My graduation collection consists of six womenswear looks, with three fully realised outfits presented within the final lineup. The concept is inspired by my great-grandmother, Elizabeth Doyle, born in Carlow in 1931, who now resides in a nursing home in Carlow. Once an independent and ambitious woman who moved to Dublin in pursuit of employment, her life has since been shaped by a diagnosis of dementia, a condition associated with progressive memory loss. This collection seeks to recount the narrative of her life through the personal belongings and household objects she has left behind in her home, which now exist as a capsule of her identity and lived experiences. Through these items, I explored the transition from her strength and independence to the gradual decline in her memory caused by dementia. Inspired by interiors of her home, I used fabrics inspired by her bedsheets and curtains, while also focusing on household items like lampshades and sacred jewellery to inspire the silhouette of my collection honouring her throughout the collection.
