Care Label #6 : Molly Walters
Clothing as a remedy for loss?
Family, healing, sentimentality, memory.
All the emotions felt when viewing Molly’s collection, Waste Not - Want Not. Seeing the pieces and reading the inspiration behind ‘WNWN’, reinforced that what we wear has a huge impact on who we are. Our clothes and possessions are capable of deepening the connection we have with ourselves and our loved ones.
In Care Label #6, Molly speaks of the influence her Grandmother and Mother have had on her. Her NCAD Final Year collection, ‘WNWN’ was the vehicle to bring Granny to life, giving Molly and her Mother an opportunity to heal and remember her.
Clothing as a remedy for loss, who knew?
‘WNWN’ Synopsis
Waste Not – Want Not is a loungewear collection inspired by my late grandmother's philosophy of treasuring and taking care of her possessions and garments, and the sentimentality that is attached to personal belongings. From a young age, her values and consumption habits were influenced by popular World War Two shortage expressions like “Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do”, “New from Old” and “Waste not, Want not”, which formed the basis of this project.
The result is a collection that blends sentimental value into everyday clothing, clothing that serves as both a reminder of times and people past, as well as cherished keepsakes for future generations.
More words and images of the collection here.
Waste Not - Want Not awarded Molly the NCAD design bursary award, where she is currently in London working as a designer for River Island. We dialled in via VC and spoke all things ‘WNWN’, the creative process and her most cherished possessions, handed down from Grandmother to Mother, to Daughter.
Enjoy
Care Label: For people who aren’t aware, you’re an NCAD Fashion Design Graduate (2023). Your collection ‘Waste Not Want Not’ was your final year project. But first and foremost, where are you from?
Molly: “I’m from Dublin, Ireland.”
Care Label: Why Clothes and Why Making?
Molly: “If you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say an artist. My mum is always sewing, drawing and painting which has influenced me a lot. My grandmother used to oil paint. The rest of my family is business-like, straight edge. So it was myself, my Mom and my Granny who were more creative. They both really encouraged me to apply for NCAD”.
Care Label: You're keeping the creative flair alive! But was there a particular ‘aha’ moment where you knew clothes or fashion excited you?
Molly: “At first, I was confused about what I wanted to do, I was always very drawn to painting and fine art. Luckily, in NCAD you do a common year where you’re exposed to many different things. Fashion in NCAD is famously impossible to get into and I didn’t get in straight away. l was on the waitlist for a couple of weeks before I got a spot!”
Care Label: What was it about ‘making’ that drew you in?
Molly: “This is going to sound so random, but when I used to go to Wezz, I was always cutting up my clothes making something new to wear and mainly shortening my skirts. If I wanted something I would make my own version. But I don’t think there’s one big Why. Deciding to do the portfolio was influenced by my Mom and my Grandmother. My mum didn’t get into NCAD when she applied in the 80s, so she convinced me to apply to live vicariously through me. But to go back to the question, I just love clothes. Also, everyone used to watch Gossip Girl. Jenny Humphrey on that sewing machine?? I wanted to be her.”
*Waste Not Want Not*
Care Label: To speak more about ‘Waste Not Want Not’. The inspiration behind it was very poignant. But can you explain the story behind it in your own words?
Molly: “Well, my grandmother has had a huge impact on my life. She died when I was 16. She was such a stylish woman and loved fashion; she was always glued to Exposé. Granny really believed in quality and valued her belongings so much. She used to say, “You will forget the money you spend on something but you won’t forget the quality”. I was given a lot of her things after she died, including her engagement ring. I’ve always been obsessed with what my Granny wore and what my Mom wore.”
Care Label: ‘WNWN’ was about reflecting on the absence of your Grandmother. Was your collection an homage to your Grandmother?
Molly: “Yes, absolutely. I feel that ‘WNWN’ is her. All my reference photos are of her and what she was wearing. I think if she was here, Granny would love it. She didn't even know the impact she had on me. My Mother was so happy too, I feel it was also for her.”
Care Label: It's strange at times that what we wear can be disregarded so easily. But the medium to bring your Grandmother to life and deepen the connection with your Mother was through this collection. The product, while it was beautiful, was secondary.
Molly Waters: “Completely. Yeah, someone was even trying to buy it after the show. They said;
Random Admirer: Can I buy ‘WNWN’ Molly?
Molly: No way!!
Molly: “I'm so proud of what I made, but for me, it was more about the concept rather than how the pieces came together. What the collection meant rather than execution was the most important thing to me.”
Care Label: But the pieces and the story were so aligned. You even had a picture of your Grandmother and Mother at Holy Communion on one of the pieces!
Molly: “Yes! I actually used one of my Grandmother’s dresses as the waistband piece. The clothing that she used to wear was a part of it.”
