Emily Toth
Collection
In losing a family member this past year, Passed Down was inspired by the way myself and my loved ones were able to connect to the missing member of our family through belongings he has passed down to us. I wanted Passed Down to not be about expensive family heirlooms, but rather the little things that allow us to feel like our loved one’s are still with us.
In highlighting my theme and my commitment to sustainability in my work. All the fabric I used in my collection is second hand whether it is from thrifted garments, estate sales, or leftovers from the industry.
Throughout my collection I feature patterns that come from my great grandmother's handkerchiefs, as well as fabrics that I have collected at estate sales. In addition, I have included quilting and knitting in my collection, as these are skills that have been passed down to me by loved ones that I have lost. In addition, I experiment with laser cutting heavily in my collection to bring new technology into an antique aesthetic to create something unique.
My great grandmother, Doris, is my biggest inspiration in this project. The first look in my collection is inspired by her love of jewelry and the jewelry that she has passed down to me. The top in the look mimics the shape of a necklace that she passed down to me while the skirt of the dress loops around in a way that references the layering of necklaces. In addition, my great grandma‘s greatest love was pearls so the jacket has sleeves with a knitted textile stuffed with pearls.
The second look is inspired by my great grandma's collection of handkerchiefs, however, the entire jacket and skirt are made of leather to reference my cowboy grandfather who passed away last year. I used the scalloped edge and intricate patterns to create this look.
The last look is inspired by the love and outlook on the world that we inherit from our loved ones. The shapes in the look are pulled from the curly handwriting that my great grandma used in writing love letters.
Bio
Emily Toth is a designer born and raised in Austin, Texas currently residing in NYC. Emily's creative journey is fueled by her dual passions for storytelling and sustainability. Drawing inspiration from spirituality, her designs explore themes of reincarnation, dreams, and loss of identity, weaving narratives that resonate on a personal level. Throughout her time at Parsons she has created multiple collections with one hundred percent recycled fabric and plans on continuing this practice in upcoming future projects. While using recycled fabrics, Emily has found that she has a strong sense for materiality and has grown passion for developing unique textiles.
emilytoth77@gmail.com