October 21, 2022 |
Six months ago, we told you that the London-based conceptual marketplace, APOC Store (short for Anthropocene), was launching a brand new grant programme in a bid to nurture new-generational artists and designers from marginalised backgrounds and communities. Now, the time is here to reveal the cultural innovators that have taken home the prize. Each is a sterling creator. There’s Yaku, whose garment and prosthetic bachelors collection is inspired by Afrofuturism, online role-playing games and nature, and Jules Bramley, whose naturally unique designs explore rebirth and transformation. Yinglin He is a recipient too. The Shanghai-based designer’s pieces present the discovery of self, fragility and the beauty of conflicts. Hadiyah Hussain, a London-based British-born, Pakistani textile print designer who transforms collages of photographs of family, friends and London locations into body-positive made-to-order screen-printed and digital designs, is also a winner, alongside Yining Sun whose brand, Eeggnet combines various crafts in a contemporary context to understand memories, consumption and the day to day experience of one’s home.
This week, each designer debuted capsule collections for APOC Store too and amongst the collective, there are strong themes of repurposing materials as well as taking inspiration from their cultures and identities.
Bestowed £1000 in support of the development and production of their work, as well as the chance to sell their creations at apoc-store.com, it’s a progressive move from the marketplace in response to a heightened urgency for change and sustainability especially. Plus, the five selected beneficiaries have been offered a six-month mentorship opportunity consisting of bi-weekly educational and workshop sessions with the APOC team and other community creatives. With each grant awarded, APOC Store is cementing its commitment to breaking down financial and systemic barriers within the fashion and art spheres.
YAKU
“For me, the APOC grant means a place in the future of fashion. Access to funding like this removes the limits to my creativity. It means I can experiment with new materials, machines and techniques in search of finishes that reflect my designs and references more accurately. Without a doubt, it is essential to expand my output, allowing me to develop as a designer. I sought to create an impossible family reunion in RPG space, referencing key people in my life and amplifying their personalities through character designs inspired by (but not limited to) the creatures found in the land, sky and water of the Earth. The Afrofuturism movement inspired my approach to design as it provides a place for my Blackness to exist. It makes it possible to create a prosperous world for Black warriors with six arms and their protective mother-like people with reptile skin. My approach to pattern cutting is still deeply rooted in my research on perception and the human form. I focus on the freedom of movement and the self-expression of the person that wears my garments. The added layer of Afrofuturism and Blackness further alters the feeling that one experiences while wearing my pieces.”
JULES BRAMLEY
“This capsule collection is an exploration of rebirth, transformation and evolution. Featuring organic textures, deconstructed shapes, drapery and asymmetrical features, 100% wool fabric is manipulated through deconstructing, felting and sewing with some pieces dipped and coated in natural rubber latex. I am so honoured to be one of the grant recipients; it means the world. It’s been really beneficial in further developing my work with mentorship and support over the last few months. To be represented and supported by APOC as a trans, independent designer, and to share my work with a wider audience is really a blessing. I hope to spread a message with my work and create a space for the trans and queer community to feel represented and celebrated.”
YINGLIN HE
“With the help of the grant, I was able to make a collection of garments, jewellery and shoes based on the elements that I extracted from previous collections that were more abstract and performative. I was able to share my self-discovery journey within the voice and visual language of these elements which represent a mixture of love, pain, existence, doubts and answers. Of course, I’m beyond grateful to have received the grant; it has not only helped me financially in making my vision come true and sharing my creation with the world, but APOC has also given me great opportunities to connect with the amazing community that they have built, to learn from and share ideas with. In today’s fashion industry – where there’s little to no room for people who have fewer financial and connection advantages – this opportunity is definitely a key career kickstart for small independent designers like myself who are trying to make things happen on their own.”
HADIYAH HUSSAIN
“My collection encompasses some original archive screen-printed pieces that are one-of-one and made from deadstock fabric. The new pieces are inspired by my grandmother’s jewellery collection. I used some archive original weaves I had already created and screen printed with handwritten calligraphy that read the words “precious” linking back to my grandmother’s gold pieces. I wanted to add metallic finishings and a lot of playful features – such as the ruching of fabric to allow for adjustments. I love the pieces I’ve made as they link back to my roots. I’m super thankful to receive the grant and to be joined by so many new creatives and designers. I’m excited to open up my work to a new audience through APOC.”
YINING SUN: EEGGNET
“I started my brand Eeggnet not long ago but I always felt isolated. Receiving this grant gives me the opportunity to connect with the APOC Store founders and with other designers. In the meetings, I receive feedback on my work and have the opportunity to hear other designers’ creative processes which is very encouraging for me. The experience kept me focused on developing my collection and moving my brand forward. The collection’s theme is homing. Homing is an instinctive ability that some animals have. They can sense the direction of home no matter where they are. In recent years, I’ve moved to several cities and once I settle in a new place I enjoyed exploring the new environments, but the memories from my past homes always hit me. So I wanted to investigate this conflicting feeling of both the excitement of travelling and nostalgia for my past homes. Here, I gathered and transformed elements from the city landscape and the pieces sketch a portrait of a person who is obsessed with wandering on the road yet still misses the concept of a physical home.”
Photography courtesy of APOC Store. Shop the collections here.
