Wenona Pillai
Fashion Design BA Hons
Regent's University London
Graduates: 2024
Specialisms: Womenswear / Atelier - Pattern Cutting
My location: London, United Kingdom
Wenona Pillai
First Name: Wenona
Last Name: Pillai
University / College: Regent's University London
Course / Program: Fashion Design BA Hons
Graduates: 2024
Specialisms: Womenswear / Atelier - Pattern Cutting
My Location: London, United Kingdom
About
Wenona Pillai was born in Kuwait and moved to India for higher education where she studied visual arts, psychology and English. At school she entered art competitions where she experimented with mixed media, sculpture, photography and water colour. Through her creation of 6-foot-tall portraits, Wenona started moving towards using the body as her canvas. In 2021 she began her Fashion Design degree at Regent’s University London, where she found herself inspired by finding contemporary ways to reimagine classic fashion pieces. Wenona has a natural flair for garment construction, particularly in pattern cutting and draping, where she can combine precision with experimentation. She draws from traditional suiting material but uses deconstructive techniques to generate new forms and bring a modern edge to items. Inspired by art that involves collage and layering, she incorporates patchwork into her design methods. Drawing from old family photographs, Wenona cleverly weaves a tapestry of the past into contemporary garments, producing charming pieces that reflect her expert craftsmanship.
Nostalgic Threads is inspired by the designer’s childhood memories of her father’s suits, documented in photographs. This collection gives the sensation of ‘playing dress up’ in your parent’s clothes and transports you back to a time of playfulness and awe. Features such as large organza veils and detachable sleeves on a trench coat and blazer, whereby the wearer can mix and match the sleeves as they please, encapsulates this sense of play and ‘dress up’. Meanwhile, notions of power dressing also feature. Traditional tailoring is deconstructed to form new shapes around the body. Classic men’s shirts become skirts and dresses, whilst oversized black and white pinstripes adorn coats and jackets with large lapels. The collage layering work of photographer Pablo Thecuadro, provide key sources of inspiration to Wenona Pillai’s designs. This collection introduces a new form of power dressing, giving childhood memories a dynamic new adult energy.