Collette Costello debuts Salford inspired fashion line at Salford’s Museum & Art Gallery

Salford born fashion designer Collette Costello has created a collection inspired by the city she and her grandmother grew up in.

This recent collection available at the Salford Museum and Art Gallery was inspired solely by her Nana and her experience of growing up in Salford in the 1900’s.

Collette created printed fabric and outfits with a design of sketches she made from stories her Nana told her.

Collette said: “She would tell me all about how she grew up and how Salford used to be.”

Colette, who studied art in Salford, wanted to preserve the stories her Nana told her and turn them into fabrics.

She later added: “I found it really interesting, it was like a Charles Dickens book or something”.

With a focus on sustainability and durability, Collette’s company HackSew is selling fabrics and sewing kits to teach people to mend their clothes.

Collette added:”My Nana’s generation never threw out anything.”

Sustainability in the 1900’s was far greater than present day, with people upcycling damaged fabrics into mended clothes or rags.

“Nothing was wasted and that’s what inspired me.”

Collette also discussed her hope for better sustainability in fashion after her experience with factories.

With her previous fashion collection and designs, Collette invested in getting her clothes printed at a factory.

After having multiple misprints and dodgy dealings, Collette stopped her working with factories and focused on more ethical ways of producing fashion.

This lead to the creation of her ethical brand.

“If I could provide the fabric and sewing courses and kits, and teach people how to sew, then people can make their own clothes which is more sustainable and ethical.”

Collette’s previous collections included photoshoots and runway shows and she is hoping to do the same with this collection.

“I would definitely love to do another show or photoshoot and bring the clothes to life.”

She specifically would love to do the photoshoot on the street of Salford museum to bring her designs and memories together.

Collette is encouraging people to understand the positive impacts of sustainable fashion.

“People don’t think sustainable fashion is high end when it can be.”

Collette’s 1900’s inspired collection is being sold at Salford’s Museum and Art gallery and also her website.