BE PREPARED

Inspire by my time as a guide, the 'Be Prepared' project encapsulates themes of survival in both a physical and social sense. I wanted to create a piece that truly captured my experience of guide camps, so I started by looking at the old Icelandic tents we used, taking the shapes and structures from them. I also looked into pioneering, an activity done at camp that involves tying logs together in creative ways to build large decorative or usable structures. I wanted to be able to include some kind of structural sculpture in my coat because of this, yet have it still be usable and functional in real life situations; which presented me with a challenge of creating a changeable garment. 
The coat comes with survival instructions embroidered on its back that take you through how to build a shelter step by step using what is around you, it has over 3 meters of strong para-cord and hidden pockets for utility. the caplet can be drawn shut to create a cozy outer layer that has a fleece lining and there are strong straps crossing over the back to make carrying items easier such as a tent or a back pack. The sculpture is fully removable, however when work it helps to reflect the sense of community and safety that I gained from guiding.