A Dangerous Addiction
Subject and assessment completed while on exchange at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2015.
The assessment brief was to select a brand and create a footwear collection. I chose eponymous Brisbane label, Easton Pearson and focused on their vivid aesthetic and panache for incorporating exotic fabrics into wearable treasures.
My inspiration stemmed from Easton Pearson's ties with India and how I was learning more about British colonialism while living in Hong Kong. While researching I learned about the Opium Wars and how the British came to occupy Hong Kong, the dangerous use of Opium as a trade tool but also the beauty and danger of the stages of the poppy flower life cycle was my inspiration. The collection I created is very avant-garde and connected to limited edition Easton Pearson pieces, the inspiration of the collection is quite dark however the acknowledgement of this part of history is important in recognising the damage trade can have on people.
Shoe Design was a challenging but extremely interesting subject. From learning how Salvatore Ferragamo studied anatomy to learn about how the foot has a balance point to learning how to design footwear and use shoe lasts was an incredible experience. I loved introducing the brand Easton Pearson to the class and talking about Brisbane fashion to my Hong Kong peers.
