‘Dukkha’ is a Buddhist concept, which describes suffering, distress and an absence of peace.

This collection is inspired by the conflicting worlds of peace and war, focusing in particular on the chaos and destruction of the Vietnam War, in contrast to the control and composure of the Buddhist monks in Vietnam. The designs focus on duality and the contrast and co-existence of the soldiers and the Buddhist monks, by merging the utilitarian structure and control of the military uniforms with the soft and voluminous Buddhist robes. The strapping and tying of the garments throughout the collection represents the hostility and tension between the controlled and the free, which results in deterioration and destruction of the peace as time goes on.

Durable and hard wearing fabrics such as various cottons, waterproofing and leather are used to exude the toughness of the soldier but also gathered and folded to mimic the volume and softness of the Buddhist robes. Through pattern cutting techniques I endeavoured to combine such conflicting elements of structure and softness, creating a collection that has an urban feel while remaining elegant, and is overall functional.