Molly: “I've always been obsessed with wearing something that has had another life. In NCAD we actually spent the summer thinking about what we wanted to do our degree project on, and for me, it was such a no-brainer. I remember reading a passage in this book about fabricating memories and how that helps us connect to absence. When I read this, I knew that was it, that’s all I needed to read. So I feel that's how I dress myself every day. I will never leave the house without wearing something of my Mom's or my Granny's.”
Care Label: Yeah, and that’s such an important message to highlight. It’s so cliche, but it is about that relationship you’re forming with that ‘thing’. We’re all trying to have as much connection in our life as possible, with people, art, food or music. But a layer that is often forgotten about is the clothes we wear.
Molly: “Totally. I feel like everything in my wardrobe has this little story and personality. I'm obsessed with heirlooms. I always think, ‘Will my child keep this?’ I don't have a child or any plans but I'm so reluctant to throw stuff out. This will be back on trend, and in 30 years, my child is going to say, ‘Mom can I wear this??’ I literally do that with my Mom’s wardrobe now, so it’s a cycle of heirlooms from Mother to Daughter.”
*Marlay Park + Moschino = Sentimentality
Molly: “Speaking of heirlooms, let me tell you a funny story. When she was 19, my Mom used to work as a VM in Brown Thomas dressing the windows. The first purchase she made while working there was this Moschino fanny pack.
“When I was 14 going to Longitude, I used the bag. I begged my mum to use it. I thought I was the coolest thing! She was very concerned about the bag. I hadn’t earned her trust yet with her belongings. That was the first thing that made me think about what it means to have things that hold such sentimental value.”
“I lost it for two weeks and I was on eBay trying to find a replacement! I could never have told my mother. Thank God I found it. Let me grab it, one second.”
*Find your own Process*
Care Label: Moving on to the idea of process, which is important as it garners an appreciation for what we eat, drink and wear. So what is your process as a maker?
Molly: “It’s funny because in College we were taught a specific process. Step One, Step Two, Step Three, etc. But with me, I am completely random. I cannot follow that process. I feel some things came together a week before and some things I was so sure about at the very start. I’m not a perfectionist at all. You think that's kind of a downfall, but I was able to make decisions very quickly because I’d say, ‘Right that’s done, let's move on to the next thing’. I feel like having a strong reason or purpose and inspiration is more important than following a regimented process.”
Care Label: That’s interesting to hear because your random process is the process itself. It doesn’t need to be formulaic. That works for you, but would never work for someone else.
Molly: “One of my friends Conor O'Brien from NCAD was literally the complete opposite. His process is so linear and everything was perfect. Every sample was beautifully finished. In every drawing he made, there was not one rubber mark at all. We sat beside each other and we were two completely different people. I was total chaos in comparison.”
*Values and Identity*
Care Label: What is your sense of identity and values as a maker?
Molly: “That's such a great question. I think I’m happy as long as whatever I’m making resonates with me. A lot of ‘WNWN’ was embroidery work. I feel especially with embroidery, I was putting messages and little anecdotes all over the clothes. These messages didn't make sense to other people, but they made sense to me. I think you have to love what you are making and be excited about it.”
“Also, I think that how I dress myself and who I am as a designer are intrinsically linked. I have always designed pieces with myself as the wearer. I am a very sentimental person. I go through my family photo boxes once a month, hoping to find something I didn’t spot last time. This kind of resulted in my entire collection having my family photos and memories painted on every piece. I always carry these things with me quietly, but it’s being able to make clothes that show these parts of me loudly.”
“In terms of my values, my DNA was all in the name of the collection ‘WNWN’. Sentimental or not, I try my best to repurpose fabrics, trims and old garments. I was lucky to have friends and college tutors donate old trims and fabrics to me. This gave ‘WNWN’ more character and shaped the aesthetic of the collection. One day I received a bag of 1950s vintage lace trims from an elderly seamstress. I felt like I had won the lottery!”
*Next Steps and Success*
Care Label: What's next for Molly?
Molly: “I'd love to eventually be making and selling my own work. I think it can be scary putting yourself and your work out there. I don’t quite have the time or finances to go out on my own just yet, so I am not in any rush. I think Irish people are really supportive of artists which definitely makes it less scary.”
Care Label: For sure, there is an appreciation here. Everyone rallies around each other here which is beautiful.
Care Label: Lastly, what does success mean to you?
Molly: “I think I feel successful if I am proud of what I’ve made and it’s true to me. I think that's all that matters. For me, it’s also about the little details, even the ones most people don’t see. I like having my name or initials on my clothes, it’s a little detail that makes it yours. The lovely thing about making is that what you make is truly unique.”
Care Label: What a great way to end. Thank you Molly!
Okay this is my new favourite!! Well done :)