Sienna Slade

I’m originally from a small town by the sea, and while I loved living by the coast, I knew I had to take my life into my own hands by moving away to start my future.

My work is all about self-expression and personal empowerment by being authentically yourself, even if that means being misunderstood.

At the start of this year, I made a promise to myself to embark on a self-love journey. I’ve experienced many hardships in my life which I don’t often speak about. I’ve internalised ways I’ve been mistreated and taken them on as a part of my identity. Leading me to having a lack of confidence in myself and my abilities as well as engaging in people pleasing behaviours.

Throughout my self-love journey I’ve surrounded myself with people who I share a mutual understanding with, we engage positively and uplift one another (less will always be more).

I’ve learnt to trust my intuition and my needs will always come first, even if that does mean people displeasing of me.

I’m confident in my identity as part of the LGBTQIA+.

I’ve reclaimed my identify. I am not how I’ve been treated.

I am who I choose to be. And I’m proud to be me.

To love your self is to embrace yourself fully.

Looking at the 1940’s, a time in history where the role of women in society changed drastically to support the war effort, I’ve reimagined work wear garments from this era into a modern age. I’ve developed my collection using the subtraction pattern cutting technique to create unnatural voluminous shapes on the knees and elbows.

As well as referencing ‘dazzle camouflage’. This is a camouflage technique used to paint navel ships with the intention to distort the size and distance of the ship, a tactic used to confuse the enemy.

My goal is to distort the female body, a way of reclaiming what is yours, ownership over our bodies and subvert the male gaze.