This collection was inspired by an in-depth exploration of my personal identity through an abstract concept; a ghost reflection. On a deeper level, I feel we are all haunted by what we see in the mirror. Now, imagine we could look deeper into our reflections; peer straight into the insecurities, stress, and anxiety that, just like apparitions, haunt us straight down the fiber of our souls. As you can imagine too long of a look at this “ghost reflection” can leave us questioning what’s real, and this collection is a visual and tactile celebration of that curiosity.

The question of what - or whom - is real is formally called Depersonalization. It leaves us feeling detached from the world, almost as if you’re an observer from afar or are peeking in from an outside, mirror-like perspective. Sometimes, when my own anxiety levels escalate, I experience the world through this view, leaving me to feel as if I am a foreigner in my own body. It’s hard to look at that reality and accept what you see in the mirror when you feel like only an empty vessel directed towards everyone else’s perspectives.

I beg the question: When you look into the mirror, what do you really see? By playing with the idea of reflections, I’m calling into question the idea of reality vs. fiction. There’s also the opportunity for nuanced misrepresentation of our reflections because sometimes the body and mind are not always in sync with one another.

Throughout my collection, there’s a bold undertone of elements such as distortion and chaos. As the story unfolds, I develop my looks into pairs to represent the outer perception that others see us as and the illusion you have of your inner-self. I was also heavily inspired by the mysteries of the Victorian Era and the clothing women would wear during that time. They used corsets and body-morphing clothes to literally distort their bodies and change the onlookers’ perception of them. Similarly I also drew inspiration from Japanese street fashion and subcultures with their layers of extremities, yet ability to keep a look so simple.