ELIZA ELKINS

My name is Eliza Elkins, and in 2020 I graduated from Kingston School of Art after studying Fashion (Menswear). I am enthusiastic about being as eco-friendly and sustainable as possible, and my ambition in life revolves around saving the planet’s resources. I am dedicated to reducing waste within the fashion industry, which is why my Collection is important in making a statement.

Fashion is forever changing, and my approach is something we all should be thinking about. Over the last century the fashion industry has become one of the largest causes of pollution. Returning to an era where clothes where sustainable and valued is my main aim. Historically, clothing was of better quality, and the life of a garment lasted a lot longer than the throwaway fashion of today. We should return to the idea of making well-made, longer-lasting clothes which are sustainable rather than cheap and disposable.

My Collection is based upon coal miners, and their old worn clothing as well as the environment that they work in. This idea came to me last year when we did a project based on our DNA. I chose this subject because I was interested in the worn, tactile fabrics they were wearing, but also how they aged over time. My Collection involves hand dying fabrics with natural ingredients such as walnut skins, coffee grounds and rust. My priority is to use organic and sustainable fabrics throughout my clothing, and I am also using re-usable kitchen roll sheets in order to maintain sustainability. I am inspired by second-hand source pieces, that I re-use and re-make. In most garments, I am re-cycling used bags, fabric and fastenings, turning them into something new. My design process is driven by my passion for drawing and collaging. I love to create collages of fabrics in order to design a fabrication that suits my work. I draw on top of the collages and re-size them in order to experiment with different scales before I chose a final design. This process requires a lot of development and research into durable and well-made clothing so that I emulate these clothes designing menswear that is functional, utilitarian and unique.

I am always thinking about the environment when it comes to my practical work and how I can reduce waste, and I would love to work for a company with similar values. I want to be part of the fashion industry that makes a difference with well-designed apparel that enhances rather than destroys the planet.