Hasta La Ideas

Magnetic fastenings hold together these billowing layered outerwear garments by Kingston University graduate Phoebe Kowalska.

The Survival Kit for Overpopulation features oversized nylon covers and coats with giant hoods, designed by Phoebe Kowalska “to protect the wearer from society’s rapid pace”.

Items were created from experimental fabrics including neoprene and acetate, backed with pleather to give the material extra weight.

“This created a heavy and stiff silhouette that enabled me to create large prominent shapes,” Kowalska told Dezeen.

“Furthermore I used an extremely stiff fusing, which I sandwiched in between fabrics to add extra strength and impact to the shape.”

Green, white and black colours were taken from photos of architecture in an already densely populated area.

“My colours were influenced by images I have in my research of a high-rise block of flats in China,” Kowalska told Dezeen.

“These images show that there was a lot of overpopulation in this area, and the actual building itself possessed hues of greens, whites and blacks.”

A translucent nylon protective cover can be worn over each garment as an additional protective layer, with a large hood to completely cover the head.

The silhouettes are built up from curved layers of material, designed to accentuate the female figure. Magnets are used to fasten the garments so they can be put on or taken off in a hurry.

She customised pairs of second-hand men’s brogues by adding trainer soles to the existing bases, so the shoes can endure more footfall, then spray painting them so they match.

“Effectively there are two soles to each shoe,” said Kowalska. “This gives added comfort and strength when the wearer is facing a busy society.”

The collection also features a set of bumbags to be worn around the waist, for storing small items in an easily accessible place.

This year’s fashion graduates also designed garments woven with metal, outfits joined with trains of fabric and painted dresses with black outlines that frame their distorted silhouettes.

Photography is by Will Corry.

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nylon to create protective clothing appeared first on Dezeen.