The Bowerbirds

The collection embodies the spirit of the bowerbird through the curation of bright and colourful textiles and shiny objects. Bowerbirds recycle waste materials they find in their environment and turn their nests into elaborate ritual spaces — in the same way, this collection is creating elaborate, ritualistic garments out of found materials.

Bowerbirds are renowned for their unique courtship behaviour, where males build a structure and decorate it with sticks and brightly co- loured objects in an attempt to attract a mate.

Carefully curated found items are placed strategically around the bower to entice a female. The male then begins his courtship display which can include hypnotic dilating pupils and dancing.

Repurposing Fashion as Action Research

The textiles for the collection come from almost 100 vintage and preloved fashion garments which were deconstructed into base components and textile elements and re-constructed into new designs. The carefully selected pieces build a narrative around six distinctive looks driven by colour and textile aesthetics, informed by the wide variety of bowerbird species. The garments are complimented by accessories made from repurposed shoes, gloves, hats, neckties and a veil.

The garments are hand-embellished with vintage and modern jewellery that bring layers of intrigue and meaning from their previous lives, alongside thousands of up-cycled Swarovski crystals. It is this treasure that brings the bowerbird concept to life.

This collection aims to highlight ways to reduce fashion industry waste, and deepen my practice in sustainable fashion as action research.

The bowerbird reflects the contours of its landscape by working with whatever is available to make the bower as beautiful as possible. This collection shares this same ideals, with many of the pieces designed to be worn in multiple ways, transforming from nest-like comfort during the day to a trove of decadent shining treasures at night.