concept on a plate

Following an inspirational talk last night at cube london with Nick Williams ("turning passion into profit"), I got to thinking about many things, both post graduation and what I'm doing now. I started this blog as a creative outlet but also as a means of introducing people to my work and design process. I've been unsure of what to post as in the past people have copied my designs and ideas which I obviously didn't want to happen for my first real own collection. However I've decided there isn't enough of my own stuff or thoughts on here at the moment and it's something I'm going to address. So I feel it's important for me to summarise what my current collection and design ideas are about, and maybe..show some of my work!

Basically, the concept behind my collection is to explore a potential direction for the future of luxury footwear. For me this encompasses utilising technology to enhance development of a considered product, and one which is truly innovative in every sense. By innovative I mean "designing" and considering all aspects of the product; from aesthetics to raw material, to life-cycle (during and post-consumer), and supply chain, as essentially we design these when we choose materials, factory for manufacture and so on. Having started to learn about the product development process and the consequences of human consumption on a wider basis (recommended first reading "cradle to cradle") I feel we absolutely have to change te way products are developed, and that there is a huge void in the luxury fashion arena for more considered products. It's my vision for this to go hand in hand with an avant-guarde aesthetic as first and foremost people want an attractive product.

So essentially my brand vision and design ethos is one of "total innovation", encompassing:

• The use of technologies to confront and enhance design, challenging traditional shoe-making methods and allowing development of beautiful new products.
• Consideration of sustainability: responsible material sourcing, intelligent product design relating to life cycle of materials before and after consumption, ethical manufacture and a considered approach to product development and brand management on a whole which is responsible, e.g local manufacture, organic dust-bags/packaging etc.
• New approach to Leather: I will only be using Soil Association certified Organic Leather from Natureally (currently the only tannery of its kind) which traces the tanning of leather back to the individual animal and can ensure the animal has been treated to the highest standards throughout life and death, as well as ensuring no chrome chemicals are used in the tanning process. (See previous post leather vs. luxury) Replacing exotics in my collection, which people expect at a luxury level i will use fish skin from Atlantic leather who aren't certified but vet their supply chain closely and have an environmentally considered approach to tanning, e.g. using geothermal energy.