Fashion is a form of expression. 

This common phrase notates that fashion, just like any art form, serves as an expression of either oneself or a whole entity, a statement for individual expression or cultural and political movements. This is especially true for those who study it, love it, are obsessed with it. My favorite thing about fashion, especially designing with a more minimalist perspective, has often been the shape and form. I’m obsessed with fabric choices that leads to different silhouette types, and would rather prefer a boxy shape rather than a linear line on a body form. 

With my first sketches into the project, as I started to process of the notion of grief and its’ different stages,

the first thing that came to mind was the silhouette. 

My rough sketches depicts a linear spectrum from acute to wider forms. 

Another thing that was brought to mind was how to articulate the intricacies of the ebbs and flows of intertwined emotions, that sometimes traveling in spirals or endless loops. This also corresponds to the way I think, the way everything is connected. Even the combinations of my interests, such as putting together my art—fashion—with my favorite past time hobbies and interests—video & film, and poetry & writing—which then became my ambition for this project, to create a short film involving poetry, dance, fashion and surreal pictures.

Through such intricacies, another way I love to express the interconnectedness of emotions is by fashion materiality, such as fabric manipulations—(as stated before) smocking—and intricate patterns—embroidery or beading.

The fabric choice became equally important. 

Though there were some disagreements with the way I approached the fabric choice, such as the concern of using the color black which can ultimately absorb light and may not create the picture I have imagined under a surrealist lens, it was also in that nature that I wanted such absorbent fabric to be able to distinguish the high contrasts of the foreground and background. At the time, though it may not have been ideal if I didn’t think through it enough, it became an effective tool of contrast in picture, which ultimately led to beautiful imagery unimaginable. My choice of fabric (which was also part of my supply because I was gifted rolls of them and not wanting to waste it), Black Duvetyne, often used in film as large rolls to block out light completely, ultimately lived to create the surreal images I dreamed about. 

This led me to believe that my choices lived for the quality of the shoot. 

Finally, after much deliberation, I decided to go with ‘costume’ looking silhouettes and shapes, or also called wearable art, using wire and other materials that are not fit for everyday garments. I beaded the surrounding edges to create the light and dark contrast, giving it more color to the wide shapes.

My pictures became more surreal, more fantastical—a form of artistic expression. 

These sketches and processes depict the transformations of fashion garments, which became a center piece in my vision in photography and video. But that’s not all, as there were dance and other imageries in mind. 

NEXT UP: IMAGERY. VISION. DANCE.