Bethaney Woolley, BA (Hons) in Fashion Design
Graduate's project highlighted at IDI Graduate Awards
Bethaney Woolley graduated with a BA (Hons) in Fashion Design in December 2020 and was announced as the winner in the IDI’s Graduate Awards in the Fashion Design category.
Making fashion accessible
Bethaney's designs are minimalist but involve beautifully intricate details which make them equally inviting. Her winning project, BlindSpot, focused on using materials and techniques that appeal to the sense of touch. This, combined with her desire to design in a more inclusive way is what inspired her to think about designing for the visually impaired.
Speaking of her project, Bethaney said, "I liked the idea of how texture can help to build a picture of beauty in a different sense. I think it’s important that fashion is accessible, and I want to create garments that encourage people to really feel what they are wearing. My pieces include subtle details such as the use of braille on fabrics to allow visually impaired people to make independent fashion choices through their sense of touch, but also to encourage others to re-imagine how we perceive fashion and the world around us."
What comes next?
Since graduating, she has set up an online store selling naturally dyed silk accessories, and also obtained a residency at a studio. She is in the process of setting up her own brand - we can't wait to see what she does next!