My graduate project was a chance to explore my curiosities and theatricals. The final collection was an amalgamation of all of the vague, nondescript and shadowy shapes and images that I had caught my imagination.

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The idea of the codpiece is one that I find amusing and endearing, not least because I am unlikely to ever wear one. I juxtaposed this historic symbol of masculinity with a highly feminine ‘pregnant’ skirt. ​I wanted the collection to be a playful and theatrical exploration of stereotypes of masculine and feminine shapes. I want the wearer to almost adopt a character and the ambiguous messaging of the garments and outfits, bonnets and all. 

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By restricting my colour scheme and selecting a padded texture early in the process I was able to focus on silhouette and pattern development. Referencing a typical Tudor sleeve pattern, I worked to adapt its placement on the body, toying with its shape and complexity. The circular motif of my patterns evolved from half scale stand work, before transferring to the body.

 

I started with a large body of inspirations, but as I went on, my most important visual references were fine art sculpture and historical costumes. The artists Rachel Whiteread, Mária Bartuszová and Henry Moore served as important influences for the shapes I ended up producing, as well as reinforcing my colour palette. I mixed these silhouettes with aspects of Tudor dress and techniques, like slashing and undergarments.