Elyse's sustainable fashion illustrations were born during her time at the Royal College of Art in 2019-2021. Through Critical & Historical Studies, she was exploring her own relationship with fashion and considered whether fashion illustration could be used as a tool to intervene with consumerism. Her research was recognised by the The Academic Board for Concessions and Discipline and awarded Distinction. Elyse interviewed several high profile illustrators, and although they depicted sustainable brands or were conscious in their personal lives, none of fashion illustrators had sustainability as an integral part of their illustration practice. 

 

To integrate sustainability into her creative practice, Elyse focused on material value. Using her old and unwanted fashion illustrations, she repurposed and reworked them to form new fashion icons. Moving on from fashion, Elyse has used illustration techniques to decorate scrap store items such as plastic bottles. Thinking about consumers impact on the environment, Elyse reimagined endangered birds from old bottles, costume jewellery and fashion illustrations to create hybrid birds of the future.