Dressed for the Work

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Thesis project, MA Design Products, Royal College of Arts

Five garments. Five practices. One question: what does it mean to dress for the work?

One collection, five practices, each garment built from a conversation with a maker, translated into a brief no generic workwear could answer. Not protection as an afterthought, but clothing as specific and intentional as the tools it sits alongside.

Embossed Overall
Welders

Welding and grinding run hot, especially in summer , a garment that covers too much becomes unbearable, and one that covers too little fails at its job. Built in fire-resistant fabric, with embossed leather at the chest and knees, exactly where angle-grinder sparks land, session after session.

Double sided Kimono
Painters

Painting marks everything it touches, ink is permanent, and it will find the garment eventually, no matter what precautions are taken. Rather than fight the stains, this piece is built to accept them. A reversible kimono: one side sober, for stepping out of the studio; the other lined in an upcycled patchwork pattern designed to visually absorb paint as it builds up over time.

Over Shirt
Carpenters

Woodworking is a discipline of reach, controlled, repetitive motion across machines, benches, and surfaces. Long sleeves are a hazard here, so this piece keeps them short, with cuff pockets built for nails and bolts. A reversible collar pops up to block dust when sanding, and a dedicated pocket keeps marking tools within reach.

Kintsugi Vest
Ceramicists

Dry-stage ceramics is a precise, tool-dependent practice, trimming, carving, and reshaping leather-hard pieces demands immediate access to tools without interrupting the work. This sleeveless vest is inspired by kintsugi: rather than hide the seams, the back fabric is left sheer, so the construction is visible and celebrated. Flame-resistant for work around the kiln, with hidden pockets for trimming and shaping tools.

Pleated Jacket
Jewellers

Jewellery making moves through multiple stages, bench, torch, pickle, polish, each demanding its own tools and a different kind of movement. This pleated jacket keeps tweezers and pliers within easy reach, with a second set of pockets at the back for freedom of movement at the bench. Chemical-resistant fabric holds up against pickle, the acid used to clean metal after soldering.

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July ’26