THE TIES THAT BIND US — My pre-collection for my degree explores the complex experience of remaining bound to situations that no longer serve us. Drawing on the visual language of body braces, sutures, and tattoos, each garment uses these elements as symbols of both the pain of attachment and the resilience required to heal and move forward. The collection reflects our instinct to hold everything in place — searching for ways to keep the pieces together, even when the result becomes fractured and imperfect.

Central to the collection is the use of handmade tattooed latex, chosen to create a sense of exposure, as though the outer layer of the body has been stripped back to reveal what lies beneath. The latex acts as a second skin, while the tattooed surfaces suggest scars that remain visible long after the wound has healed. Alongside this, hand beading and printed textiles are used to trace and emphasise these marks across the body, transforming scars into deliberate embellishment. Through these materials, the collection explores the way pain can leave a permanent imprint, while also becoming part of the body’s own language of survival.