With Love, from Helen is a womenswear collection rooted in the beauty, power and pain of the female body. My concept was sparked by a desire to connect with my maternal grandmother, Helen O’ Connor. I never met her due to her early death, yet I was struck by the idea that as she was pregnant with my mother, she was also carrying the eggs which would one day become my sisters and I. I chose to manifest this unique maternal connection in the form of Matryoshka dolls- a woman within the women that came before her. As the female reproductive cycle is my single tangible link to my grandmother, I decided to also focus on the four phases of the menstrual cycle to inform the central narrative and mood for my collection. I draw on the mother-daughter symbolism of the blood-like pomegranate, as well as Helen’s own artwork to highlight an intimate connection that surpasses generations. I used these visual aspects to experiment with combining sublimation print and textile manipulations. By appliquéing to extravagant volumes of tulle, I am able to draw attention to the technique while also giving it space to breathe. Matryoshka doll shapes are manifested in a thick wool that mirrors the lining of the womb, and then adorned in offset domestic machine embroidery. My collection aims to visualise this matriarchal connection in a soft and elegant way through techniques of gathering, printing and carefully appliquéing silk organza, taffeta and grosgrain onto volumes of tulle, the garments delicately and lavishly illustrate the feminine balance of connection, tension, and release.
