Mother Vest.

2025 Co-designed with Sophie Ryznar. 

This vest was made from asking the question “what if the fashion industry was a matriarch?”, using that guiding question to lead our design decisions. The vest is made of a waxed canvas and a tartan polyester blend. We thought the burly and rigid nature of the waxed canvas for a celebration of womanhood would be an interesting juxtaposition of stereotypically “masculine” materials with fierce feminine energy and utility. We also imagine that this vest would be a part of a collection. Rather than how most clothing companies revolve around 4 seasons, our modular, ecofeminist vest would revolve around just two – spring/summer, and fall/winter. These would be the materials used for our fall/winter collection.

What if the fashion industry was a matriarch?

For most of this semester, the two of us (Tessa and Sophie) have been bonding over similar patriarchal frustrations. So, when it came time to choose a theme for our project, the answer was obvious – it had to be female-centred. In a world with so many white men calling the shots, what if the fashion industry was a matriarch? For research, we found articles on the latest trends inspired the women who came before us, such as the “Italian grandma” aesthetic, and even the “eclectic grandpa”. There were countless examples of mismatched, thrown-together fits, all designed with the intention of celebrating how much mothers really do. To capture this essence, here is our favourite quote we found:  “Exactly how you’d expect your mum friend to look while picking her kid from childcare – That same sense of disarray and purposeful mess.”

Details, details, details! We both feel so proud of this project because we feel that every small decision we made has a story and a reason. For example, our vest snaps up the right side on top of the left. Why? Through research, we have learned that most mothers carry their babies in their left arm as it keeps them closer to the more emotional side of their brain. It also keeps the baby on your heartbeat, and your right hand free. With the vest snapping right on top of the left, mothers can continue holding their baby on their left side, whilst unbuttoning the right to breastfeed. Why snaps? We initially thought buttons would be a bit more “grandma-esque”, although the idea was not totally functional and accessible. Snaps can snap in and out much more quickly than it takes to do up a button. And what about the pleats? We were stuck between wanting a slightly boxy, more masculine fit, while also wanting to celebrate a fitted, more feminine look. We found a happy medium by creating a cropped, slightly boxy silhouette with petite pleats on the back, allowing the vest to fit and flare.