THE DESIGNER

abigail anne laforest

Seeking to restore fashion’s lost value by honouring the artistry and craftsmanship of garments. Guided by a commitment to sustainability, my work embraces waste reduction and reimagines discarded materials, fusing creativity with recycling to create one-of-a-kind couture pieces.

THE WOMAN

More than just a creative outlet, fashion has been a space for me to explore my sense of self and gain confidence in who I am, as a designer and as a person.

Fashion used to be valued and cherished for it's craftsmanship, unique art form and power of self expression. In this modern world, overwhelmed by fast fashion this value has been lost and forgotten. My personal relationship with fashion strives to remember and honour this forgotten perspective, appreciating all aspects of fashion and the hands behind the garments.

Valuing quality, uniqueness, sustainable consideration and refusing to be confined by our modern society's "one aesthetic" mantra, my fashion identity has many personalities. One day, you’ll find me in a delicate, feminine dress, the next in grunge streetwear, and perhaps a gorpcore fit the following week. I pride myself in appreciating and being able to see the value in all styles, aesthetics and garments, something I believe makes me unique as a designer.

THE DESIGNER

As a designer, I aspire to bring the lost value back to fashion and the craftsmanship of garments. As a sustainable designer, I believe that true creativity lies in seeing potential where others may not. My designs are rooted in my deep passion for sustainability, focusing on the concept of waste reduction and the potential beauty, fusing imagination and recycling to create one of a kind couture garments.

This innate love for fashion has not only fueled my creativity but also given me the confidence to express who I am, free from judgment and expectation. Through my designs, I strive to carry forward that same appreciation for fashion as an art form, instilling a sense of comfort and empowerment in others so they too can experience its transformative power

Through fashion and graphic design studies at TAFE NSW and a Bachelor of Fashion Business from ICMS, Abigail-Anne is founded from a holistic knowledge of the industry both creatively and from a business perspective. Having this unique perspective allows all my design decisions to be carefully informed by design trends, industry directions, sustainable impacts and consumer behaviours. This enables me to produce unique, wearable and timeless pieces that embody quality and aesthetic.

THE MISSION

The rise of fast fashion has DESTROYED the value of fashion.

Consumers have no value for clothing or the craftsmanship behind it. Australians discard the most textile waste into landfill and the average cost they spend per piece of clothing is $13 AUD (The Australian Institute, 2024).

Someone's garment that they made by hand is worth $13 to our society....there is SO MANY issues with this. Fashion is no longer a celebration of art, design, expression and individuality, it is all business, profit and propaganda.

My mission as a designer is to re-ignite love and value of fashion through:

- creating unique, creative, fun and artistic designs that inspires others

- producing quality garments that focus on detailed craftsmanship highlighting the effort it takes to produce a garment and the value it holds

- educating others on their impacts and teaching simple solutions to consume more responsibly