technical knowledge in denim over the course of my final year, especially due to the ISKO Sustainable Denim training programme. Therefore, I would love to put this specialist knowledge into practice. Fashion journalism is another significant interest and possible career path. I have particularly enjoyed writing journalism on sustainable fashion problems, and there are several sustainable fashion lifestyle magazines that I would be interested to write for.
Once I have gained industry experience and contacts, I would love to set up my own brand. This could be a great opportunity to start a brand with sustainability weaved throughout its foundations. It would also be a privilege to have control over the whole design aesthetic and to put work into the world with my name on the label.