About Me
Hi! I'm Gemma a Fashion Design graduate at Cardiff Met University
I’m Gemma Thorne, a creative designer that is not afraid to explore and analyse what fashion means to people. I create clothing that shows people what fashion can be in a sustainable way. I had discovered the craft of naturally dyeing materials and like the unique way in which every time you do the process the outcome is different.
Throughout my three years at university I have always sourced materials from charity shops, end of roll fabric and upcycling old clothes. I admire the way you can give discarded materials a whole new life while helping reduce textile waste.
INSPIRATION
'Wabi-Sabi" is the Japanese way of living that allows people to find a purpose in life
I have a love for crafts within fashion and I enjoy creating something new and exciting. My graduate collection “Finding your Purpose'' is a reflection on me finding who I am as a designer and the impact I want to make on society and the environment. It shows me finding tranquillity in life through the exploration of Japanese culture.
I want to build a strong relationship with my consumers and inform them of how my garments are impacting the environment. The aim is to educate and change the narrative of people's need for high quantities of clothing and allow people to understand sustainability, quality and longevity are more meaningful.
MY WORK
PORTFOLIOS
COLLECTION OVERVEIW
INSPIRATION
INITIAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
DYEING PROCESS
LOOK ONE DEVELOMENT
LOOK 2 DEVELOPMENT
LOOK THREE DEVELOPMENT
LOOK THREE DEVELOPMENT
LINE UP
RANGE PLAN
TECHNICAL FLAT DRAWINGS
TECH PACK
LOOK 1 PHOTOSHOOT
LOOK 2 PHOTOSHOOT
LOOK 3 PHOTOSHOOT
DETAIL
NATURA DYEING, PRINTING, SMOCKING AND ZERO WASTE ARE INCORPORATED INTO MY COLLECTION
I have explored origami, the art of paper folding, to inform my silhouettes. Origami has a transformation from 2D to 3D form and I have incorporated this into my designs. This has been achieved by fabric being folded in certain ways to create striking silhouettes. I have also used square shapes sewn together and manipulated to represent the transformation of paper in origami.The Japanese lifestyle, called Wabi-Sabi, is a slow paced life where they focus on nurturing relationships, having minimal objects and celebrating aged furniture. This is translated into my garments through zero waste pattern cutting and upcycling old curtains and bedsheets. To further explore the true beauty of discarded materials I have used dyes from natural sources including red cabbage, turmeric and berry tea and traditional Shibori resist dyeing techniques. I have also explored the idea of celebrating imperfections by having frayed edges on my materials and making them visible. Tea ceremonies are an important part of Japanese c
“As consumers, we have so much power to change the world by just being careful in what we buy.”-Emma Watson
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