“Last night I dreamt that I was on a square skyscraper building with this demonic girl who could draw images from sounds...long story short, it ended with me fighting a Jabberwocky and getting a Kylie Jenner vaccine.” Welcome to the mind of womenswear designer Mathilda Mace.

What was the first thing you thought about when you woke up this morning?

Strangling my sister who was screaming ‘where's the toothpaste’ at 6.30am

What did you dream of last night?

I am the biggest dreamer ever. I'm always waking up in the morning and texting someone random to tell them that I had a dream with them in it where I watered their mum who was actually a plant… similar wavelength of scenarios each time lol. Last night I dreamt that I was on a square skyscraper building with this demonic girl who could draw images from sounds...long story short, it ended with me fighting a Jabberwocky and getting a Kylie Jenner vaccine.

What first attracted you to working in fashion?

Well, I always struggled with every subject I took, apart from Ceramics, Art and History of Art as A levels. I only found out I had dyslexia after my GCSE’s and when tested the examiner said I had subconsciously managed to hide my dyslexia through coping visually my whole life. My English is beyond confused so I do apologise in advance here lol. The way I see, and want my fashion to be seen, is in the form of a 3D creator, less boundaries and a bigger scope for me to express myself.

My journey definitely started with Ceramics, which was an eye opener for me. Personally, working on a flat surface isn't enough. Being able to sculpt and make 24/7 with an amazing teacher who allowed us to create these wacky pieces from weird concepts that always challenged my Catholic secondary schools' boundaries was exhilarating. This was where I began to explore different clays and textures and enjoy transforming concepts into 3D. I have always been inspired by the functioning body, and transformation. I can remember being much younger and researching into the Dutch designer Bart Hess whose work was focused on fashion and animation within both the commercial and art universe. I was so obsessed with the way the body became a canvas and how the sculptural silhouettes were being performed for display - the human canvases inflating and deflating with every breath. I was sceptical about choosing fashion as I didn't want to lose my love for unconventional materials; It compelled me to choose a 3D foundation to explore more 3D ways of working. My tutors approached me and told me they thought I could really excel if I merged the way I work with 3D materials into fashion and I haven't looked back. I think it's beautiful to be able to create 3D forms from concepts and elevate and enjoy them through fashion.

Do you have any significant inspirations?

Inspiration always changes but plenty of it comes from body morphing silhouettes, creature creations and experimental materials. I actually take inspiration from emotion and how certain things make me feel when I experience them. The film Donnie Darko was influential to me. I loved the story line and the beauty of how it was depicted. If my brain gets excited, challenged emotionally, it spurs me on to start different research and enter creative zones. I do partly exist in a dream world and sometimes I will have a dream that I'm really inspired by. My struggle with sleep paralysis has definitely fed into my interest in gruesome, slimy characters, and darker story lines, as well as the fact that I have always had a fascination with creatures and characters in films. I remember watching Pan's Labyrinth years ago and feeling in awe of the fantastical creatures and creativity in the design.

I am a very practical person and for me, the Material and 3D stages of making are so crucial for me when working, it inspires me. I don't see the technical processes (working with metals and foams, to latex and glue) as something that makes my brain hurt, even though sometimes I have to draw out paths of exploration in my head or on paper I know the process will work out eventually.

Besides visual inspiration, I also find inspiration and determination comes from past situations that have had affected me negatively and positively, as fuel for me to be as productive, and grow as much as I can.

How would you describe the evolution of your brand (or work style)?

2020 was a rollercoaster of decisions and the unknown. I don't even really feel like I properly knew my work style until I was faced with just myself in lockdown. Leaving Uni was the start of me finding my own path in the industry. I definitely began to find my feet and confidence when I started to immerse myself amongst using sustainable materials - such as algae - and implementing them into my 3D fashion ideas. I kind of just let the material talk, and it fed into this path of really exploring materials and engaging with quite a few people who were really into what I was doing and my journey.

I was also interning with a creative director at the same time and 3D online art kept entering in conversation, it wasn't until I got Corona on Christmas eve that I decided to stop working with resins for obvious health reasons and learn from YouTube how to use 3D software. I am in collaboration currently with an amazing knitwear designer utilising those skills. I have developed the evolution of my brand through realising what I don't enjoy and am not as good at. What I could surround myself with day in day out helped me with that: Listening to music, watching films, speaking to other creators. I don't have the attention span to work any other way!

How do you intend for your work to be consumed or perceived?

People can perceive my work in any way they like. I hope my work is open enough that it calls out to every single type of human. I don't see it as just fashion, but more a 3D art garment. I don't want to think that my creations would be worn in just ‘normal’ life, I like to think that they be worn or displayed for others, whether its artistic direction, music videos, a casual home shoot with your nan or for Halloween - literally anywhere! When designing, I try not to take into account everyday practicality as I don’t think that’s what my fashion is. Your average Rachel probably wouldn't be asking me for a spike algae bag or a hybrid suit commission, but nevertheless if she did, I'd be into it!

Transformation is so important. I want my customers to feel sexy and spiritual! I like to work on commissions for Drag Queens, Music Artists etc, which is freeing as it allows me to build a relationship with so many amazing people. I am such an advocate for supporting people who express themselves in whichever way they choose. This is how I express myself and I have met some really inspiring designers amongst the start of my journey and I can't wait to catapult myself deeper!

