2017 Masterclass Collection – ‘The Last Resort of the Emperor A/W 2018’

The collection for the 2017 Masterclass is entitled ‘The Last Resort of the Emperor’. It explores the theme of ‘soul’ by examining how an individual soul might need to be confronted, protected and that ultimately it must be fought for to validate its perpetuity.

The collection carries a political theme and is a fusion of fantasy and everyday life.

We exist in a world on the precipice of war and destruction and this collection as the Emperor’s Last Resort is imagined and exaggerated to be like pieces of amour which is lived in, protecting the inner sanctum from invasion from outside forces.

The collection represents the horrific translations of the ‘Real Politik’ (alluding to the brutality of the everyday world in contrast to the more ideological and principle driven way we wished the world operated).

The sublime acquiescence in spirit that a soul affords a person will be explored in the use of visual references and cues which include the use of ‘forbidden’, exotic fruit colours such as apricot, coconut and lychee which feature curious hard shells or outer casing with odd textures that contain soft, supple fruit flesh within in nude palette of colours. By exploring this quality of hard and soft the collection examines the dual nature of the physical body carrying the inner emotional, ‘softer’ soul.

Crystals and colourful minerals or gemstones living and bursting from being fused within rock are also a key influence to give the impression the apparel is infusing the wearer with energy with colours such as magenta and topaz while reflecting the perfection of a person’s soul in similarity to flawless crystal.

The energy of the collection will also be explored through drape and construction of the garments to make them striking and interesting. Adorning plates of armour will be influenced from biblical crusaders, Japanese samurai as well as Chinese Terracotta Warriors. This will be represented through fabric selection, texture and construction. This is also another connotation of the collection as the Last Resort explores the meeting and intersection of Eastern and Western spirituality as well as the dominant forces of organic and the man made matter into one fusion of design.