Heading into my 60s, disillusioned with the offerings for older women by the fashion industry and angered by widespread societal ageism, I embarked on my degree course to try to change attitudes and create a brand that celebrates age and wisdom.
My brand is named Don’t Dictate – after a punk song that has sound-tracked my life to date. I don’t believe that older women, or anyone for that matter, should be dictated to in terms of how to dress or how to behave. With a long track record of punk sensibilities and a history of always challenging societal expectations, I, and many other women like me, still have a sense of agency and purpose, with a desire to reflect those attributes in the way they dress. I hope to address this unmet need.
Fashion Design
Gunta Gabrielle Andrews
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Old Crows - Silhouettes inspired by Barbara Hepworth
My project is called Old Crows. The silhouettes are inspired by the sculptures of Barbara Hepworth and Lynn Chadwick. The style is influenced by 1980s Japanese ‘Karasu-zoku’ (Crow Tribe), in particular the designs and vision of Yohji Yamamoto. The colours are provided by crows.
My aim was to create a collection that addressed the comments and wishes of numerous older women I spoke to – comfortable, ‘edgy’, effortless, lots of pockets, layers, higher necklines – which I hopefully achieved. I also want to reframe the term ‘old crows’ which has been used in a derogatory way to describe older women. Old crows are beautiful, wise, smart, charismatic and fascinating.
Connect with Gunta
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Skirt and top in textured fabric with cape Crinkle coat and sculptural dress Layered outfit in bamboo/linen mix Crinkled cotton high-low shirt and dropped crotch trousers Cotton shawl jacket and wide-leg trousers with crow vest top