What inspired the narrative of your latest designs?

My recent work ideas were slowly implanted in my brain after I watched Bram Stoker's Dracula. Eiko Ishiokas blood Vampire Armour Suit inspired by worms and musculature is stunning, as is the detailed creature design for Dracula in his bat and wolf form, but what I was mostly driven by mentally was that this aggressive, immortal monster was born from the pain of love. It started off with me just overthinking late into the night and comparing it to 2020 love: how it has evolved into a myth with so many layers. Immediately I was just thinking of the catch phrase ‘Love makes monsters’, and I knew from then on that I wanted to create some kind of mythical slimy creature. The armour in Game of Thrones also inspired me for this project and is what made me end up creating my pattern pieces as if they were shaped around the muscles. The original intention of ‘Love makes monsters’ got lost as I delved deeper into the black hole of YouTube, watching foam monster cosplay tutorials. I got in touch with the amazing Drag Queen Black Peppa, who commissioned me to make her a monster suit and it all started there. I spent hours of trial-and-error, fighting with the foam - and my mannequin - as well as inhaling a lot of contact cement fumes. I found using foam an amazing way for me to bring my sculpting background from ceramics into play, I definitely intend to carry on using it in future projects. I love it...and I order the scraps from a company in America that recycles the lot so it's a win-win.

Can you describe your utopia?

Utopia for me, would be, most importantly, Covid free and Anti-Racist. Making the streets and homes safe for women is another important thing for my Utopia - that ‘reported missing’, domestic violence and ‘rough sex defence’ case is taken seriously on every occasion. There are so many stories about these instances when women have died, being classed an ‘accident’, but about 70% of the time the defendants go on to kill/hurt again. I definitely wish the world was less reliant on social media, Instagram mainly. Maybe if we had some sort of time capsule wall in our houses that was electrical and we could upload all our work as holograms, instead of constantly seeking gratification from others with a post and staring at our phones for hours!

Can you describe dystopia?

A flat world, no 3D or design. I don't know what I would do - I'd probably become a lyric writer. I love lyrics so much. Or a Step-up back up dancer. Life in a prison cell seems a lot like dystopia to me, claustrophobic rooms with no windows and no freedom. A world without toothpaste, I'M OBSESSED!

If you released a fragrance, what would it be called and how would it smell?

Internal Steel Enigma Love Potion Vol.1. Lol. Steel-stained glass window bottle, deep red blood travelling through. Light cloud, cherub notes. I'm seeing the vision. It would smell like a sexy crystal dungeon with some earthy mist and an intense red oud smell. Guaranteed to make your crush want to SNOG, similar to that scene in ‘Angus Thongs and Perfect Snogging’.

What character would you love to see wearing your work and why?

A Sims character springs to mind, but also a Gothmog Orc from Lord of the rings, I'm obsessed with their muddy, mutated skin... so maybe some kind of sims stimulation of an orc could be cool.

Can you tell us anything about what you’re working on now?

Yes! I definitely will be exploring the extremities of foam and creating other creatures and interesting exoskeletal pieces, but also just experimenting with different silhouettes - I intend to learn how to use pyrotechnics to push my foam ideas further. I have just completed a Burnished metal wax mask for the artist Malthus. Working with metal was new for me but I really got into it. I have always loved robot suits, transformers and old-fashioned armoured metal. I hope to be getting a job in a Creature FX company so I can learn more skills that can influence my direction of work.

Do you have any advice to others that are thinking about pursuing their careers outside of the traditional education structure?

Everyone is different. In my situation I just felt completely restrained and muted down when I was at Uni. I felt less excited because it wasn't pushing me. I was aware that it was a risky situation, however. For months on end of contemplating my life choices throughout the first lockdown, I thought ‘fuck it, I want to be able to grow into something I love and not be a dulled down robot version of that’.

I was listening to a podcast the other day about our callings/purpose, and I think it's so important to listen to podcasts like this and speak about what you really enjoy doing with friends, family and peers. Question yourself: ‘Why are you doing what you're doing?’; ‘Are you your happiest?’; ‘Is there something you want to do more?’ So yeah, definitely to understand the importance of listening to your heart in the direction you take. Also, I would say to not limit yourself to one thing. I'm not going to degrade the education system because I think it’s amazing, but I also think the internet is a huge place, and you have the chance to be so incredibly specific with what you want to learn, I think we should use that to our advantage, and learn new weird and impressive skills. I think it's the key to individuality and looking into the future of art and fashion.

Best thing and worst thing for creatives in 2021?

I think as creatives we have a lead over other business’ in the sense that art can be created from chaos. The worst thing would have to be the unknown, and the economic state of the country and what effect that could have on people supporting paid internships, graduate jobs etc in 2021. Since being in lockdown, I've noticed a growth in bigger brands/companies promoting and supporting much smaller, non-funded up and coming creatives. I feel as a community we've all come together a lot more than previous years and I feel like our industry nowadays has a lot more opportunities for every person and not just the people at the top. This year has also forced people to ‘cancel’ a lot of people who didn't deserve to have the platform they were on, which is a step in a better direction. I think if we as creatives keep pushing and supporting not just our own but the work of others too and continue to work towards sustainability then this year could be an insane year for fashion.