My graduate collection, ‘Visions of Dissonance’ is rooted in the surrealist movement and its celebration of the bizarre and the uncanny. The designs explore distorted perceptions of identity, challenging the viewer to question the boundaries between reality and imagination, comfort and discomfort, seriousness and play. I have long been captivated by the eccentricity of French Pierrots, their haunting presence and the enigmatic atmosphere they evoke. This sense of unease became a driving force in my creative process, allowing me to deepen my exploration of apprehension and channel it into garments that are both visually unsettling and emotionally resonant.
I began developing silhouettes by translating elements of surrealist art into experimental fabric manipulation samples. These tactile explorations became the foundation of my design process, as I shaped and draped them onto the form of the Pierrot. This allowed me to explore the expressive potential of the materials and push the boundaries of my concept, blurring the line between abstraction and figure.
To refine my vision, I used CLO3D to experiment with scale and proportion. The digital platform allowed me to explore and perfect my designs in a virtual space, ensuring they stayed true to the surreal, art-inspired concept before translating them into physical form. I designed a custom print inspired by my concept. I began by collaging cut-out fragments of eyes and mouths, creating distorted, unsettling compositions. This hands-on approach allowed me to manipulate the facial features in unexpected ways, evoking an eerie and surreal quality that aligns with the theme of my collection. The print was strategically incorporated throughout the collection, subtly reinforcing the surreal, dreamlike atmosphere and highlighting the juxtaposition of beauty and discomfort.