Looking at the pure innocence of a child, Shutting the Window is a six outfit womenswear collection that steps into a world free of worry or evil; where no bad thing has ever happened. Innocence can be defined as a “lack of guile or corruption; purity”; a mind untouched by the stresses and pains of adult life and growing up.

Many argue that childhood is the best time of life; that it should be cherished and held onto, a time when everything is simpler and anything is possible. This is a reality for a child possibly because of an abundance of naivety and a lack of experience, but also because of the knowledge there is a parent waiting to catch their fall; a loved one will make everything better should it go badly. Shutting the Window explores how holding a hand to protect can give the courage to venture and create without fear. How waterproof puffer jackets and layers and layers of protective clothing allow safe adventures into a cold winter world.  This Autumn Winter 16/17 collection discovers what it is to be innocent, what it takes to completely let go and see the world in a positive sparkling light again, and how the contrast of a perceived restriction can actually provide support to enable true freedom.

Fabric choices help convey this point with thick and cosy cashmere over lightweight bamboo silk- protecting, but not containing or hiding the softer fabric. Fabrics are completely natural, free of bleach and chemicals and as untainted as possible. This reflects the pure and innocent nature of the collection and the childhoods it represents. As a child investigates the world, touch is often a principal sense used to discover new things, and so a sense of uninhibited exploration is achieved through different textures as well as warm and ‘fluffy’ fabrics. Fine and almost delicate materials reminisce of a new life delicately feeling its way in a strange world and mirroring the contrast that is at the heart of this story.

Subtle protective details such as drawstrings assist in shaping garments and silhouette as well as demonstrating a mother’s supportive hand. These small details softly remind of the safeguard any loving parent puts around their child, and offer a solid base to a playful silhouette.

Silhouettes show the inquisitiveness of a child’s exploration in life through large volume. Closer fitted and lightly tailored elements show support, helping garments cling to the body and so allowing big skirts to reach out further and aid unrestrictive movement.

Outfits are layered to protect against the harsh winter elements, and to also help play on shape and proportion. This reflects on how children’s appearances and bodies alter all wrapped up safe from wind and rain.

Prints are inspired by children’s unrestrictive and free moving drawings and artwork. Children’s descriptions of their paintings give an insight to the mentality that anything is possible if looked at in the right way. Pink scribbles can become a hippo or a series of grey lines can show a castle. Prints show this freedom of thinking with hidden drawings amongst a first glance of messy scribbles. Oversized polka dots are also used to reinforce a playful mood whilst referring back to childhood. Used on bold silhouettes, prints appear to almost stand alone, again reflecting a bold freedom only found in youth.

Colour is introduced through the beauty of uncorrupted natural dyes to reflect the untouched, pure minds of the innocent. Being limited through natural dyes, colour feels almost washed out at times, giving the collection a nostalgic element while demonstrating the restrictive side to childhood. Natural colours extend to the use of pigments within the screen-printed patterns to keep a consistent and sustainable aspect throughout all six outfits. A clean palette comprising of shades of natural whites with variants of purple, pink and yellow aims to further show the innocence of the collection. Modern takes on primary colours are used for both the connotations associated with each colour, but also the fact that these are the most pure colours; the colours from which all others stem. White is heavily used to show innocence and purity but also a blank page; a starting point for anything the mind can conceive. This is emphasized with scribble prints on a white backdrop, literally reflecting drawing on paper. Use of pink within jacket linings wrap the consumer in motherly love and bold yellows bring fun sunshine and warmth to cold months.

A target market of a 35-50 year old strong, independent professional woman who isn’t afraid to make a statement, but feels a lack of excitement, a dreariness within everyday life is set. She has a good income that allows her to invest in environmentally ethical life choices that also extends to high end and ethical garments. She wishes for key pieces that are easy wearing and interchangeable to suit a busy lifestyle, but that return a sense of fun and joy to an often monotonous routine.