Jack Money

Forge
“Progressing steadily, creating something strong, enduring, and successful.”

This project carries deep personal significance, drawing inspiration from Glasgow—the city of my birth. Rooted in the proud yet fading legacy of the shipbuilding industry, Forge is a textile-based exploration that both honours the past and reflects my aspirations as a designer and maker.

To inform the development of this work, I undertook extensive secondary research into the history of shipbuilding along the River Clyde, as well as the evolution of tartan as a cultural and design symbol. I also examined how contemporary designers are reinterpreting tartan in innovative and meaningful ways. My primary visual research included visits to historically significant sites within Glasgow’s maritime landscape, as well as key locations such as Mackay Boat Builders in Arbroath, the North Carr Lightship, and HMS Unicorn—both docked at Dundee City Quay.

The project culminated in the creation of two screen-printed textile collections for a fashion context. The first reimagines traditional tartan through the lens of Glasgow’s industrial heritage, drawing design inspiration from the Finnieston Crane and other architectural remnants. This collection incorporates overlapping structural forms and the textured surfaces of steel to reflect the visual language of shipbuilding. The second collection explores the weathered hulls of ships—interpreting their patinas, surface markings, and muted colour palettes as a source of tactile and visual design inspiration.

Forge bridges traditional and contemporary textile practices, connecting industrial heritage with forward-thinking fashion. It stands as a personal expression of place, memory, and identity—translated through textile design.