06/01/2018
Erin Boyle
October 16, 2016 ·
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6 years of a stream of consciousness, 100+ rough sketches, 500+ feathers, a blackened bathtub, 8 brave models, an inspired makeup artist and her assistant later, my vision has finally been realized. The BP Oil Spill has haunted me and the people of the Gulf of Mexico since the day it happened and continues to do so and I just couldn't allow it's impact to fade away. And so to everyone who helped me finally bring this collection to life I thank you. My fashion illustration and portfolio professor at Bay State College, Christian Kozaki who one day in 2011 gave me the home work assignment to create a collection based on post-apocalypse, national disaster, or dystopia. After completing the assignment you told me to expand it instead of doing the next week assignment and challenged me to go out and actually make it. My classmates and professors at Mount Ida College, Paola Ferreira, Htwe Htwe Han, Emma Anderson, Jewely Wong, Cara Tutts, EJ Battle, Aleta May Deyo, who joined me in this process giving me feedback and advice, especially for telling me to wait until after college to make this collection lol. My mom Catherine Boyle, who when I was in a rough patch careerwise told me to stop everything and actually do this collection now and enter it at Hartford Fashion Week. HFW's Katrina Orsini for giving a platform to show this collection and for putting up with my many questions. My TJX Family, Molly, Valerie, Karen, Nancy Rogers, Sha, and again Paola, who were all excited for me and were great advice givers when I was having construction or machine issues. The 8 brave young women Ally Collins, Jade Soto, Maliha Martinez, Christina M. Richardson, Kelsey Dixon, Ashley Abad, Taylor Woodard, and again Jewely Wong for putting up with my crazy ideas and for letting me cover them in black goo and still go out in public aka restaurant for food despite the stares. You all rocked it and I hope to work with all of you again soon! Ally Collins and Ashley Abad who, when I couldn't find a hair stylist willing to do the show, stepped up and took it on without even being asked. Caitlyn Anna of Caitlyn Shea MUA and her assistant Fizz who took my vision and brought it to life with their talents in makeup artistry. Looking forward to working with you again! And of course my Dad Kevin Boyle who I'm sure is always bewildered by what I'm buying or doing in the house to make my ideas work but has always been one of my biggest supporters and the reason I even knew about Hartford Fashion Week. It's because of you all I was able to produce this message and hopefully make an impact on environmental issues.
