Let Us Eat Cake

This project is centred around cake and dining, a subject which across many cultures is a cause for joy and celebration. Cake brings people together and is the centrepiece to memorable experiences. It offers an appreciation of life, diversity and people. The visual extravagance, colour and artistic nature of cake decoration demonstrates the energy and joy it - physically and emotionally - brings to the table. Moreover, the concept examines how emotional associations with cake-making and dining can be linked to the significance of clothing in a person’s life. Through spontaneity or delicacy, the creative expression that goes into cake making can be reflected in the way one dresses themselves. Using the metaphor of cakes and picnics - a social and nostalgic subject for many, my work advocates for the emotional placement a garment must have in a wearer’s life to incentivise its upkeep and longevity. Constructing garments with whole knitted panels and pattern-cutting techniques inspired by the way cakes are wrapped, the collection ensures minimal wastage throughout manufacture. Many garments take direct influence from a picnic blanket, where construction is entirely zero-waste and the aesthetic is instead dominated by its bold, tactile materiality. I believe adorning the body with intricately designed textiles allows garments to fulfil a longer lifespan. By designing more fluid, adaptable silhouettes, garments can support a wearer through changes in their lifestyle, whilst also offering potential for the textile's future regeneration. Alongside this, enticing tactile and aesthetic qualities in a garment are integral factors in creating a bond with the wearer, urging its upkeep and physical durability. These values are particularly vital in contributing to positive changes in the fashion industry's environmental footprint.