Blog 5: Kate Troedsson + Lindsay Fung

Wabi Sabi | Japanese – Much has been written on this Japanese concept, but in a sentence, one might be able to understand it as “a way of living that focuses on finding beauty within the imperfections of life and accepting peacefully the natural cycle of growth and decay.”

Concept: Use traditional Japanese motifs (kimono, cherry blossoms, red, gold, black) and distress the dress  purposely so that it evokes a sense of "decay" Making it imperfect but still beautiful. 

Materials: For the top half we were thinking of using an off white cotton fabric with screen printed type. The bottom of the dress would be tulle, possibly red, that is bleached to add to the "decay" aspect of the dress. Paper or fabric flowers would be added to the neckline, probably representing that of cherry blossom and it's symbolism of its fleeting and short lifespan. 

 L'appel Du Vide | French – “The call of the void” is this French expression’s literal translation, but more significantly it’s used to describe the instinctive urge to jump from high places.

Concept: Create a dramatic sense height through the use of a long-flowing train. Also, to emphasize the idea of jumping from high places, use paper airplanes, as well as an element of texture. Manipulate the typography to help with the idea of height as well. 


Materials: The dress itself would be made out of a thick, possibly heavy material because the paper airplanes will be applied to it. The skirt will be made out either a lightweight fabric that is opaque or a sheer chiffon color and stenciled on to create the typography. 

Toska | Russian – Vladmir Nabokov describes it best: “No single word in English renders all the shades of toska. At its deepest and most painful, it is a sensation of great spiritual anguish, often without any specific cause. At less morbid levels it is a dull ache of the soul, a longing with nothing to long for, a sick pining, a vague restlessness, mental throes, yearning. In particular cases it may be the desire for somebody of something specific, nostalgia, love-sickness. At the lowest level it grades into ennui, boredom.”

Concept: Use 3-D typographic letters modeled after Russian Constructivism with a mermaid silhouette to give the feel that the letters themselves are weighing the model down due to the morbid and painful nature of this word. Also using colors inspired by Russian Constructivism. 

Materials: Make the type out of styrofoam or another lightweight material. The rest of the dress would maybe be made out of velvet in combination with a sheer fabric.

Team Sean & Becky

Dress #1

This dress is inspired by collected pieces of discarded cigarette boxes. These dress will be covered with these pieces like scales and accessorized with a little hat and a cigarette girl tray.  Commentary on the cigarettes smoked to make the dress will be written on the tray and care will be taken to cover as much of the outfit as possible with recognizable pieces of cigarette boxes, including the foil lining and plastic cover.

Dress #2

This dress is made completely of leftover materials from other projects & no money will be spent.  The body is covered in strips of torn fabric with raw edges & threads hanging all over.  Paper tags from fabric samples will be tucked into the bodice and hanging from the hem, and dyed paper scrap from fabric rolls will be added to the asymmetrical hem.  On the back of the belt or back of the bodice will be written "REMNANTS" with either spray paint or appliqued fabric scraps.  A collar necklace made of the same materials will complete the look.

Dress #3

This dress will be made of clear vinyl layered over a simple fabric dress.  The vinyl will have all the pattern maker's  markings indicating grain, pleats, sew lines & pockets written on it with a marker.  The dress underneath will be a simple version of the outer "pattern" with contrasting fabric on the pockets, cuffs & collar.  The dress will be a prim shirt dress shape with inspiration taken from a dressmaker's scrapbook from 1947.

Blog 5: Jessa G. and Andreea M.

CONCEPT:
Many individuals are considered to be either and introvert or an extrovert. There are qualities in each type that affects the way a person will think or speak. Extroverts are usually more energetic, loud, and speak as or before they think. Introverts are usually more soft-spoken, keep to them selves, and think thoroughly before speaking. The dynamic nature of these two types will create an eye catching dress.

EXECUTION:

This garment will be two dresses in one, split right down the middle. The initial silhouette is a simple slip. The rest of the garment will be made out of duct tape. On the extroverted side, we will be layering and weaving colored duct tape, fabric, and text through each other to create a modern, edgy feel. It will have interesting cuts and sleeves. The introverted side will be much simpler and have less text.

Blog 5 - Sarah and Nina Concept 2

Blog 5 - Sarah and Nina Concept 1

Blog 5: Jessa G. and Andreea M.

CONCEPT: 

Dream catchers are powerful objects and many believe they have the ability to capture an individual's dream. Dreams are a beautiful form of expressing our innermost thoughts, whether good or bad. One evening, I woke up from a dream and wrote this poem.

Sometimes I experience
As the sky breathes a new space for starry clarity
What comes to focus are thoughts
The clarity of new words
Words which sink into my bones
Strengthen my core
Even without full understanding
Bring light to a new hope
That time tells all
Time created by single moments
Of bright, color-filled serenity
Specks of emotions
Encompassing
Loving
Embodying
My spirit

This concept uses an object to capture and hold a dream. Because many dreams are fleeting or forgotten, when we do remember them we try to understand the meaning behind them. The meaning behind the poem is that thoughts bring about clarity which in turn settles the soul. Dreams have the power to do the same.

EXECUTION:
The dress will be made out of soft, flowing fabric. The central focus will be on the dream catcher which will be wrapped around the hand-painted dream. Feathers, beads, twine, and distressed fabric will accent the concept.
When the model walks down the runway the viewer should sense the calm nature of the dream-like state.

Blog 5-TEAM Alex and Cliff

Liberating the Mind

A women’s perspective

Inspiration:

            One thing I have noticed while living in the city for the past 3 years is how the media has such a direct influence on how we feel about ourselves. This is something most everyone is aware of, but still we let it manipulate us. Letting your voice be heard can be liberating, but also difficult to do when society expects you to be and act a certain way.  Writing in a diary can only help so much, why not try and share your thoughts out loud? Liberate your mind.

The Concept:

            I want to create a garment that will turn women’s most frequent thoughts inside out. My idea is to have the thoughts and emotions a women experiences on a daily basis painted on the surface of her own dress, positioned on different sections of the body, depending on what the specific thought is focusing on. This dress is meant to connect with people in the audience, and to bring up an issue that a lot of people seem to overlook, or brush off. This will be an informative dress that will be seen and understood by all angles, and will hopefully bring what is usually kept quite to the surface.

Execution:  

            The design of this garment will need to be loud, and be able to be read from all angles to get the full impact. The dress itself will be form fitting in some areas, while accentuating the natural curves women have. To make sure the audience will be able to read the text clearly, we will use a harsh contrast in colors for the text/background, or simply use black and white. The text will vary in sixe depending on the importance of the specific thought. We will use a more structured fabric to construct the dress with, and will use the patchwork technique to clearly show the viewer how many women feel about certain areas of their body’s.