About Me
Hi, I'm Mellonia Gray from University of Northampton.
My name is Mellonia Gray I am a Fashion Design student, a mother and a wife. My passion for fashion is inspired by art, nature, and architecture. I love avant-garde fashion and sculpture, and I enjoy exploring silhouettes using both conventional and unconventional materials to create sculptural pieces that are wearable and suited for exhibitions.
I love pushing the boundaries of shape and materials. In my final creative collection, I've pushed the limits of silk organza by using it as a base to support heavier materials like leather. My work challenges fashion norms with daring shapes and innovative combinations. I aim to start my own brand soon, continuing to explore the limits of fashion while telling meaningful stories and being a voice for the voiceless.
INSPIRATION
I AM A PLANKTON
I AM A PLANKTON" is a personal project inspired by my life experiences. While studying fashion at the University of Northampton, I became pregnant with my fifth child. Balancing motherhood, marriage, and studies was extremely difficult. This struggle led me to appreciate the immense efforts mothers and wives put into sustaining their families. Coming from an African background, where being only a mother or wife without a career is often seen as a failure, I wanted to honour these undervalued roles.
I have drawn inspiration from planktons, which are essential yet overlooked in their ecosystems, much like mothers in my society. Planktons sustain the marine ecosystem and are major the sources of oxygen, paralleling how mothers sustain families. My project, inspired by the intricate beauty of Radiolarians and Foraminifera shells, aims to create a fashion collection that celebrates the often unseen labour and beauty in both human lives and nature, giving these unsung heroes the respect they deserve.
MY WORK
PORTFOLIOS
THE BRAND
BRAND INSPIRATION
BRAND'S VISION
MY STORY
CONCEPT RESEARCH
CONCEPT RESEARCH
MUSE
SILHOUETTE EXPLORATION
SILHOUETTE EXPLORATION
SILHOUETTE EXPLORATION
LOOK 1 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
LOOK 1 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
LOOK 2 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
LOOK 2 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
LOOK 3 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
LOOK 3 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
LOOK 4 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
LOOK 4 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
FINAL CREATIVE COLLECTION
DETAIL
"I AM A PLANKTON" beautifies modern struggles faced by mothers and women.
"I AM A PLANKTON" beautifies the struggles of mothers and women through a sculptural, handcrafted collection that showcases their boldness and appreciates the often underappreciated efforts of mothers in raising families.I seek to empower women to pursue their dreams without fear. As a mother of five, I continued my studies and achieved more. I want to encourage women, especially those with existing responsibilities, to chase their dreams. You are the author of your life; the power to shape it is in your hands. You are strong, beautiful, and capable.
"I am a woman, mother, and wife. I embody the strength, resilience, boldness, and beauty required to nurture a family while being who I desire to be.
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