My graduate collection ‘Don’t Get Your Knickers in a Twist’ is a womenswear collection for Spring Summer 2024/2025. The collection draws inspiration from the often overlooked yet powerful experience of menstruation. Delving into the realms of taboo and patriarchal attitudes, I aimed to challenge societal norms by celebrating the female body during this natural process. Exploring both the negative perceptions and emotional intricacies of menstruation, my collection research delved into how different cultures and religions handle this phenomenon, as well as the physical and emotional toll it takes on the body. My design process revolved around the creation of shapes through unconventional means. Utilising stand work along with drafting flat patterns, I sculpted forms inspired by the comfort and protection of a duvet, symbolising the need for solace and support during menstruation. These shapes, simultaneously embracing and overflowing, mirror the experience of vulnerability and physical discomfort. In a departure from traditional colour palettes associated with menstruation, I chose hues of khaki green, cerise red, and pale pink. The use of a green silk dupion symbolises illness, while the red silk taffeta embodies the intensity of emotions and hormonal fluctuations surrounding menstruation. Embellishments such as hanging red beads serve as a subtle nod to the leaking and dripping of blood, time to change your mooncup! However, I sought to maintain an elegant aesthetic, steering clear of gore to align with the overarching narrative of celebrating menstruation.
