'Tread Softly' is based on the activity of dreaming being displayed on the body, more specifically, a dream in which I was involved in a car crash. Using white cotton and transparent PVC I wanted to represent the clouded atmosphere in my dreams. The gathers and movement in my garments indicate the movement of sleep in the bed while the PVC harnesses symbolize the protection from the crash as my physical body is separate from the threats of my dreams. When choosing a fabric for my collection it was important to me that it sounded and wrinkled the right way, as no slept in bed is ever perfect. I was inspired by an exhibition I had previously been to for the visually impaired which relied heavily on sound for a lot of pieces to be experienced, so when choosing fabric I would crumple it with my hands as I wanted something that had the sound of laying in freshly crisp sheets. Working with PVC is a technique I learned while interning in Berlin, I admire the materials strength and feel it best illustrates the element of control within the dream. It has elements of being protected but also trapped within the dream, it represents my conscious in the dream while my body is left behind in the bed.
