Profile: Brodie Anderson – Only Natural Design Competitions

Brodie Anderson

Nottingham Trent University

Following previous experience with functional and technical design at AFFXWRKS and Heliot Emil, I felt a shift in my design philosophy, with an urge to practice a more instinctual and exhaustive approach through an exploration of drape and surface texture. During my final year I have expressed an interest in unconventional natural materials, looking at bioplastics, plant fibres and mulberry bark to express organic sculptural forms. I demonstrate the juxtaposition of my methodical way of working with the untamed nature of these materials to create a body of work which stimulates a broadened awareness of construction and textile processes. My values and design responsibility demonstrated throughout my collection earned me 1st place in the GFW Considered Fashion Award and the opportunity to showcase on the London Graduate Fashion Week 2025 runway. Additional awards and achievements: -Paul Smith Menswear Competition 2025 Winner -Recipient of The Arts Society Nottingham bursary towards material costs in support of sustainability efforts. -2nd place in Creative Changemakers Awards 'Climate Justice Award' - 2nd place in Fashanne Awards 'Sustainability Award'

← →

Through The Blackened Wind

Category: Apparel

Competitions: Fashion Competition 2025

Titled ‘Through The Blackened Wind’, my womenswear collection serves as a visual, textural and artistic exploration of responsible design - raising awareness of the versatility of natural fibres and highlighting the diversity of colour that can be derived from organic matter. Emerging from themes of isolation and resilience, the collection draws from ‘The Weather Diaries’ series by photographers Cooper & Gorfer, which examines how the inescapable physicality of weather shapes creative expression among artists in West Nordic communities, amid the threats of climate change. The regions deeply ingrained environmental consciousness promotes resourcefulness as both a tool for self-sufficiency and cultural preservation in periods of adversity, which are principles that directly inform the sourcing and development of my collection. I make no compromises to plastic-based materials - the collection is constructed entirely from cellulose-based natural fibres, ensuring the garments are biodegradable, circular and gentle to skin. Each fabric is hand-dyed using locally foraged plants and food waste, which is underpinned by my moral responsibilities towards low-impact production and the elimination of synthetic chemicals. The juxtaposition of drape and structure is explored throughout design development, where silhouettes embody the contrast between resilience and vulnerability. Furthermore, the use of unconventional materials and processes form textural surfaces which reference rugged landscapes, reinforcing the ‘refined rawness’ of Nordic expression in response to environmental narratives.