Arts Thread

Ruth Naylor
Fashion Design BA (Hons)

De Montfort University

Graduates: 2023

Specialisms: Womenswear / Genderless / Fashion Technology

My location: Manchester, United Kingdom

ruth-naylor ArtsThread Profile
De Montfort University

Ruth Naylor

ruth-naylor ArtsThread Profile

First Name: Ruth

Last Name: Naylor

University / College: De Montfort University

Course / Program: Fashion Design BA (Hons)

Graduates: 2023

Specialisms: Womenswear / Genderless / Fashion Technology

My Location: Manchester, United Kingdom

About

I am a graduate of De Montfort University specialising in creative cutting to create non-traditional garments that are not restricted by the shape of the body. I enjoy mixing current and historical references while playing with exaggerated shapes and experimental silhouettes to create future-facing garments. Currently I am most interested in creating silhouettes that are completely abstract and do not conform to the body, yet finding a way to make them wearable as clothing. Conceptually, I like exploring ideas pertaining to our current life and potential future, such as biology, technology, and apocalypse.

Age of anxiety

I have always been interested in depictions of the future through different media, from the sci-fi and cyberpunk movies of the 80's and 90's, to the dystopian themes in more recent fiction. It is interesting to look back at how people in past eras imagined their future and to be able to see how the social and political climate of the period influenced their ideas. Through doing this I noticed similarities between modern day and the Cold War era - anxieties surrounding nuclear war, fear yet anticipation for new technologies, and an overwhelming focus on self-protection. For my graduate collection I decided to take inspiration from nuclear bunkers, combined with modern sci-fi aesthetics to create my own vision of future apparel - suited for a nuclear apocalypse.