Emily Downing

I have created a collection of multipurpose silk scarves to raise awareness for Alopecia and help educate others. Alopecia is often an overlooked condition by the medical field, as it isn’t seen as a life threatening condition. However, that doesn’t take into consideration the great mental toll it takes on its sufferer’s. The rationale behind these scarves is to create bold and captivating designs that will start a conversation about Alopecia. Having these conversations will reduce the stigma of having the condition, as well as educate the medical profession to the danger Alopecia causes to sufferer's mental health. 

For my visual inspiration, I was drawn to seaweed as it has many overlooked qualities. Each piece has its own unique markings created by its journey in the sea, which means that no two pieces are identical. When taking photos of seaweed, I used a clear bowl filled with water and a torch to capture the intricate details and individual characteristics of each piece. The torch elevated the colours and showed the seaweed in a different light. When working on my silk, I chose to hand paint each piece as not only was this the traditional way, but it also reflects on the seaweed having its own unique markings.