Freedom and Oppression
by Irene Brandt
by Irene Brandt
In fashion, when a trend develops, the wayit spreads and is presented to society can come across as oppressive,even arbitrary. However, this new trend can also relieve individualsfrom the burden of finding a way to express themselves as different byfinding an image that represents how they feel at that moment in time.
Fashion is about difference and resemblance. People dress in a certainway either to belong to a particular group or to differentiatethemselves from another one. Therefore, the act of following fashioncan also be seen as an easy way to being accepted. This dichotomy,between freedom and oppression, was the starting point of thiscollection.
The idea of differentiation through dress also clearly manifests itselfin religious garments. Hierarchies are reinforced by the way eachmember dresses; it is an instant medium through which status may becommunicated within a certain order. Another peculiarity of religiousdress is that, in contrast with fashion in postmodern times, garmentsshould remain timeless.
The burden generated when one has to chooseunveils a certain fragility, which is constantly analysed in relationto the social judgement one has to face for not following certainexpectations. Hence the dichotomy of stiffness and fragility.
From these concepts, the collection started to take shape utilisingimages from religious garments as well as kimonos, plaits and knots.Those same knots that oppress us, can also make us feel protected.
Animportant influence on this collection is the work of Argentine artistGuillermo Kuitca, who, in his series of theatres, explores birds-eyeviews of different amphitheatres; he builds them and then partiallydestroys them. Is that not the way fashion works? Does it not build anillusion or story, then destroy it later to create a new one?
Thiscollection explores the two dichotomies mentioned above, seeking tocombine ideas with images, wearable garments with a unique sense offragility, and a modern style with a timeless touch.
Fashion is about difference and resemblance. People dress in a certainway either to belong to a particular group or to differentiatethemselves from another one. Therefore, the act of following fashioncan also be seen as an easy way to being accepted. This dichotomy,between freedom and oppression, was the starting point of thiscollection.
The idea of differentiation through dress also clearly manifests itselfin religious garments. Hierarchies are reinforced by the way eachmember dresses; it is an instant medium through which status may becommunicated within a certain order. Another peculiarity of religiousdress is that, in contrast with fashion in postmodern times, garmentsshould remain timeless.
The burden generated when one has to chooseunveils a certain fragility, which is constantly analysed in relationto the social judgement one has to face for not following certainexpectations. Hence the dichotomy of stiffness and fragility.
From these concepts, the collection started to take shape utilisingimages from religious garments as well as kimonos, plaits and knots.Those same knots that oppress us, can also make us feel protected.
Animportant influence on this collection is the work of Argentine artistGuillermo Kuitca, who, in his series of theatres, explores birds-eyeviews of different amphitheatres; he builds them and then partiallydestroys them. Is that not the way fashion works? Does it not build anillusion or story, then destroy it later to create a new one?
Thiscollection explores the two dichotomies mentioned above, seeking tocombine ideas with images, wearable garments with a unique sense offragility, and a modern style with a timeless touch.
