SOFT AND HARD

 

This was a project where I wanted to take two ideas and combine them into a garment that could address a balance between the two. Firstly, I wanted to use organic materials that could be repurposed as materials for clothing. Secondly, I wanted to create a dynamic garment that could conform to your body as you wear it.

 

The result was a dress that has an upper coating of clay, and a base made from partially felted wool.

 

Clay, which is typically used in ceramics, becomes hardened after it is molded. The intention then, was to create a garment that could not only mold to the body of the wearer, but also break in areas where the body naturally needs more movement.

Keeping with the idea of using organic materials, I also wanted to incorporate a specific type of fiber. I felt like raw wool would be the perfect choice since this would allow for the clay to seep into open areas and fuse with the felted wool to create a solid material.

Since I worked with two radically different materials, it was not only important to showcase the strengths of both, but also to show how a visual balance could be achieved between the two.