Jessie Hands

Jessie Hands graduated from Central Saint Martins' prestigious MA Fashion program earlier this year with a final collection that pushed boundaries and experimented with fabrication. Hands fused together a patchwork of textiles into wide, sloping shouldered tunics, tabards and dresses that finished below the knees with a demure tapered effect in marbled, printed, embossed and ridged fabrics. The slight variations in print and cut and collaging of colours (lemon, monochrome, stone grey and robin’s egg blue) were tied together by the strong overall silhouette which made the collection look purposefully repetitive, as if the models were wearing a uniform. 

Dazed Digital spoke to the young designer about her innovative use of textiles to learn more about her collection.

Dazed Digital: How would you describe your graduate collection?
Jessie Hands: 'The Cabinet of Dr Caligari' meets a 1920’s powder room. The collection’s starting point was a continuation of the embossing technique I had begun to develop in my pre-collection. I wanted to integrate this futuristic finish with my ongoing interest in Surrealism; this has always been a starting point in my work. I was particularly inspired by Jean Cocteau’s films; he has an exceptional skill in the displacement of classical imagery. This is how the marble digital print was born. After that, the challenge was bringing these aesthetics together.

DD: How would describe your design signature?
Jessie Hands: Interstitial textiles. My collection showcased two new techniques, the embossing of silk jersey and the seamless collaging of fabrics - a considered futurism with a focus on luxury finish.

DD: What are your aspirations for the future?
Jessie Hands: To continue creating innovative and exciting textiles, be it through collaborations or working within a forward thinking fashion brand.