Kacie Bardwell's victory in the GFW24 University of Central Lancashire catwalk show highlights her exceptional talent and creativity in the fashion industry, showcasing her designs and making a significant mark in this competitive event.
What is the most valuable thing you have learnt at university?
I would say it was the ability to research a particular topic or trend in great detail. The tools and websites provided made it easy to access relevant information, which is a skill I will take forward in any role I have in the future. Also, with the help of amazing technicians at the university, I have been able to develop my manufacturing skills massively. I have learnt to pay attention to detail to create quality garments, which helped me create my final collection.
What was the starting point of inspiration for your final project?
I took inspiration from my dad鈥檚 youth as a mod and took influence from my own interest in streetwear to create my final collection. I looked into photos of my dad and his friends to start designing my final collection and added elements of current streetwear silhouettes and techniques to morph the two styles together into a cohesive 11-piece collection.
What form did your project take?
I created 11 garments and accessories for my final collection. This included shirts, jackets, and a bag.
What materials have you used, and how did you source them?
I used sustainably sourced materials throughout my collection. All fabrics and trims used were deadstock. Also, I naturally dyed the majority of my fabrics to be sustainable and to create a faded 鈥榟and me down鈥� look to the garments, which highlighted the generational influence of fashion in my concept. I had a surplus of buttons donated to me from a relative, which I used within my collection. I used high-quality fabrics throughout. I upcycled a large collection of second-hand ties from either charity shops or relatives in my collection.
How has it evolved from your initial ideas, and what have you learnt along the way?
From my initial research into mods, I wanted to create a modern twist for the next generation of mods to access. I learnt a series of skills, from shirt making to silhouette manipulation in pattern making. I initially had a range of just oversized garments as a line-up, which I developed along the way to have a variety of silhouettes and lengths to create that streetwear element to the mod collection. I developed colour palettes and fabric choices along the way due to the nature of natural dyeing, creating different tones, and sourcing only deadstock materials.
What are the messages and themes behind your project that you want people to take away?
I want people to take away that clothes can be passed down through generations, such as buying secondhand in order to help the environment. This was also highlighted by using natural dyes and deadstock fabrics to avoid such a negative impact on the environment whilst creating a good-quality collection.
What鈥檚 an aspect of the fashion industry that you鈥檙e passionate about fixing or having a positive impact on?
I would like to encourage those in the fashion industry to think more about their impact on the environment and send less to landfills, as well as create garments that are kind to the planet.
What are you planning to do following your BA?
I am looking to secure a role in streetwear or visual merchandise.
Stay updated with Kacie on .