Meet Abigail Buckland, Birmingham City University Catwalk Show Highly Commended at GFW22. Abigail studied Fashion Design at Birmingham City University.
How do you feel about winning a GFW22 award?
I was very honoured to win the highly commended award, it was a fantastic way to end my time at University. Amongst such an impressive cohort I was proud that my work shone through.
What was the inspiration starting point for your award-winning FMP?
I was inspired by the final debutante season of 1958. Where girls as young as 17 were introduced to high society in the hopes of securing a marriage proposal by the end of the year. Attending balls dressed in virginal white gowns and spectating hunting events (though the female teenagers were more like the metaphorical prey).
What skills did you learn and develop during the production of your FMP?
The largest development was textiles, whilst already knew how to knit my skills in cabling increased dramatically. I also used the typical tufting process of punch needling in an abstract way by showing the "wrong side" to mimic knit patterns on fabric. Overall, the slow process of the craft took hundreds of hours to complete.
What were some challenges that you faced in producing your FMP and how did you overcome these?
Pattern cutting is an important aspect of my collection, merging women tailoring and wooden knits to form new silhouettes. The intricate panelling and layering of collars was a challenge but with the help of my tutors and many failed toiles I succeeded in my vision.
Are there any messages or major themes in your FMP that you want people to take away? If so, how did you choose to communicate with them?
The idea of slow fashion is a key message in the collection, every piece has processes and craft that require a lot of time and effort to create. Rather than quick turnover garments, I chose to make wearable art that will last a lifetime. The importance of expert craft processes not being forgotten to mechanised alternatives is a major theme.
What is an aspect of the fashion industry that you want to help improve or have a positive impact on?
It was important to me to use natural fibres for my project, all the knitted pieces are made using high quality merino wool. Whilst the cost was higher, the alternative option of using acrylic is deeply harmful to the climate. Due its production waste and the continuous shedding of plastic fibres into the oceans. Using high quality, sustainable materials is very important to me as a designer.
What form does your FMP take? Is it a collection of clothing, book, presentation, etc? If relevant, how did you source the materials for the project?
A fashion collection of 4 conceptual looks.
What are your plans for the near future (further study/ internship/ work?) now that you've finished your BA?
I have a job role as a junior designer at Superdry starting in September. Which is a fantastic entry point for my career in the industry.
