DESIGNER BIO:
Isabella is inspired by her passion for gender issues and aims to critique gender construction through her design. She has always been interested in the relationship between the psyche, the body and the clothes. Her designs aim to empower the wearer with feelings of strength, confidence and body positivity. With a visual style that emphasises colour and use of print to create bold maximalist designs that stand out. Sustainability is also an important factor for Isabella, who recognises the environmental impact of the fashion industry and the need for change. Therefore, an important aspect of her design is the use of recycled items, sourced through donations and thrift shops, to create new textures and garments thus contributing to a circular fashion industry. Isabella aims to create bespoke womenswear that pushes boundaries visually and conceptually.
DESIGNER STATEMENT:
‘Grrrls’ tells the story of the intersection between punk and feminism and the perception of women in society. It is inspired by the Riot Grrrl movement, a feminist punk rock movement spearheaded by groups such as Bikini Kill, Hole, Bratmobile and Babes in Toyland. Forming a key part of Third Wave Feminism in the 1990s, Riot Grrrl bands used punk music and fashion to express their anger over gender inequality and feminine stereotypes. Riot Grrrls often aimed to undermine traditional feminine stereotypes through fashion by taking stereotypically feminine colours and silhouettes and distorting them through a punk lens. This collection aims to capture that spirit and the merge of punk and feminism through a series of punk inspired wedding dresses. The idea of a transposing the traditional feminine symbol of the wedding dress takes inspiration from the ideologies of Riot Grrrl fashion. Other symbols of feminine oppression are examined and deconstructed such as the corset, lingerie and the virtue of the colour white.
