What drew you to become a fashion designer?
From a young age I was introduced to sewing by my mother, this combined with a love of the arts developed into an interest in fashion illustration that I eventually attempted to bring to reality.
Why was it important to you to offer a sustainable, responsible, Eco fashion line and how do you incorporate ideals such a Zero Waste into your work?
During my undergraduate studies at Curtin University I came across sustainable design practices during my Sustainable Fashion unit. This unit opened my mind to the importance of contemporary designers owning the responsibility of how they design, in regards to the impact the design will have during production and afterwards. From this I found that for my work to have more meaning it needed to include conscious design as a standard. The first assessment I had in that unit was an 'A.P.O.C.' challenge a lot of people saw this as quite limiting however I through my research I stumbled across zero-waste design and was intrigued by the idea of challenging oneself to use all of a given piece of fabric.
From there I ended up continuing my studies with an Honours project that was aiming to highlight the commercial feasibility of zero-waste design and slow fashion textile techniques. Through this research I became very familiar with how shapes work around the body which assisted in developing 'patterning maps' that had these shapes tessellating into a given piece of fabric. It was a natural progression to incorporate these ideas into a label, SKYLARK.
Where do your find inspiration for new work?
Generally from natural sources, however since my Honours project I have developed an affinity for delving into my ancestral links to Norwegian culture. Last collection my inspiration was the mirror-like quality of the fjord waters, however this upcoming collection my inspiration has turned towards the Norwegian wintery darkness and the Aurora Borealis.
What materials do you work with – organic, reclaimed, etc.?
At the moment I am working with a mixture. The idea is to eventually only use natural organic fibres, however at the current time I am using a combination of silks, wool and cottons with recycled polyesters. In regards to the recycled polyesters, they were sourced through local Perth-based businesses that were discarding them.
What are the biggest challenges you face as an sustainable designer?
Adhering to Zero-Waste Design practices is quite challenging o n the design front but otherwise I would say the preconceptions of what sustainable fashion is. The phrase 'sustainable fashion' has somewhat of a stereotype of being unstylish, during my honours I was constantly needing to explain my designs and change people's ideas of what 'sustainable fashion' was. Luckily sustainable fashion has come a long way in the past couple of years so I am finding I need to do this less and less.
What are the biggest challenges you face as an sustainable designer?
Adhering to Zero-Waste Design practices is quite challenging o n the design front but otherwise I would say the preconceptions of what sustainable fashion is. The phrase 'sustainable fashion' has somewhat of a stereotype of being unstylish, during my honours I was constantly needing to explain my designs and change people's ideas of what 'sustainable fashion' was. Luckily sustainable fashion has come a long way in the past couple of years so I am finding I need to do this less and less.
How do you help customers understand the higher cost of sustainable garments when they are so inundated with sweat shop-produced cheap merchandise?
Particularly with my personal clients I am very transparent with my pricing so they can understand that while I can't price pieces the same as mass-produced brands, because more time and quality has gone into the piece it has a higher value. I only present my garments as artisanal pieces that are made to be kept as opposed to cheaper fashions that lend themselves to a disposable culture.
What can we look forward to seeing on the runway at Eco Fashion Week Australia?
This year SKYLARK is attempting to be bigger and better. I am really excited to be presenting the new collection .NORDLYS., inspired by the long periods of night during the Norwegian winters and the phenomina of the Northern Lights. Despite the wintery subject matter the intention of this collection is to follow a trans-seasonal aesthetic with layering potential, that is accessible to the modern day woman.
How do you incorporate sustainable living in other areas of your life?
For the most part I engage with sustainability through my designs, the dream is to adopt a more zero-waste lifestyle to match in a couple of years. I favour naturally and ethically sourced skincare and hair care products that do not engage in animal cruelty with minimal/recyclable packaging. I also try and minimize my carbon footprint with travel around Perth, using public transport as much as possible or driving my Hybrid car when necessary. Little things like taking a reusable travel cup and committing to reusing canvas bags makes a difference in terms of producing necessary waste. I am terrible at cooking but a huge aim for me is to get into the habit of meal preparation, as this will significantly cut down my produced waste from buying food on the go.
Anything else you would like readers to know?
SKYLARK is finally going to have a web presence, aside from the existing e-commerce platform KIYAKAYA (http://www.kiyakaya.com/skylark-by-sheridan-joyce). This website will include a portfolio of SKYLARK's current and past collections along with a blog that will range from discussions of sustainable design practices, fashion sustainability in general as well as the making process and visual diary unpacking inspiration and interesting textile processes.
Links -
- Website COMING SOON https://skylarkthelabel.wixsite.com/conscious
- Facebook https://www.facebook.com/skylarkthelabel/
- Instagram @skylarkthelabel
- LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheridan-joyce-3a6827124/
