About Me
Hi, I'm Leah, a fashion design graduate from Leeds Arts University.
Leah Dixon is a designer who loves to push her skills in pattern cutting to create abstract garments and sleek tailoring. Her designs are inspired by architecture and natural forms using traditional and digital pattern cutting techniques.
Whilst studying Leah has found a new appreciation for the area she grew up in. With the towns picturesque outdoors and creative community. Allowing her to create a collection that showcases all the skills and techniques she has learnt over the past few years.
INSPIRATION
Todmorden
The’ Todmordian’ collection is inspired by Leah’s upbringing in her hometown and the heritage of the local area. The main industries of Todmorden were historically cotton mills, coal mining, farming, and the railways. This created a proud working-class community that can be seen through its architecture and landmarks. The collection celebrates both the people who have made the town what it is, together with the prominent architecture and the natural forms across the valley.
Using a colour palette suggested by the local painting ‘A Chartist Meeting at Basin Stone, 1842’. Leah has used the natural tones from the grass, sky and rock formation partnered with the bold colours of the clothing worn by the subjects. Additionally, the fabrics selected are 100% cotton twills and canvas for the collection to celebrate the heritage of Todmorden.
MY WORK
PORTFOLIOS
Graduate Collection, Todmordian concept board.
Todmordian colour and fabric board.
Development of Todmordian toile de jouy pattern.
Development of rose pattern.
Design development of rose set.
Design development of Stoodly Pike suit.
Todmordian technical flat line up.
Todmordian illustrative line up.
Todmordian photoshoot.
Clothsurgeon, live brief, concept board.
Clothsurgeon, live brief, design development.
Clothsurgeon, live brief, design development.
Clothsurgeon, live brief, technical flat.
Clothsurgeon, live brief, illustrative line up.
Namesake collection, design development.
Namesake collection, design development.
Namesake collection, tech-flats, and illustrations
Menswear tailoring design development.
Tailoring tech-flats, lay-plans, finished garments
DETAIL
Screen printed hand made repeat patterns embellished with embroidery.
The collection is created using traditional craft techniques including screen printing and embroidery. The screen-printed positive for the toile de jouy pattern reflect the architecture and historical images from the town. These images are of the community working in the main industries that dominated the workforce. The other pattern is a floral repeat of a rose, signifying Todmorden’s boarder town identity with Lancashire and Yorkshire, that it still struggles with today. Sections of the garments were selected to embroider adding more layers and texture to the pieces. By using a circle foot to free hand embroider on the machine and using the more inaccurate method of printing, the results are organic and fit with the towns in the middle of nowhere image.
“No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home.”― L. Frank Baum
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