Serpentina
This collection was born of the Greek Myths Medusa and Cadmus from Ovid’s Metamorphose and the Chinese White Snake myth. This lead a focus on anatomy and life cycles of serpents, skin shedding informing my structural and fabric choices. Obi belts became a key feature to constrict and elongate the torso in order to create a more snake like silhouette. Laser cutting is prevalent in the collection, using the negatives space of the snake spines to produce unusual shapes, highlighting twisting seams. Organza features heavily in order to help convey structure and body to curving shapes as well as variations in colour depth.
To achieve a serpentine effect, the collection includes continuous, undulating seams through creative cutting. The pieces draw inspiration from designer Isabel Toledo and costume designer Geneviève Sevin-Doering, both of whom use unconventional patterns. This then lead to the exploration of ‘Transformational Reconstruction’ cutting, in particular work by pattern cutter Shingo Sato, to achieve a fitted silhouette with alternative seams. The mood of the collection was influenced by the film Melancholia by director Lars Von Trier which paints a dark, twisted dystopia.
