Fashion designers find inspiration everywhere around them and nature often plays an important part in shaping their creations. Jill Sherman noticed many runaways looks by high-end designers are inspired by the flora and fauna and started the Instagram page Fashion Biologique to capture the connection between fashion and nature.
Sherman’s Instagram bio reads “My father took my Vogue away, so I read the encyclopedia instead,” and it’s not a joke. She spent many years living without a TV because her father threw it away, insisting it was turning his kids into zombies, and encouraged them to go outside, explore, and read Encyclopedia Britannica instead.
Sherman spent many evenings with a book in her lap, but her grade school teacher Mr. Tapsfield also gave her a push in the right direction. His classroom gave off a real “mad scientist” vibe and he encouraged his students to be curious and ask a lot of questions.
All these experiences helped Sherman develop a vivid curiosity for the natural world. She noticed there are many patterns, forms, and textures in nature that overlap with the real world. Some of them made their way to the world-class runways, and even though Sherman believes it’s all a beautiful coincidence, she loves drawing comparisons between fashion and the natural world.
