After a late start this semester I jumped straight into our brief hoping for a creative sense of difference to pop into my head. I began researching classical tailoring and the designers who spearheaded this craft. I have a respect for tailoring and whilst it is not yet a strength of mine, I understand and appreciate the specialisation, craftsmanship, the elegance and expertise required for the construction of a tailor made garment.
Reading through countless books referencing Dior’s New Look from the late 1940s where the signature shape was characterized by a full-skirt, large bust, and small waist. I am infatuated by his rebellious nature, pushing the boundaries of his time. In denial of the post-war fabric restriction, Dior used twenty yards of extravagant fabrics in his creations.
Dior’s silhouette of femininity and excess struck a cord with me. The harmony of fabric and the female figure, he glamorised the era. I also looked at photos of fashion from 1896 for inspiration and I began developing new ideas capturing the essence of another era.
I want to maintain a distinct classical motif in my work this semester, researching Balenciaga, Dior, and Schiaparelli. I have been inspired to find a balance between the past (1940-1950s) and future, creating my own niche.
I discovered the Australian artist Kate Rohde’s, whose contemporary works derive from a theatrical theme relating to the Renaissance period. Her use of exaggerated embellishment and pastel colour palettes with a 15th Century basis inspired me to push the boundaries from the past and make it relevant to today forward.
A friend recently showed me some artwork titled, “classical art, improved with spraypaint”. Classical paintings of the Renaissance period are blended with graffiti. This approach is now fundamental to my work. I draw inspiration from the 40s and take them into the present/future with my silhouettes and fabrication choices. I want to create the ultra femme-bot; feminine, provocative and powerful,
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