Project Ocean

Continuing with the Water themed fashion (simply because this is one of my key themes for next year) I did some more research into the deeper issues regarding water and how this links in with fashion. In May and June 2011, Selfridges was home to a special campaign called 'Project Ocean'. This was all in aid of helping to prevent issues such as over fishing and unethical fishing practices. To do this, the store wanted to make the public aware of the true greatness of the ocean and teamed up with different charities to put on the exhibition. In order for the public to understand the issues, they wanted to do it in an interesting way. Part of this was an ocean inspired fashion exhibition called 'Washed Up'  curated by Judith Clark.

Designers donated pieces that were separated into categories depending on what they were inspired by and incredible set designs were built.

Hussein Chalayan donated his famous bubble dress from A/W 07/08 and his LED skirt (made of 15 000 LED lights under fabric to present a moving image of a shark) from February 2009

Left, is Martin Margielas coral inspired dresses from A/W 11/12 and John Rochas reef dress from A/W 10/11.

Sea life textures were the inspiration for left fish scale dress by Gareth Pugh SS11 and Iris van Herpens design, right. 

Alexanders McQueens Atlantis designs were in this section as well as right, Andrea Cammarosano. 

Iris Van Herpens very literal Octopus dress for her Escapism couture line. 

The exhibition contained Vintage beach wear from the 1820s-1850s

Taking influence from sea structures, Iris Van Herpen created this shell inspired piece from her crystallization collection 

Sea structures interpreted by Junya Watanabe, left  and Sandra Backlund, right. 

Jean Charles Le Castelbajacs SS10 collection - Shark Dress

Mariel Manuel dresses from 'Keep your eye on the doughnut' collection 2010.

There were also many sea inspired accessories in this exhibition worth looking at. Its great to see a theme expressed amongst many designers in different ways and being pulled together in one cohesive exhibition.