Klara Landin Larsson I

Klara Landin Larsson is currently in the second year of Performance Costume at ECA and this was her fantastic frog costume. I am looking forward to seeing what she creates over the next few years as she progresses through her degree.

"The frog costume is made as a padded body suit. That means, there's one layer of skin tight lycra onto which I have sewn layer upon layer of wadding and foam, (I'd estimate I used about 5 meters of wadding in total). This whole process was very much more like sculpting than tailoring since there was no set way of doing it. The top layer is one layer of disperse dyed mesh on top of another layer of lycra, which was draped on the final wadding shape and then sewn together." Klara Landin Larsson

Klara's model relaxing between shows. 

Claudia Johns II

"Witches could be anywhere at any time and have the aim to rid the world of children and their characteristics; fuss, mess and other fun things creating a more ordered, clinical and controlled world. Taking inspiration from constructivist art and Advance Style Blogs an all female army has been formed to recreate the traditional witch stereotype. A minimalist symbol of recognition has been developed for a contemporary camouflage representing the witches aim of mass control and capture creating a netlike skeletal world map."

Other traits are the angular and pointed elements used within the costume design acting as strange limb-like appendages that can be used mid-performance when trying to camouflage themselves and a strong, bold colour pallet with tactile layers to lure the children in." Claudia Johns

Laura Rose Moran-Morris I

This is 'Oberon' created by Laura Rose Moran-Morris, an ECA Performance Costume graduate, brought to life by her model Finlay at the ECA Fashion Show last week. This costume was a psychedelic extravaganza of orange and pink faux fur with incorporated tassels, a pompom crown, and super swirly satin trousers.

"Illusion and reality blur in this playful, multisensory adaptation of the classic story. Influences for this costume were drawn from late 60's psychedelia, for this celebration of midsummer madness. A visual and textural dreamscape explodes onto stage to create a comedic musical extravaganza." Laura Rose Moran-Morris

Claudia Johns I

  

Claudia Johns elegant, feminine costume for Sylvia Plath's 'The Bell Jar', modeled by ballerina Amalia Tzannetaki. This costume was designed for an immersive contemporary dance performance based on Esther, the protagonist of 'The Bell Jar'. The performance explores the stigma and misconceptions surrounding mental health and focuses on Esther’s life experiences and in particular the ones that caused her descent into madness. Each costume and location moves from the conventional attitudes of the 1950s to a distorted version of her reality and mental health as her mind and body detach. The production has a strong colour palette, taking inspiration from the body which is also used to influence the textiles.
The corset is a soft luxurious satin representing the vulnerability of Esther and the restrictions of women at this time creating an objectified appearance. The laser cut leather decorative breast piece and cage represent the slashing of her body in order to find what she feels is ‘wrong’ with her and acts as the metaphorical bell jar that builds up around her throughout the production.

Aurélie Fontan

Aurélie Fontan's second-year fashion project for 'Diversity' at the ECA fashion show, modeled by Samuel J H Froggatt.

"My garment emerged from the Diversity Network project that The Edinburgh College of Art initiates every year in collaboration with "All walks beyond the catwalk". The purpose was to consider my practice as a designer applying my designs across a range of silhouettes / people/ morphology." 

Aurélie chose to tackle, within a panel of diverse people, the theme of masculinity in fashion, which she perceived  to be pulled to two extremes; either very feminine (transgender wave) or very masculine (stereotypes conveyed through media) .

"I was really interested in Sam, he is an art student who equally dresses with womenswear and menswear.  I researched gender in fashion and media and     specifically gender fluidity."

Aurélie through research came up with the concept of Sam not having to have the dilemma of choosing between masculinity and femininity but being able to accommodate both in one garment. A garment that celebrated a more sensitive masculinity and that is able to empower men who feel their body or personality
is not represented by contemporary society.

"As part of this project I had to include a 3D typography on the garment as a statement to reinforce my concept - the word Alpha is suggesting another word -"male"- to convey a strong contrast that is stated as an ironical criticism of society's expectations about masculinity." Aurélie Fontan

Patti Amat I

Patti Amat's graduate performance costume collection; 'Death and Mother' was based on 'Blood Wedding' by Federico Garcia Lorca. This collection is full of the high drama and passion of Spanish culture. Drama heightened by the use of black and off white with red detailing, Patti has drawn on imagery of Picasso's 1937 'Guernica' with laser cuts of the dead baby framing the front panel of deaths dress in a cascade. Embroidery detail on the mothers skirt features the grieving mother and fatally injured bull.

Rosie Whiting I

Paying homage to Caryl Churchill's play Top Girls, a play in which the audience dine alongside Louise Bourgeois, Nina Simone, Emmeline Pankhurst, Mata Hari, Marie Curie, Amelia Earhart, Conchita Cintron, Martha Graham and host Marlene. Performance Costume graduate; Rosie Whiting has created  'Louise and Nina' two wonderfully complex rich costumes full of texture and technique. The 'Louise Bourgeois' costume (above) is resplendent with many hands all seeming to caress and protect the wearer especially the headpiece where hands gently cup the hair. The sassy 'Nina Simone' costume (below) has a bold knit bodice and fishnet crochet overlay of satin trousers.