My collection, ‘The Defectors’, began with my interest in North Korea, and in particular the factors enforced to ‘control’ a nation which in turn presents repercussions on the stability felt within its inhabitants. According to Andrei Lankov (2006), the North Korean Government treats emigrants from the country as ‘defectors’. ‘Defectors’ leave to escape legal punishment for political, ideological, religious, economic, moral, or personal reasons. North Koreans face a mental health crisis, the definition of mental health by the government, is ‘loyalty’; loyalty to the state, absolute obedience to the government, subservience to North Korea's deified leaders. The collection aims to convey the mix of emotions felt by North Koreans, as a result of control measures and the constant brainwashing. The restricted nature of how inhabitants must live, the sense of feeling trapped that the ‘defectors’ experience before they escaped is symbolized with the restrictive movement that the collection allows and referenced within the embroidered type embellishment. With sustainable fashion values at the core of my brand, this collection has been constructed using deadstock fabric donated by Hunter Apparel, a local professional clothing company.
