Fashion - Bachelor
Primordial Descent explores the mysteries of the deep ocean, imagining how life might have evolved in a world untouched by human interference. The collection challenges humanity’s relentless pursuit of progress, questioning our relationship with nature and envisioning an alternative evolutionary world free from pollution, environmental destruction and the consequences of human civilisation.
Primordial Descent explores the unknown world of the deep ocean, envisioning how marine life may have evolved in a world untouched by human intervention. The collection contests humanity’s assumption that we are in control of nature, imagining a primordial world where ecosystems have developed freely from pollution, extinction and the impact of mass civilisation. Primordial Descent challenges the viewer to reconsider humanity’s relationship with the natural environment and the consequences of disrupting its evolution.
The collection translates the alien characteristics of deep-sea creatures into exaggerated silhouettes and organic forms. The symmetry, repetition, pattern and organic curves seen in marine life inform each garment’s silhouette, while ombrés reflect the natural colourings which belong to sea life. Each garment extends and distorts the body, creating an extraterrestrial form that suggests evolutionary adaptation beyond current findings.
The deep ocean represents one of Earth’s least understood environments, protected by extreme pressure, darkness and inaccessibility. The isolation of the deep sea provides an opportunity to conceptualise what nature could have become without human disruption, reflecting on contemporary concerns regarding pollution, extinction and the loss of biodiversity. Primordial Descent critiques society’s underlying attitude that naturally positions human progression, such as AI and industrialisation, above ecological preservation.
Sustainability is embedded through considered material selection and construction, favouring natural materials and the use of form, pattern and dyeing to create visual impact as opposed to polyester satins/organzas and plastic embellishments. Primordial Descent therefore positions fashion as a justifiable medium for questioning the environmental consequences of human consumption and our responsibility to preserve ecosystems.
Kate Nothdurft is a Brisbane-based emerging fashion designer with a multidisciplinary background in fashion design and public relations. Her creative practice explores experimental silhouettes, unconventional construction and the relationship between nature and the human experience. Through considered material exploration and innovative techniques, she seeks to challenge traditional forms and push creative boundaries.
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