"I HATE MY COLLECTION": Saint Martins unveiled

Me: Tell me about your collection
Sorcha: my collection is based on the film “the eternal sunshine of the spotless mind”. Focusing on the films representation of memories, I have played with scale in my silhouette, reflecting the distortion of scale in memories. I have also been inspired by the day of the dead festival, the celebration of death and remembrance have heavily influenced my collection.   “How happy is the blameless Vestal’s lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot.
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!
Each pray’r accepted, and each wish resign’d.” —Eloisa to Abelard, Alexander pope

I looked a lot also at the work of artist Beverly Semmes and chiharu shiota both arts make giant dresses as a medium of art, memory and identity were also recurring themes in both artists work.

I wasn’t dead sure exactly what I wanted to do but I had a vision of long legged awkward over sized people and garments

Me : Lots of CSM students these day are trying to make something very clean and wearable.Why did you choose more theatrical path ?

Sorcha:  I went with my gut and made garments that I believed in and that are 100 % me even though I knew it was not the trend to create such teathrical things

Me: Well done though, you are getting so much press/blogs etc because of that! But   how long did it take you to make it ? Did you do it on your own ?

Sorcha: We only had eight weeks to actually make our collection, I used Crochet, embroidery/beading, hand knit, machine knit and for my accessories I dipped crochet in a porcelain slip and fired it, Towards the final deadline I was running out of time so for the last week all my amazing friends came and helped without them I would not have been able to make it as embellished as I wished. they were above and beyond AMAZING!

Me : how was your final year experience?

Sorcha: My final year was blood sweat and tears I put my whole self in it and sacrificed a lot throughout the year to put in my all, although it was very very stressful I really enjoyed it, It was so nice to create something from start to finish which was your vision,  was a constant roller coaster I felt constant pressure but that was mostly from myself, and constant self doubt, I think I did the best I could for the time I had but I think as a designer you will always have doubts

Me : did you have any  disagreements with yr tutors?

Sorcha: Luckily not,but people have different visions so there were a few minor but I think that is normal and necessary! 

Me: How do you feel about CSM moving to Kings Cross ?

Sorcha: I have loved every minute at csm, for me the building is like a home, but it is all I have ever known and all I will ever be able to relate to in a physical sense but for the next generation at kings cross that will be all they know and will hopefully create its own history

Me : what is the secret of Saint Martins ?

Sorcha: I think the secret of saint martins is the freedom to create, there are no restrictions only your imagination it doesn’t try and force any kind of uniform to its students and there work, but to embrace what they are

Gerald Scarfe BBC documentary

Gerald Scarfe Illustrations : “Fashion Designers” , ” Fashion writers”