Meet Emily Warne, Nottingham Trent University Catwalk Show Highly Commended at GFW22. Emily studied Fashion Knitwear Design and Knitted Textiles at Nottingham Trent University.
How do you feel about winning a GFW22 award?
I’m very honoured, the amount of talent and creativity shown at the catwalk was immense. So I am so proud to be selected as the highly commended collection from NTU.
What was the inspiration starting point for your award-winning FMP?
The collection focuses on nostalgia, taking inspiration from photographs of my Grannies and objects that I associate with my Grannies, like quilts or ceramic ornaments. The collection’s look is akin to a child going into their granny’s attic and playing dress up.
What skills did you learn and develop during the production of your FMP?
Within this collection I wanted to fully explore the possibilities of knitwear, so I combined knitted structures with fabric manipulation and embellishment. Whilst also exploring a variety of gauges - utilising both finer machine knit techniques, and chunky hand techniques like crochet and hand-knit. I also focus on the home-made approach to craft – as if a garment had been made for a child by their granny, but then made adult size. For the construction across the majority of my collection, all of the seams are finished edges which are then linked together - resulting in a high quality finish that is consequently zero-waste. I have also incorporated a visible seam across many of the gathered pieces to emphasise the amount of fabric utilised, and the craft process employed to make them.
What were some challenges that you faced in producing your FMP and how did you overcome these?
Due to the nature of the techniques employed in my final collection, creating the garments was a lengthy process: with many of the garments requiring hand manufacture or hand finishing. Also by using rayon yarn in many of the garments generated challenges due to the slippery nature of the yarns, it wasn’t suitable for the overlocking machines so had to be linked off point-to-point on the linkers - a time consuming process.
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?
At the heart of my designs is my interest in craft, and the process of making. I care deeply about the quality and longevity of the pieces I make, I aim to create clothes that are cherished and kept beyond trends. Therefore, I want people to be reminded about the love and care that goes into making clothes, and encourage them to cherish their garments and the memories they hold.
What is an aspect of the fashion industry that you want to help improve or have a positive impact on?
Sustainability is so important, therefore I would like to continue to make high-quality and well-crafted garments. That have a minimal impact on the planet during production and are cherished and well loved - maybe becoming an item a granny has in their attic and can pass.
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?
My FMP takes the form of knitwear collection. Achieving UPW sponsorship enabled me to utilise sustainably sourced yarns within my collection, I also incorporating deadstock yarns which meant I was able to utilise a variety of yarn qualities within the collection.
What are your plans for the near future (further study/ internship/ work?) now that you've finished your BA?
Find a designer role that will support my creativity and love of craft as a knitwear designer.
