Annabel Frampton
Annabel Frampton is a fashion practitioner driven by a strong interest in the world around her and how it can be translated into design. Her work explores the intersection between culture, identity, and materiality, often drawing from personal experiences and first-hand research. With a particular focus on storytelling, Frampton uses fashion as a medium to communicate narratives that go beyond aesthetics, engaging with social, historical, and cultural themes.
Frampton's recent work investigates the significance of braids and cornrows within South African culture, examining how these forms reflect identity, heritage, and division. Through this, she has developed a research-led and concept-driven approach, combining practical experimentation with critical thinking. She works across a range of techniques including fabric manipulation, embroidery, and textile development, often exploring unconventional materials and processes to challenge traditional fashion norms.
Frampton is particularly interested in how fashion can act as both a visual and educational tool, raising awareness and encouraging dialogue. Her practice continues to evolve through experimentation, reflection, and a commitment to meaningful design. She aims to create work that is both visually impactful and conceptually grounded, contributing to contemporary conversations within fashion and creative industries.
Final Major Project Photoshoot – This final outcome responds to the question “How does the representation of braids and cornrows reflect cultural identity and division within South Africa?” The piece is informed by Frampton's experiences of travelling within Africa and engaging with local communities, alongside research into cultural identity and visual forms of expression.
The project aims to raise awareness of the historical and social significance embedded within braids and cornrows. Through Frampton's research, she developed a deeper understanding of their meanings, particularly in relation to the transatlantic slave trade and apartheid, where hair functions not only as a form of identity but also as a symbol of resilience and resistance. While the outcome is rooted in a fashion context, Frampton's approach evolves throughout the project to become more concept-driven and research-led. This shift allows me to move beyond purely aesthetic design, creating work that communicates a stronger narrative around cultural identity, history, and representation.
Final Major Project Design Development – These illustrations documents some of the design development for the Final Major Project, titled “How does the representation of braids and cornrows reflect cultural identity and division within South Africa?”
Frampton's explore a range of visual and material approaches to translate her research into fashion outcomes. Frampton's experiment with silhouette, textiles, proportion, placement, and pattern, using these elements to reflect the structure and symbolism of braids and cornrows. Through drawing and sampling, Frampton begins to develop informed design ideas that connect concept with form.
This phase is crucial in bridging research and final outcome. It allows Frampton to test how effectively communicate cultural narratives through garment construction and surface detail. The process also encourages her to take creative risks, refining her ideas while ensuring they remain grounded in my research.
Puckered Seams Outcome – This image is from a project titled “Puckered Seams” which explores imperfections within clothing, with a particular focus on pattern cutting. The concept is informed by first-hand research from a trip to Iceland, where Frampton observed natural cracking within the landscape. She translates this visual inspiration into a cracked, multi-layered print, using the fabric as a canvas to reflect these organic textures.
To develop the design further, Frampton incorporates irregular geometric shapes, which is then hand-stitched onto the garment using contrasting thread. This combination of controlled pattern making and unpredictable surface detail reflects the tension between structure and imperfection.
The photoshoot is intentionally styled to reinforce this concept. The model is positioned in a natural setting, lying on a bench with similarly cracked paint, contrasted against a green, organic background. This visual connection strengthens the narrative, linking the garment to its environmental inspiration and emphasising the beauty found within imperfection.
African Textiles, Silhouette – This project, titled African Textiles and Sustainability, documents a collection of imagery from Frampton's design development process. The work explores structural textiles, drawing inspiration from traditional African techniques such as bowl weaving. Frampton is particularly interested in how these methods can inform contemporary textile construction while maintaining a connection to cultural craftsmanship.
Throughout the project, Frampton also gathered visual references from nature, including animals, plants, and organic shapes. These influences inform both the surface design and structural qualities of her work, allowing her to develop a more holistic and layered approach.
Frampton experiments with how these textile techniques translate into silhouette, considering how structure, form, and material interact within garment design. This process strengthens my understanding of sustainability by encouraging thoughtful material use and an appreciation for traditional, craft-based practices.
Progressive Details x Sportswear – This work is from the project “Progressive Details x Sportswear”, where I explore how a historical garment detail can be reinterpreted within a contemporary context. I focus on frog fastenings from the Napoleonic era, analysing their structure and decorative function before translating them into a modern design language.
I reimagine this detail through weaving techniques using colourful paracord, creating a series of textile samples to test how it can function within sportswear.
My concept centres on jockey riding, which informs both the aesthetic and functional aspects of the designs. I incorporate these reworked fastenings into key areas such as the shoulders, back, and cuffs, considering movement, durability, and practicality.
Pattern cutting plays an important role in integrating these details effectively into the garments. This project allows me to combine historical reference with contemporary performance wear, developing my ability to adapt traditional elements into innovative, functional design solutions.