Profile: Molly Wade – Only Natural Design Competitions

Molly Wade

London College of Fashion

Fashion Design MFA

I am a Manx designer exploring the friction that is created through conflicting cultures and their influence on identity. My practice is underpinned by research focused on establishing traceable supply chains, with a specific emphasis on animal-derived materials like wool and leather. My Graduate Collection, 'Skin Story,' follows my journey in revitalising cattle hides from regenerative farming, and attempting to restore profitability through couture craftsmanship, using experiences to convey this message through a narrative lens. I questioned the ethics of using leather without knowing its origin or the animal’s welfare, and the possibility of tracing the hide back to the farm, which led me to discover the huge imbalance of the materials in its raw state as a by product of the food industry, compared to its retail value as a luxury product. This prompted a reevaluation of the transformation of sentient beings into commodity-driven products, consequently dismantling of my own definition of luxury and the criteria for being deserving of this label. Accepting that natural materials such as hides should have no ‘industry standard’ finish, I embraced the imperfections of leather and challenged the skewed notion of 'industry standard' by maintaining a connection to the material's history. Blending traditional and contemporary craft techniques, this collection is a direct response to my own experience of establishing a welfare centred production chain, allowing me to present a narrative that fostering a greater empathy and a realignment of our values. As a Manx Designer, I continually push for the recognition of Celtic and Gaelic nations that play a vital part in Britain's history, as well as creative and cultural influence in the fashion industry. This year, I have been selected as the creative Artist to represent the Isle of Man at the renown Festival Interceltique de Lorient, the world famous Celtic festival that takes place in France and attracts 1,000,000 visitors annually. I currently work for Vivienne Westwood and create bespoke commissions for clients. A current project I am working on is creating wearable digital products from a design point of view, for a large tech company.

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‘Shenn vyrneen aym' (An old love of mine)

Category: Apparel

Competitions: Fashion

My design practice envisions a world where the the untapped potential of British agriculture becomes coveted treasure in the fashion industry. My Graduate Collection, 'Skin Story,' follows my journey in revitalising cattle hides from regenerative farming, and attempting to restore profitability through couture craftsmanship, using experiences to convey this message through a narrative lens. I questioned the ethics of using leather without knowing its origin or the animal’s welfare, and the possibility of tracing the hide back to the farm, which led me to discover the huge imbalance of the materials in its raw state as a by product of the food industry, compared to its retail value as a luxury product. This prompted a reevaluation of the transformation of sentient beings into commodity-driven products, consequently dismantling of my own definition of luxury and the criteria for being deserving of this label. Accepting that natural materials such as hides should have no ‘industry standard’ finish, I embraced the imperfections of leather and challenged the skewed notion of 'industry standard' by maintaining a connection to the material's history. Blending traditional and contemporary craft techniques, this collection is a direct response to my own experience of establishing a welfare centred production chain, allowing me to present a narrative that fostering a greater empathy and a realignment of our values. Inspired by the durability of leather goods and their unique properties allowing them to increase in emotional and material value as they age, my silhouettes and archetypes are heavily influenced from motorcycle leathers. Although driven by purpose, they are a perfect blend of function and craftsmanship, intuitively following the form, enabled by traditional leather construction. I harness the idea of protection through craftsmanship in my design, and honour the history through my technical finishing and silhouette.