>>medium: crocheted plastic bags<<

risd sophomore + fall 2011 + apparel design final

my theme is rock erosion. i have recently been captivated by the idea of biomimicry in apparel design. Ada Zanditon and Stefanie Niewenhuyse are current apparel designers that pioneer this style.

i started playing with VHS tape, plastic bags, thread, burlap and tea bags. My initial design was much too complicated and so I narrowed my materials down to plastic bags; and later on added the teabag-covered styrofoam.

To create my piece, I found discarded plastic bags, ripped them into strips, and tied them together to make plastic yarn. i then crocheted this using a single chain stitch. i initially crocheted strips with a curvilinear and holey pattern in mind, to mimic the texture of eroded rocks. i then arranged these onto the form in a disorderly fashion before proceeding to crochet everything together. the process in its entirety was spontaneous. however i made a conscious choice to have a gradual transition in density from the hip downwards.

creating the headdress and armband involved flicking the teabag-covered styrofoam with brown/orange hues. i then arranged these onto crocheted plastic.

although i debated to have hannah on nude-colored heels, with crocheted anklets it deterred from the lightweight and asymmetrical quality of the dress; and so removed them.

xxx