Arts Thread

For my final collection, I explore the fantasy of gendered dress by fusing horror and sportswear to create a sci-fi-inspired, zombie-land of textiles for costume and fashion. I use machine knitting to play with ideas of masculine fashion, using exaggerated camp aesthetics of 1980s-90s horror films and sportswear. Drawing inspiration from FANGORIA magazine, I reflect horror SFX and costume textures through innovative 3D knitting techniques, using layered patterning and contrasting colours. I am fascinated by the transformative powers of textiles and create a colour shifting knit. My work is further influenced by the intersection of horror, drag, bodybuilding, and sportswear, pushing textile and garment construction through volume, padding, and cording. Working with both fine 12-gauge industrial and 7-gauge domestic knitting machines, I combine technical precision with a love for detailing and professional craftsmanship. Through extensive sampling and methodical colour experimentation, I create innovative, original knitted materials that aim to subvert tradition. My work incorporates fully fashioned knitting, shaping, trims, and creative pattern cutting to express my dialogue between textile and concept. Sustainability is key to my process; I incorporate second-hand materials wherever possible, prioritising natural fibres such as cotton and mohair and saving material waste for reuse. I aim to challenge conventions and design for fluidity, treating dress as a mutable, performative construct. My work ultimately seeks to subvert norms and celebrate textiles and knit as a medium of transformation, expression, and storytelling.