A Guide to Not Sleeping

Struggling to sleep at night is a difficult, routine phenomenon for myself and many other people, with a magnitude of reasonings to blame. Sleeplessness is a likewise infuriating as it is interesting topic, extremely relevant and relatable within the fashion industry and demanding modern society. As someone who has struggled with it for as long as I can remember, I was motivated to produce a collection that highlighted the discomfort and anxieties, taking this negatively connotated concept and displaying it into a playful body of work. ‘A Guide to Not Sleeping’ is a comedic response to self help books, where my focus is on accentuating the seemingly unfixable trials and tribulations instead of attempting to solve them. Visually implementing my concept induces a sense of randomness and thoughtful juxtapositions where I play around with details that are distorted or not how they initially seem. I humorously explore ideas of awkwardness, involving your pyjamas being twisted, sleep deprived hallucinations all the way to keys jangling as you anxiously think about if you locked your front door. I find particular joy in discovering unusual, unexpected pairings and combinations of colours and patterns for an exuberating depth and playfulness. As a menswear designer my values entail capturing an emotive narrative within playful, experimental ready to wear products. I strive to bring light to difficult, vulnerable feelings, turning them into a celebratory reflection that resonates with individuals on their own self growth path.