INSPIRATION FOR MEDUSA COLLECTIONSPRING/SUMMER 2013

Presentation by Romaine White

BA Fashion Design

Module 304

THE MYTH OF MEDUSA

THE MYTH OF MEDUSA IS ABOUT THE ILL-FATED BEAUTIFUL MAIDEN WHO IS CURSED BY ATHENA AFTER SHE HAD BEEN RAPED IN ATHENA’S TEMPLE BY POSEIDON. THE ACT WAS CONSIDERED A DESECRATION OF ATHENA’S TEMPLE AND MEDUSA WAS PUNISHED BY ATHENA BY BEING TURNED INTO A GORGON. HER HAIR TRANSFORMS INTO SNAKES, AND HER MONSTROUS EYES HAVE THE ABILITY TO TURN PEOPLE TO STONE. THE TRAGIC TALE ENDS WHEN THE GORGON MEDUSA IS BEHEADED BY PERSEUS AND MOUNTED ON HIS SHIELD AS WEAPON.

MEDUSA: THE INSPIRATION My collection for my final year in BA Fashion Design is centred on fabric

print inspired by the ancient Greek mythological tale of Medusa, the ill-fated virgin cursed by the goddess Athena. Medusa is an infamous icon, linked with symbols of anger and vengeance. She is also depicted as a monstrous female in contemporary visual culture and is a symbol commonly used in feminism.

My collection is a Spring/Summer collection focused around bold and colourful digital print and other types of surface print techniques. Due to the intensity of the colours of the print, the designs will be simple with elements of Japanese pattern cutting techniques. My collection is targeted at high end fashion design, with garment construction targeted at high level market. My fabrics are soft and draped silk charmeuse, chiffon and satins and will be contrasted with heavier suiting fabrics and leather.

My colour ways are deep, bold primary colours inspired by the intensity of the central character of Medusa. My collection is an exhibition of the paradox between ugly and beautiful. In ancient Greek mythological imagery on pottery and coins, Medusa is depicted as a demon, being one of the three Gorgon sisters. She has wings, fanged teeth, wild staring eyes and a protruding tongue. However, contemporary culture depicts Medusa as a beautiful maiden, with wild eyes and tumbling hair in the form of hissing snakes. The paradox of beauty and ugliness is clear in this imagery, and in my digital imagery I have explored this paradox by re-creating the images of ‘ugly’ Medusa and using Photoshop techniques to ‘beautify’ them.

IMAGERY INSPIRING MY PRINT DESIGN

INITIAL DESIGNS These designs are on silk chiffon, silk and charmeuse. They are

lightweight, translucent, layered and flowing. The sections in monotone colour (neck, waist and shoulers) are in leather. This is still not decided as I wanted to replace those parts with jewellery)

IDEAS FOR JEWELLERY DESIGNThe ideas below are based on using the safety pin jewellery design. The ideas is to use a combination of beads and graduating sizes of safety pins, with elastic to allow stretch. The jewellery would compliment the garment as it it were an extension of the design.

ANCIENT GREEK JEWELLERY These are a few images that I liked from ancient Greek jewellery. I want to

recreate the decadence, ethnic feel and metallic colours using the safety-pins as building blocks. I am looking for large, bold, avante garde statement jewellery.

A FEW NOTES The ideas will develop and evolve as the designs do. There may be a lot of trial and error to get to the final design. It will require a lot of patience to work together, as I still have to

complete my dissertation while developing designs and toiles. There may be some weeks when I am unable to answer your

questions, as I need the idea to evolve with the garments If you’re able to get an effect using a different method, happy to

discuss. You are the expert on your field. Can only cover cost of materials, not labour, so if you think it will

be too much, its best not to go forward. I may be determined to stick to an idea – its important for you to

accept that because I need to stay true to that vision. But I am open to discussing new ideas – it will only continue to keep the creativity flowing on both sides.

The important thing is to remember that this is developing time. You may only get to make the final jewellery a month before the final collection is complete. That’s just how the process works with fashion design!