Ta茂ma Castor from Northumbria University has been recognised for her innovative contributions in the field of design by being shortlisted for the GFW24 Culture & Heritage Award. This acknowledgement highlights her dedication to integrating cultural and historical elements into contemporary design practices.
What is the most valuable thing you have learnt at university?
My course taught me the importance of research, primary and secondary. As the starting point of most projects, it holds a significant part in the impact and meaning of the collections. I was pushed to always go further into my research, to analyse even the most seemingly insignificant aspects, as they usually hold some of the most interesting ideas. Books, museums, articles, shows, and human interactions carry the information needed, and the only way to gain access is to actively search for it.
What was the starting point of inspiration for your final project?
A desire to reconnect with my country. After leaving Guiana to study in the UK, I found myself not only missing it but realising how much I wanted to learn more about its history and cultural aspects, as it is never mentioned in the French educational system. I decided during the 2023 summer break I spent in Guiana to meet with inhabitants from the three main ethnic groups (Am茅rindiens, Bushineng茅, and Cr茅oles) and directly learn from them about traditions. I would like to share my thanks with every person I encountered, especially Mrs. Ossalina Dikang, Mr. Bruno Apouyou, Mrs. Jessica Narcisse, Mr. Eddy Payet, Mrs. C茅linie Bourdon, the "Mus茅e des Cultures Guyanaises," and the Libi Na Wan organisation.
What form did your project take?
My project had the aim of producing a collection comprised of three fully realised looks (garments, accessories, and shoes) along with a physical and digital portfolio.
What materials have you used, and how did you source them?
I used materials from a bit of everywhere. The 100% pure boiled wool fabric for my coat was purchased from a UK fabric company, yet the tweed from another look came from a dead-stock warehouse in Paris I bought in 2022. Moreover, the decorative buttons, earrings, anklets, and purses from both looks are Guianese handmade from byproducts.
Indeed, I collected in 2023 seeds from a well-used local fruit named Maripa and Comou and asked a local artisan to drill holes, transforming them into fastenings or accessory materials. The bag was made by a Palikur Native American, Mrs. Batista Vera.
The crinkled satin in the sleeves' facings are scraps from my placement in London. The intricate embroidered motifs are transparent laser-cut acrylics.
One of my dresses was made from a 2-way net and 4-way stretch power mesh, the former from London and the latter from Newcastle. The embroidered Mara Mara seeds were a gift from Native Americans from the Kamuyeneh village in Macouria.
How has it evolved from your initial ideas, and what have you learnt along the way?
Most fabric choices evolved along the development process. Those modifications were often due to the original fabrics's properties, which became restrictive, especially in relation to the final designs. I learnt to take much sooner into account the fabrics viability for a design by creating half toiles with similar weight and texture early on in the creation process.
What are the messages and themes behind your project that you want people to take away?
I want people to discover the fascinating country that Guiana is through its incredible population and not from the eyes of our past and current oppressors with their prejudiced mindset. This project is about displaying the resilience we, the Guianese, maintain despite the neocolonial practices of the French Government. I want minorities to be able to relate to my people's story and not be afraid to embrace their traditions and their country's history. My collection "Hidden Beauty" means: Our cultures will not be erased, we will not be wiped out, we will continue to fight, standing proud and dignified.
What鈥檚 an aspect of the fashion industry that you鈥檙e passionate about fixing or having a positive impact on?
Most aspects of the fashion industry should be improved. From the creation process, such as the fibre choice, the distances between every factory required for a garment's production, its quality, to the aftercare from its user. However, the aspect I would aim to improve the most is the working conditions of factory workers. For many years, their already deplorable working environment has worsened and their salary has decreased. They are human beings and should be treated as such.
What are you planning to do following your BA?
Find a job in a brand's atelier to develop and learn new skills. I want to be surrounded by professionals and interact with them to gain experience, competence, and knowledge.
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