Fashioned Identity

ARTIST STATEMENT “ ...I keep old clothes in my wardrobe even though I never intend to wear them again ...out of respect for the people I used to be” Holly Brubach. When I was a little girl I always had a fascination with fashion, I recall my first bright pink tutu, made by my mother, I paired the skirt with a pink T-shirt, pink tights, pink sequin shoes and a pink beret, needless to say, I adored pink! Growing up in England, subjected me to brands like Laura Ashley, where I found my love for highly detailed floral fabrics, lace and ruffles. I had no knowledge of the life that awaited me, nor the impact they would have on my sense of self, one thing that did remain consistent throughout my life was my love for fashion and design. Emigrating from the U.K to New Zealand and then to the United States had a profound effect on my loss of self, I no longer felt complete. During these years I became a military spouse and a mother of two, despite the joy of these events, I lost myself even further, my beautiful clothes no longer fitted and were retired to a special part of my closet, they were not donated as they connected me to the person I used to be, the self I longed for. I have spoken to many women over the years, all of who have described similar feelings of losing their true selves, due to the interception of new life roles and the inevitable effects of time. Fashioned Identity is an eclectic collection of images that explores the loss of the authentic self, intertwined with an imaginative interpretation of the escapism that I have found through fashion. The images are created with an intentional set of design elements that are nostalgic reflections from my childhood and work as a visual merchandiser.