LFWSS25 - Jayne Pierson: Annwn
On Saturday the 14th of September 2024, Jayne Pierson transported the viewers of her collection to the other world, Annwn; a fictitious place that was central to Celtic mythology where it was presented as a world parallel to our own. Celtic mythology was an important source of inspiration for Pierson as shown by the numerous prominent references throughout her collection, from the textile to the jewellery and finally the room, which was inspired by the woodland with “twisted willow, dried flowers and the haze machine creating this lovely effect of candles”. The focal point of Annwn for Pierson was closely linked to her daughter, Ruby-Rhiannon who passed, and it is where Pierson believes she “lives as a Goddess”. Her Welsh heritage was the main motif and a clear source of inspiration throughout this collection where she emphasised the Witch trials around Europe, where thousands of women were wrongfully persecuted.
The Welsh community was influenced strongly by women who were herbalists, soothsayers and enchanters. Pierson wanted the show to emulate the strong and empowered women who had such an important and respected role in that epoch, creating a bridge between high fashion and avant-garde characteristics.
There were a variety of textures used in the collection such as nappa leather, black taffetas and gold technical chiffons which created an illustrious feeling. Light and dark colours that were featured in the collection such as gold, silver, black and a beautiful metallic blue were used to mimic the use of the moon in Celtic mythology and Rhiannon, the Goddess of rebirth, fertility and the moon.
A key element for Pierson’s collection is the notion of sustainability and thus all the textiles used for the Annwn collection were made from sustainable fabrics sourced by Beglarian Fabrics of France, handcrafted in Pierson’s West Wales Studio.
On the notion of sustainability, one of the emphasised pieces that debuted at London Fashion Week was a bespoke structured cape worn by Rachel Goswell, a dear friend of Pierson, along with the lead singer of the band Slowdive. The cape was made from plastic waste removed from the ocean in order to highlight the importance of using fashion as a medium to stimulate important conversations about crucial topics such as the environment. With Pierson, we can learn more about the disregard that humans have for nature.
During the show, there was a breakthrough in the gap between fashion and art, with the introduction of high-resolution scanning of art and printing on premium leather. Pierson chose the artwork “Schaukeln” (Swinging) painted by Wassily Kandinsky in 1925, which illustrates dynamism and conveys a sense of freedom from the real world. Pierson redefined the phrase ‘wearable art’ by using abstract expressionism, bringing about a new level of haute couture fashion with a technological milestone. Pierson collaborated with a company called Arius Technology to achieve this incredible step in the fashion world. Paul Lindahl, CEO of Arius Technology, added, “With Jayne’s vision and nuForj’s insight, we achieved something truly special.”
Pierson also launched a jewellery collaboration called the Gwenllian Collection with Devji Arum made of 24k Welsh gold, diamonds, lapis lazuli and malachite, once again illustrating her strong connection to her heritage. The jewellery had Welsh triskelion motifs, which is a triple spiral that has two meanings: one of which is earth, water and air, and the other is to show the importance of the triple Goddess in mythology who is a maid, mother and crone. The use of these triskelion symbols were used to mark sacred Celtic sites. Along with the triskelion, Pierson also implemented Celtic knots into the collection, which symbolise the cyclical nature of the cycle of life showing life, death and rebirth as well as another interpretation which shows the correlation between all natural things in the world. Finally, Pierson incorporated the idea of the protective amulets that the Celts would use to shield them from harm, enemies and misfortune. Furthermore, protective amulets were used as a connective link between the real world and the spiritual realm, Annwn.
Personally, I feel that this collection was one of a kind, stemming from the ever-present link to her heritage and homage to Celtic mythology. More importantly, the jewellery illustrates emblems that the Celts would use and their importance within the context of their culture and religious beliefs. As for me, the most important and remarkable aspect is the attention to detail along with the accessories used to adorn the clothing, as well as a tribute to her beloved daughter.
Moreover, the strong message of shining a light on the harm done to the environment and the use of plastic waste to create something beautiful and unique highlights the importance of fashion, and how it is a way to communicate universally with symbols and sentiments instead of words. Ultimately, the breakthrough of ‘wearable art’ has left a lasting impression, as the use of Kandinsky’s abstract expressionism to bridge art and fashion was a beautiful choice as his use of shapes were: “The synthesis of the greatest oppositions. It combines the concentric and eccentric in a single form and in balance”.
This collection combined three key different, yet equally important aspects: heritage, art and the environment, all of which are portrayed to us, perfectly balancing a sense of cohesion and eloquence.
Written by Claudia Limaverde Costa
Edited by Holly Anderson, Fashion Editor
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