Out of The Darkness

This was my first uni project of this year, which focused on silhouette and development through pattern cutting and manufacture techniques, finishing with a final garment produced totally in white fabrics.

I struggled a bit in the beginning to come up with an idea, being more used to having more initial direction in my work, but eventually decided to subvert the overall title of "The White Project", focusing on things that people generally perceive to be dark.

So, I started off looking at the Japanese traditional bondage practice of Kinbaku, I visited the Hunterian Museum in london, focusing on the deformed skeletal exhibits, and looked into the tradition of foot binding.

Hunterian

Foot Binding

Kinbaku

After this initial research, I then did some work with tying up blocks on the stand, which gave me shapes to take forward in my design development.

Alongside this I also did a bit of 3D experimentation, using darts, gathering and seams to give the impression of ribs, the spine and the kinbaku ropes. 

Also, I did a bit of research into the darker side of cinema, looking at a few examples of classic and modern horror, as well as the work of Tim Burton; the main element taken from this research being the idea of blood.

At this point I then developed my silhouette ideas into more detailed design ideas...

... which lead to my final design, which incorporated my ideas of restriction, and the suggestions of the kinbaku ropes (bias strips trapped in seams across the skirt), ribs (darts travelling from points on the front, across the side seams, to the back), foot binding (the large cuff-like sleeve), and blood (white fabric paint splattered on the restrictive top).