Lockdown life inspires fashion photography project with a difference

A Northumbria University student has drawn inspiration from her experiences of lockdown to create a series of striking images which are attracting national attention.

Final year Fashion Communication student Fauve Wright left Northumbria to return to her family home in the Peak District following the introduction of Covid-19 lockdown measures in March.

Unable to source the materials she needed for her planned final year project, Fauve instead created a new series of images using items from around her home, all inspired by headlines about the Coronavirus.

With empty pizza boxes and toilet rolls both featuring, the images aim to provide a quirky take on life at a time many of us may be struggling.

As Fauve explains: “Like a lot of people I found the first few weeks of lockdown really difficult as there was so much uncertainty.

“I had been planning my final year project SCREWBALL, a magazine based on people’s fears, since I started university but realised I would have to completely rethink much of the content due to the coronavirus restrictions.

“I started researching the news coverage of coronavirus and decided to create a series of ‘fashion forward’ images based on the headlines I was reading. The idea was to try to put some fun and light into what was a devastating, anxious and scary time for everyone.”

The images were all created, styled and shot in Fauve’s family home, with her sister Tiny stepping in to model.

One of the images which has attracted the most attention is a skirt created using empty Dominos pizza boxes, designed to highlight the role online food delivery has played in keeping the nation fed during lockdown.

Another plays on the early panic buying of toilet rolls, with Fauve styling her sister as a clown, complete with cardboard toilet roll neck ruffle and hat, highlighting the idiocy of stockpiling.

Fauve also references the impact Covid-19 has had on many people’s mental health, using gardening wire and clever editing to portray the feeling of being trapped which many young people have experienced.

The images have now been shared around the world, as far afield as Indonesia and Nigeria.

Fauve believes the support she has had from Northumbria over the last three years gave her the confidence to think outside the box and trust her creativity.

“My time at Northumbria has really taught me to embrace all my weird and wonderful ideas and have confidence that they will work,” she said.

“My tutors have always been really supportive and taught me to believe in myself and that definitely helped when it came to responding to this particular challenge.

“I’ve also had amazing help from my family who have supported me through the initial first few really difficult weeks and then been on hand to help make my ideas come to life.”

Christopher Hodge, Senior lecturer in Fashion Communication at Northumbria University and Fauve’s Final Major Project mentor said: “Fauve is a prolific and super creative student who always thinks outside of the box and comes up with amazing concepts and ideas.

“Having to re-think her Final Major Project so completely really pushed her to be creative and adopt what has almost become our course mantra, 'Start where you are, use what you've got and do what you can!'.

“We have students currently spread all around the globe who are finding new and innovative ways to realise their ideas, we couldn't be more proud of the way they've found ways to be creative and focussed during the time of Covid-19.”

Fauve now hopes to go on to study for a Masters. You can see more of her work on Instagram @fauvewright and @fauvewrightphotography

Find out more about studying Fashion Communication at Northumbria University.