NEW AGE

During the time of this collection, I was starting a new semester of school coming right after the start of a new year leaving behind a tumultuous, chaotic semester and roommate relationship. This collection, titled New Age, is about protection, healing, forgiveness, and spirituality.
Over the winter break, my best friend had given me an evil eye bracelet to bring me comfort into the new school semester. I always loved the belief of protection behind evil eyes spread across many cultures(Pro tip; make sure that whoever is buying the evil eye for you, including yourself, truly loves you or else the protection does not work). The thought of extra sets of eyes looking out for you when you cannot see gives intensified confidence and security. Evil eyes are referenced in the central pattern and in the blue and white color schemes throughout the collection.
Protection is represented in many ways throughout this collection. Protection is first represented closest to the body; it is the thick skin that is calloused. This is shown through patchwork lace bodysuits. I loved the idea of lace tight on the skin acting as a second skin. Rebuilding oneself starts inside out. The lace is also appropriate because of the holes that account for its construction. People may wound and degrade your “skin”, but we grow, thus, those wounds are made into beautiful designs. Protection can then be seen in the sweater knits that shield the body with comfort and shelter from the cold of the world. All the way up to the armor-like puffer quilted coats that pad the body and shield against extreme conditions.
When I got back to school, another friend of mine who also knew of my past semester woes introduced me to crystals. I had never entirely thought about crystals other than in their beauty. When you really think about crystals and how they are formed from the earth, it is quite remarkable and otherworldly. Crystals seemed like a good resource in that way. She recommended black kyanite to me as it has been used for its protection against negative energy and healing properties. Crystals are heavily referenced throughout the collection by way of the color scheme which I showed using subdued, darker jewel tones.
The last theme for this collection was simply forgiveness and moving on. For this theme, I decided to use one of the most universal themes of peace, a white dove. In this way, the collection creates a color transition from the darker shades of the crystals and darker blues and moves through the stronger showings of blue into white and lighter tones.
This collection was immeasurably significant as it directly documented my life.