The core inspiration for this collection was a video game called "Night in the Woods." It's a narrative based game that tells the story of college student Mae returning to her small hometown just to find that the passage of time has not waited for her to grow up.  Her childhood friends have settled into their new lives and the town continues to change as its impacted by the death of small businesses and the encroachment of big companies. Despite all the struggles Mae is confronted with, her friends ultimately become the ultimate source of comfort.

 

This idea of the light and dark moments of life tied in with the second source of inspiration which was the brand Alexander McQueen. Between Alexander McQueen and Sara Burton, the brand has always translated the beauty and ugliness of life into exquisite garments. By incorporating some of the signature McQueen aesthetic into my collection, I think the collection is given a much more dramatic flair.