eleanor-jill-davidson profile photo

Eleanor Jill Davidson

Textiles: Innovation and Design (BA Hons)

A celebrator and advocate of all things sustainable, I am passionate about combining my digital specialism with natural materials and eco-friendly ways of creating.

Send Down A Runway, Send Up A Hill

Hiking has always been a major part of my life. My parents met in a hiking group, I was taken on hikes before I could walk, however it hasn’t always been a passion of mine. When I was a teenager, I’d rebel against it by wearing the most impractical clothing I could think of. Growing older, I eventually decided to dress appropriately for hiking, or so I thought. Whilst the pieces I currently wear for hiking are practical, they are not as suitable as wool-based garments. The sheep have evolved to the climates we hike in, thus, it makes so much sense to use their wool. This thought that maybe we are all wearing the wrong materials for activewear without even realising is one of the primary inspirations for this project.

This idea of rebelling, and material questioning has been realised in the concept of this collection. It is a high fashion fusion, suitable for hiking through its materials, but completely impractical for hiking in the way they are designed. In addition to the purpose, almost all of the materials used for this collection will naturally biodegrade at some point in the future. These pieces have also been created using sustainable practices, which include natural dyeing and embroidering with Lyocell thread.

 You could send it down a runway aesthetically. You could also send it up a hill and the materials would work.

The Build-Up

To visually inform this collection, I collected samples of mud, wool, water, and moss from Somerset to put under a microscope. I wanted to focus on the smaller details of the landscapes I know so well, as opposed to the general shapes of the hills. I also photographed the small, hidden details seen in the rocks, lichens, flora and fauna that line the trails we frequently hike. These images have been used to inform patterns, garment shapes and 3D printed pieces.

Print One: derived from a pencil sketch of a microscope, coloured and repeated on Photoshop.
Print Two: created using an image of a rock from a trail on Exmoor, colour added on Photoshop.
Print Three: A closeup image of a microscope, derived from a pencil sketch, and then edited in Photoshop to add colour.
A small selection of initial sketches and paintings.

The Collection: Piece by Piece

Jacket and Trousers.
Neckpiece, Top and Trousers.
Jacquard Cape
Quilted cape.

The Collection: Details

Trousers: Thick boiled wool hand dyed using avocado pits and onion skins, and then digitally embroidered with Burmilana and Lyocell (upper and bobbin).

Jacket: Onion dyed wool delaine, digitally embroidered with Lyocell (upper and bobbin), and then embellished with 3D printed buttons and wool ties. Pattern self drafted, using the basic jacket block as a starting point.

3D printed neckpiece: Printed using industrially biodegradable PLA, attached together using wool. Forms inspired by lichen and fungi found on Exmoor. Special thanks to STEM-Lab for allowing me to use their 3D printing facilities for this piece.
Jacquard Blanket: Reversible piece, woven using lambswool for the weft, with a cotton warp. Repeated print derived from a microscope drawing. Stitching to prevent fraying done with Lyocell.
Quilted Cape: Purple 100% wool fabric sourced in a small Somerset based shop. Initially digitally embroidered, and then stuffed with Exmoor Horn wool, before being quilted on a sewing machine. All embroidery and quilting done using Lyocell.
Scarf One: Digitally printed scarf, utilising a 70% wool 30% cashmere blend.
Trousers: Wool delaine, hand dyed using avocado pits, and digitally embroidered using Lyocell. (upper and bobbin)
Scarf Two: Digitally printed scarf utilising a 70% wool 30% cashmere blend.
Further details on the trousers and the jacket.
Further 3D printed details on the jacket and the neck piece. All designed using Blender.

Work Experience and Skills

Sept – Dec 2022: Three month media placement at Fairbairn and Wolf studios.

Jan – July 2023: Six month study abroad in Australia where I learned pattern cutting, garment construction and other fashion based techniques.

July 2023: Four day team-working project ‘hack’ with Goya in collaboration with Adidas.

← Previous - Sunny Cooke
Next - Charlotte Ruth Devereux →