Juxtaposed: Structure and Shape

After completing the initial juxtaposition research period, we then moved into phase two which was to choose an additional theme to research. The options were: Androgyny, Structure and Shape, Interior/Exterior and Colour & Perception. After considering all the options I decided to look into Structure and Shape. I made this decision as I realised a lot of the garments I had looked at in my initial research used structure and shape to create their juxtapositions. About the theme of Structure and Shape the brief stated:

'Look at historical and contemporary styling and details including fashion garments, textures and silhouettes. Look at how shape is altered on the body to emphasise different parts, head, neck, shoulders, waist and hips. Also look at how garments are structured and how they can give structure to body shapes for example, corsets and tailored garments.'

I began by doing some initial research into structure and shape in fashion to see how other designers have explored the theme.

Gareth Pugh

Gautier

Donna Karen AW 12

Issey Miyake SS14

Alexander McQueen SS09

Maison Martin Mariela

Gautier

Jean Paul Gautier

After looking at various garments I decided to look at the historical silhouette. I wanted to explore how various body parts have been accentuated through the fashion of the time and how this changed the silhouette. In particular I looked at the corset and the bustle and explored how these two items changed the silhouette and how they are still relevant today. For example, the corset suppressed the waist and stomach, creating an hour glass type silhouette. Today a tiny waist is still desirable and corsets are still worn but just not to the same extremes - nowadays you can buy sportswear type corsets for 'waist training'. Similarly the bustle accentuated the behind, exaggerating the hour glass figure further. Today large behinds are also desirable, influenced by the likes of Kim Kardashian. However I also wanted to look at times where the silhouette was totally different, for example the 1920s. In this era a 'boy' like silhouette, with a small bust and behind, being desirable. This is embodied in the flapper dress which was a straight down, rectangular dress that didn't attempt to accentuate any feminine curves. I feel this historical research helped me to see how the theme of structure and shape has influenced fashion in the past, and how it's still relevant today. It's also shown me what, in terms of this theme, has been done before and this will help me be innovative when coming up with me own design ideas.