The Liquidators

‘The liquidators, AW25’ is a collection inspired by the courageous and heroic ‘liquidators’ –plant employees, soldiers, miners and firemen from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, and other parts of the former Soviet Union– who were conscripted into the Chernobyl area to help reduce the consequences of the Chernobyl explosion. The 1986 nuclear disaster was the product of a flawed Soviet reactor design, as well as inadequately trained personnel. During the design process, Abigail Etherton paid close attention to the attire worn by the liquidators during the clean-up, drawing inspiration from Igor Kostin's photography of the incident. Kostin’s photography helped Abigail thoughtfully curate a colour palette, picking out tones of khaki green, black and yellow. Nine fabrics were incorporated into the collection. Among them, black faux leather was chosen to represent the self-made lead aprons worn by the liquidators, while yellow waterproof/UV resistant canvas resembled the bright hazard signs prevalent in the area surrounding the nuclear reactor. Additionally, khaki green water-resistant canvas was selected, inspired by the uniforms worn by the liquidators. Abigail’s vision for a textural collection was realised through the thoughtful selection of fabrics and hardware, resulting in a cohesive collection where aesthetic and functionality have both been considered.