Rebecca McCabe’s exploration of how our relationship with formal clothes has modified because of the pandemic has earned her probably the most useful scholar prizes of the 12 months.
he 22-year-old from Rochfortbridge in Co. Westmeath has been awarded the distinguished NCAD Brown Thomas ‘Designer to Watch’ €4,000 bursary which identifies future skills and mentors them.
The post-pandemic state of vogue reveals an ongoing want for casualisation. Rebecca explored a hybrid, with glam sportswear providing most useage, the place consolation is vital.
“I observed over the course of the pandemic how individuals had been reacting with their garments and interacting with them, and that individuals had been probably not prepared to sacrifice consolation any extra for fashion,” says Rebecca.
Her ‘Pookie’ assortment explores streetwear with elevated textures that may be worn to a giant occasion. Enjoying with textures, she explored pairings,mixing dressy with informal similar to lycra with leather-based.
“It is that concept that they can cross over, and create a way more transitional wardrobe which is essential so that you could get essentially the most out of your items, and you may gown them up and down,” stated Rebecca.
“I do not even suppose it is that we’re leaving formal behind, I feel it is that we’re creating a brand new hybrid between formal put on and a extra informal means of dressing and what’s actually coming by way of is the consolation. That is one thing individuals need to maintain whereas nonetheless wanting fairly glamorous. I feel it leaves us with this new space to fill with garments.
“It is so acceptable now to put on trainers with a gown whereas it won’t have been a few years in the past. It’s nice as a result of in case you are comfy, you’ll really feel much more joyful in your self and you’ll be much more assured carrying the garments,” stated Rebecca.
The ultimate 12 months vogue design scholar at NCAD’s graduate assortment was praised by the judges for its creativity and innovation and intelligent use of supplies.
Rebecca created her personal paper-effect cloth by bonding three layers together with shot silk, vilene and an orange waterproof PU cloth which acts as the liner of her coat.
Silhouettes are outsized and two coats have laser reducing and have macrame knotting method as a type of connecting the garment collectively.
They had been paired with two lycra appears together with a cream bodycon gown with mesh paneling and a print she created with machine embroidery and a navy lycra unitard with bespoke print.
“I feel they’re fairly adaptable items. I feel the embroidery aspect added to the underside of the cream lycra gown brings it up into extra formal put on and you possibly can put on it with heels or with trainers from everyday.
Exploring how our relationship with formal clothes has modified, Rebecca says “I feel individuals discovered a very good steadiness between athleisure and extra formal gown and it turned extra acceptable to put on extra informal clothes to formal occasions .
You could possibly see it on the MET Gala and a great deal of runway exhibits that athleisure was turning into a way more in style possibility and I believed it could possibly be a brand new path to go down.”
Typical of the comfy-on-the-red carpet development, she title checks the “attractive” outfit worn to the 2021 Met Gala look worn by Emma Emhoff.
The excessive profile mannequin, vogue graduate and step daughter of the US Vice chairman, Kamala Harris wore with aa Stella McCartney pink diamond mesh bodysuit and matching trousers and adidas by Stella McCartney trainers to the occasion themed ‘In America: A Lexicon of Vogue.’
The Brown Thomas bursary gives a €4,000 money, mentoring by government in addition to a spot subsequent month within the CREATE present within the Grafton Road retailer. Prospects can see Rebecca’s outsized items with knotted rope threaded by way of holes she hand punched in a coat and jacket utilizing a punch and a hammer.
Shelly Corkery, Vogue Shopping for Director, Brown Thomas Arnotts praised Rebecca’s assortment as “completely excellent”.
“There was extraordinary element in her assortment which made for such a gorgeous distinction. I adored the best way Rebecca pulled all of it collectively particularly when she expressed her sense of coloration together with her macramé on leather-based and in addition her outsized coat which is ultra-modern and really numerous.”
Earlier winners of this ‘Designer to Watch’ bursary have included Laoise Carey from Co Tipperary who received in 2017 and now has her one eponymous label devoted to sustainability in vogue, utilizing all the things from outdated linen curtains to lace doilies.
The 2020 winner, Una Curran, impressed together with her assortment impressed by chicken flight patterns and the thought of trendy surveillance whereas Aideen Gaynor received in 2016 with a group impressed by the Haruki Murakami novel, Finish of the World.