Contact details:
Email: [email protected]
Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lydia-downton-37444a138/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lydialillid/
I am a final year fashion design graduate, specialising in womenswear. Throughout my degree, I developed a deeper understanding of the value of personal and timeless design. I would describe my time at Leeds as a creative and inspiring experience, working alongside a diverse mix of talented students. The challenges we have faced completing our final year has taught me it is important to maintain perspective in chaotic and uncertain times. I am excited by the sustainability movement happening across the industry and as a designer, I believe it is important to challenge these issues through creativity and innovation. My final collection takes a zero-waste approach which has explored methods of maximising materials to achieve minimal fabric waste.
During my year in industry, I spent time working within design teams at French Connection in London and Christian Wijnants in Antwerp, Belgium. I was lucky to gain an insight in to the creative design development process of two brands at different levels of the market. During my time interning for the Belgium designer Christian Wijnants, I assisted in daily studio operations and preparation for the Autumn/Winter 2019 and Resort 2020 collections. I also took on roles assisting the creative patternmakers on manual pattern construction as well as having the opportunity to undertake individual projects to develop ideas for the new collections. Working closely with the professional pattern makers was an enriching experience and a highlight of my internship. I took forward the skills and knowledge I gained during this period into my final year when developing ideas for my final collection. I enjoyed being part of the excitement of Paris Fashion week, assisting backstage for the show as well working in the showroom alongside the sales team. Whilst interning at Christian Wijnants I faced many new responsibilities and challenges which has allowed me to act on my initiative in new and unfamiliar environments.
My portfolio takes inspiration from an eclectic mix of stories. The weaving workshop, a collection for Acne Studios, explores the extensive textile work of some of the leading female students at the Bauhaus such as Gunta Stölzl, Anni Albers and Otti Berger. Through my research, Idiscovered that many women struggled to gain an equal acceptance to their male counterparts within the school. The rich heritage of these women is mirrored in the complex textures and structures of the textiles explored in this research. This collection celebrates these revolutionary works, through print, embroidery and fabric development in line with the considered, multidisciplinary approach at Acne Studios. Another design direction explores the photographic work of Gertrud Arndt. Arndt was a student of the Bauhaus, who initially studied on the weaving workshop, however pursued a career in photography. This project studies Arndt’s collection of ‘masked portraiture’ which explores themes of identity and expression developed into a collection of self-portraiture.
‘The Spectacular’ is a research journey that takes inspiration from the mythical paintings and tapestries of Peter Paul Rubens. The inspiration for this project was developed whilst spending time living in Antwerp during my internship, surrounded by the ornate, baroque architecture and essence of Rubens legacy.
‘Hand-me-down’ takes inspiration from clothing handed down in families through generations. The starting point of this research began when looking at old family photographs of my grandfather as a child wearing clothes which would have been previously worn by other generations in the family. The images of oversized shirts and knitted jumpers as well as dainty feminine blouses and smocked dresses contrast to create a hybrid collection of deconstructed shapes paired with a romantic fairy-tale aesthetic.
