Meet Isabelle Pennington-Edmead, a fashion design student at Nottingham Trent University. Having first hand experience with the Windrush generation, that her grandparents are a part of, Isabelle’s explores the history of slavery in the UK and the experience of families like hers who were impacted by the Windrush scandal. Passionate about sustainability, Isabelle even incorporated old tablecloths and doilies into her collection. Read on to learn more about Isabelle’s work and plans for the future.
What is the most valuable thing you have learnt at university?
I learnt the negative effects of the fashion and textiles industry on the planet and the importance of knowing where your clothes come from and whether they will last. There are brands I would no longer shop from anymore that I shopped from prior to university because of their negative effects globally. It Taught me the importance of up-cycling and reusing rather than one use trends. I feel this is a valuable thing to have learnt because I try to apply it to all aspects of my life including food waste and cutting down on meat produce.
Tell us about your current projects and work, what have you been working on?
I am currently studying my masters at Manchester School of Art in textiles for fashion. As I was always interested in textiles techniques on my BA doing this masters has helped me to further my knowledge on textiles techniques learning screen printing, dying, knit, embroidery and digital printing. I have also furthered my pattern cutting skills learning Gerber programme. it has also given me the guidance to further professionalise my brand and how to apply for funding and work collaboratively with other artists and organisations like the British textile biennial. I am currently working on a project for the British textiles biennial on pitching a proposal to them.
My project is based on research I have done into the connection between the cotton famine in the UK and its links to the abolition of slavery in 1865. This project again is personal to me being mixed race, I am learning about the slave trade and cotton trade but also the textiles trade in the northwest of England where my mother is from and their connection to each other. A prominent thing happened in Lancashire during this period where the mill workers (though they relied on the cotton from the USA) rejected the confederate states and stood by the abolition of slavery. The final outcome will be a fashion collection, with exhibition and also workshops for fashion college students in the local area for their chance to have garments in the exhibition. It will be a social project.
What form does your project take?
My work is a collection of women’s wear clothing, I have shown it as multiple places in a catwalk environment, I think it works really powerfully with the accompanying music. I have also collaborated with photographers on shoots of the clothing.
How have you evolved as a young creative while studying / working?
I have evolved a lot since the beginning of my fashion education, I have learnt and gained a lot of skills; Pattern cutting CAD, manufacture, textiles. From learning textiles and illustration techniques I have broadened my ideas on what my practice is and see myself as a multimedia designer. The more I study and read the more I learn about issues I want to tackle and solve, like the problems with textiles and the ecosystem or political issues I want to make people aware of, my work is always evolving as I am learning and making mistakes too.
What are the messages and themes behind your project that you want people to take away? Do explore any topics like diversity, sustainability or politics in your work?
My collection of clothing was named Windrush. My grandparents came over to Britain in the 1950s from small island, St Kitts. Part of the British commonwealth, though it’s in the Caribbean, my grandparents were British. They were intelligent people however I know they missed out on opportunities purely because of their skin. They always preached the importance for getting an education. They sacrificed so their next generation could have what they didn’t, I’m grateful to them for this. Still in 2018 the Windrush scandal happened where West Indian’s were questioned on being illegal immigrants and threatened with deportation. It’s a massive insult that they’re still not seen as British and not recognised for their importance in UK society and culture.
My collection was tribute to my grandparents and the Windrush generation but also speaking against the 2018 scandal and the pain it has caused. Every part of it was inspired by this even down to the music, speech by labour MP David Lammy. My prints were all created by hand with different techniques including traditional batik techniques they use on St Kitts; prints were inspired by a combination of vegetation of home in the Caribbean and clashing prints in West Indian homes in Britain. The West Indian home was key because of this I did a lot of upcycling within my collection, I reused My Grannies old doilies and tablecloths (preventing them going into landfill), recycled ice-buckets and vintage suitcases for accessories (the suitcase was symbolic of their journey, how little they brought with them).
I used digital lay plans for fabric and used any left-over fabric on Accessories making it 0 waste collection. As a women’s wear collection, I was largely inspired by my grandmothers clothing, because my grandmother came alone to England in this time as a woman I think this was really strong and brave of her, my collection honours that and my stance with feminism to be a strong black woman.
What’s an aspect of the fashion industry that you’re passionate about fixing or having a positive impact on?
I am passionate about slow fashion made ethically that is good quality and not based on trends giving a classic longevity. There are a lot of un-fashion related subjects that I feel passionately about and that personally I have experienced. History plays a big part in my interests and I believe that to look back on history we can learn a lot. Because of this it inspires me in my work learning about things that have happened in the past and bringing it to light.
I always feel my work is mostly successful when I am inspired by issues that resonate with me deeply. Growing up looking up to my Mum and Auntie as independent strong female figures I consider myself a feminist which I believe shows through my work and I feel strongly about female equality. Being black and also mixed race I am very passionate about racial equality and a supporter of the black lives matter movement. I believe the fashion industry could also be used as a way to educate people. If the skills are taught to younger generation creativity works as a therapy.
What is your plan for the future?
In the future I would love to further my fashion brand and work solely on that also working collaboratively and creatively with others. I aspire to own an established, ethical brand and make a difference within the fashion industry. I’m interested in make do mend movements and artisan so I would like to sell my own bespoke one-off fashion pieces too using up-cycling and artisan textiles techniques like embroidery. Within the brand I would love for it to have a charitable aspect to it and to host workshops and talks helping other creatives and inspire young people.