Bronze Fashion, Apparel and Garment Design · 2020
Perception of the Eyes Wearable Art
- A' Design Award 2020 Bronze Winner in Fashion, Apparel and Garment Design
- Awarded April 15, 2020
- CLIENT: Karina Frances
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 34,925
- Verification code 24C77E39B7 · Verify this award
About Perception of the Eyes Wearable Art
Perception of the Eyes is a wearable art dress inspired by eyes and vision. The garment mirrors the form of an eye on the bodice, where the breast suggests the shape and the nipple marks the pupil. Strips run from that point toward the ground, crossing at set points of intersection to form a pattern that falls into waves. The pattern recalls scientific diagrams of the refraction of light. The bodice is built as a corset with wire and stiff faux leather, which allows the strips to be pulled tight. The hip lines echo vintage shapes in a contemporary form.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The uniqueness in my design is born from the empowerment created for one to radiate. Empowerment is also my inspiration. My design mirrors an embodiment of this spirit. This garment speaks about eyes and their poetic power. The design boldly enhances the human body, through the rawness of the breasts, mimicking eyes, to the enhanced hip lines, through sculpture. The leather strips, architecturally strike down from the pupil (nipple) to create an illusion lasering out as a form of vision and structural support. Beauty in design shines when poetry meets function.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Size 6
- Tags
- wearable art, eyes, vision, perception, poetry
- Production Technology
- The materials used for the geometric elements are particularly effective. By constructing a corsetry bodice from more robust elements with wire and stiffer fabric such as faux leather, the contrasting silhouette strips are enabled to be pulled tight and hold the criss-cross pattern beautifully, before falling into waves. This is reminiscent of scientific diagrams of refraction of light. The production of this design regarded structure, architecture, form and the body. In the making and testing of this design, I thought about physics regarding matters like the laws of gravity and structure in terms of its architecturally inspired form.
This dress has a sense of history in its construction echoing vintage hip lines whilst displaying thoroughly contemporary vision.(regard pdf) for full version of "Production, realization technology and materials) - Design Challenge
- Beginning with the research I was challenged with deep inner reflection, about myself, and identity regarding the theme “Who am I”. Especially because I haven't found myself in this stage of my life as a 15 year old. I believe we are always changing and growing as people, and a society. Also, I faced challenges that regarded transferring my ideas from my pen to the needle, as this was the first time I had created a collection.
- Project Duration
- My fashion journey began with research April 2019, designing in May 2019, and finally completed in the summer of June 2019. The dresses were then showcased on the runway at NewYork FashionWeek Fall season (F/SS NYFW), the 7th of September 2019
- Operation Flow
- The design has specific details that make the whole difference when looking at its performance as wearable art. While wearable art is very abstract and not the most wearable, I tried to make my designs so that they can still perform with attributes of the body making them more wearable. There are significant details that allow for this to happen, still encouraging the possibility of my design without making any major adjustments. This includes different systems created to convert art into wearable art.
- Research
- I looked at many sources that helped me better define my knowledge to create a 5 piece collection that could reflect me as a person and unravel my identity. Second, after building my knowledge to a level at which I was confident, I could begin the artistic journey, I began designing. Even when designing it seems as if research and design overlapped, because I was always learning something new. Everything I learned was applied to enhance my skills and help my ability in creating material that is so new to me in the arts. (regard pdf for full research)
- Inspiration
- I was inspired by eyes and their magical properties with their ability to connect, reflect, and create visual poetry of the world around us. This poetic and magical ability for an eye to radiate vision is the inspiration for this dress. One can see these definitions through the garments architectural forms and illusions that run from the nipple to the ground.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Bruce Wang, 2019
Optional Image #2: Bruce Wang, 2019
Optional Image #3: Bruce Wang, 2019
Optional Image #4: Bruce Wang, 2019
Optional Image #5: Bruce Wang, 2019 - Patents
- N/A
Colors of Perception of the Eyes Wearable Art
Design Interview about Perception of the Eyes Wearable Art
This dress is inspired by eyes and their magical properties with their ability to create, reflect and translate perceptions of the world around us. It is this deep infinite illusion eyes radiate that inspired this dress. The wonder and mystery in eyes is seen in its abstract translation, on the breasts.
Because this piece was also inspired by space and its realm, gravity was really the only grand entity I had to work with, to achieve its supernatural shape. The construction of this piece had a prominent focus on its structure as the piece relied heavily on the from, and the geometric reflections.
Every figure I ever draw is entirely different and unique with its own shape and curve. From there, many of my designs are born from a unique line found on the figure which then becomes a second skin and art as the garment itself is born from there. The design itself was instant, but of course through new measures taken by the shape, and structure of the piece, the design was developed over time! This piece was part of my first ever collection or pieces of garments ever created, so there was definitely a lot of modification that went into the design as I tried working closely with reality, while still thriving to achieve the original idea. As a first of times, when designing, I never really considered aspects from reality like material, or structure and gravity.
As soon as I received the request of a dress inspired by one of the sponsors of the NYFW show, ideas instantly began to flow. Because they requested a garment inspired by their brand and their visions upon eyes, as an eye drop company, I instantly began designing as the correlation between eyes and my theme was very strong. Because for me eyes are the identity and soul in a person, this correlated very well with the theme in this collection, upon myself and finding my identity.
Perception of the Eyes comes from my vision upon eyes and their distinct, ability and power to create poetry and perceptions of the world around us. The significance of the name Perception of the Eyes comes as both a literal and poetic truth.
The uniqueness in this design comes from its ability to empower one to radiate.
As this garment was part of the first collections I have ever created I did have to work with a taylorer, to helo me with the technical aspects of the de
The construction of this garment consisted of carefully handcrafted leather strips, perfectly cut to sustain the structure base of the piece, assembled with black wire, and the use of soldering to structure for to life.
This design regarded research on the sponsorship brand, its values, and motos. After further research on the brand, the next research regarded its relation to me which I found evident from the beginning, with my relation to eyes. This garment also regarded research on its fabric in order to complete its structure. The challenge was to find a fabric that could best support the architectural shape of the piece, while also supporting the human body and its movements. Faux leather consisting in 95% of the dress, was assembled in various ways geometrically and physically to not only poetically bring the dress to life but also literally by lifting its structure into an art of realism .
The structural component of this design was definitely one of the most challenging aspects especially regarding my little to no knowledge on technique regarding patternmaking, or any sort of construction for garments.
There were many things that had to be figured out beginning with the material, to the garments interaction with the model. As a new designer in the fashion field, I didn't realize the importance of materials. I used to always design for fun not realzing the types of materials that needed to be used for any mater of making. It was not until I began bringing my designs to reality for the first time, that I realized the importance of designing with a value for material, as well as a value for the human body, and living actions.
There were many things that had to be figured out beginning with the material, to the garments interaction with the model. As a new designer in the fashion field, I didn't realize the importance of materials. I used to always design for fun not realzing the types of materials that needed to be used for any mater of making. It was not until I began bringing my designs to reality for the first time, that I realized the importance of designing with a value for material, as well as a value for the human body, and living actions.
Because this is one of the first garments I have ever created, I definitely grew as a designer and person myself. Especially regarding the theme upon myself, which intently looked at my journey and growth as a person. The research for each design in the collection indulged in a close look and inner reflection on my self. This was a very hard process because there were so many words I had to say yet I wanted to communicate them in a way people could relate, and create perceptions for themselves, just as "Perception of the Eyes" examins as part of the collection. As a new designer in this art, I learned so much beginning from the journey of myself to the process and journey of a garment, from paper and poetry to fabric and sculpture.