Carry Me In Memory

Category: Accessories

Often, I feel inspired by the human interactions that I happen to have during a certain period of time. Recently, I became aware of a pattern showing up in the lives of a generation that is driven to chase dreams and pursue personal interests. This was an eye-opening realization, as I have done so myself. But it made me wonder: what is the flip side of chasing dreams? Do we have to leave certain things behind in order to pursue them? Over time, the world has certainly opened up. Moving across countries has become easier, allowing us to chase our interests without fear, even in places far from home. Through these experiences, we have found adventure, freedom, and belonging. They have shaped the way we see life and taught us to dream beyond boundaries. However, there is another side to this story. What happens to love and relationships when both people choose to chase their dreams? Can distance survive late-night phone calls, missed moments, and the absence of being in each other's arms? These questions have felt incredibly relevant throughout the years I have spent moving across countries and meeting people doing the same. "I am chasing my dreams, and life offers so many opportunities... but I still don't want to feel selfish or forget the people I left behind at my previous home," is a sentence I have heard discussed often. I took this feeling as inspiration and translated it into a storytelling introduction. "You arrive in a new city. A week passes. There are new friends, unfamiliar bars, and the excitement of a new beginning. Yet, in moments of solitude, your thoughts return to the person you left behind. A phone call feels familiar, but something is missing. You miss the comfort of their presence—the feeling of their clothes, their scent, the way time seemed to pause whenever they were near. If only you could have taken a part of their wardrobe with you. Something to wrap yourself in when the distance feels too heavy. Something that could hold memory, intimacy, and closeness. This collection is dedicated to a generation chasing their dreams while navigating the emotional reality of long-distance love." This story, written by me, invited me to find a solution for the missing wardrobe and to give the wearer a reminiscing detail to hold onto in times of need. It led me to investigate details of classic menswear, asking how they could be integrated into the world of accessories. I found the answer in the detail of the storm flap, often found on classic trench coats. I found the shape of the storm flap to be an interesting element to incorporate into bags and accessories. It brings a highly recognisable menswear detail to each item while also introducing an interactive element—something that is often missed in a long-distance relationship. The products I designed and handcrafted myself make use of waxed calf leather, which reflects the bold decisions made by this generation. The storm flap is backed with soft suede, inviting the wearer to interact with this detail. The lining and cap are crafted from linen cloth, which represents the emotional self-reflection our generation is capable of. The linen is wrapped with bound leather edges, referencing the embrace that the wearer cannot receive because of the distance between them and their loved one. Overall, both pieces embody the story above and answer the question of how a missing wardrobe can be translated into accessories. The result is a bag and cap that are both experimental and commercially viable, while introducing an interactive and emotionally meaningful element to each piece.

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