Theory In Practice; Fashion Film
Whilst we write this blog, our soon to be released short experimental film is being edited by Muse Maker. The video will showcase 3 gowns in transformation. Although represented in 3 colours, all three styles can be ordered and made in any colour, particularly white for special, alternative, bridal occasions.
The featured red gown is an exploration of tensile forces: it is the only one of the three gowns which is theoretically underpinned and it is driving the direction of the film over the other two gowns.
The layout of the tensile surface used to construct the red gown is a neutral, ordered, grid which becomes transformed by applying compression throughout the grid. The outcome is a 2D surface becoming a 3D structure.
The resultant geometry is an expression of the opposing natural forces in tension with one another. Here, the 'idea of beauty' is not determined by the designer as an artist, it in fact allows the designer to stay separated from subjective decision making allowing unfolding forces to act as agents which govern authorship. An example of this is what most 1st year design students try to achieve when they talk about 'dichotomy' and 'duality' or 'opposites' when forcefully trying to create beauty.
On another level, the tensile surface aims to inscribe upon itself that which resists being drawn, eliminating preconceptions of what the results may be. It is a metamorphic act. Metamorphosis is a transformation of one thing into another without 'adding' or 'subtracting' other elements.
The movement of the body whilst wearing the tensile structure also influences the movement of the smoke which nicely ties in to the gesture as an expressive extension of motion.
The core idea of the film is the influence of forces in motion and collision with one another and the way they influence each other. This also happened metaphorically when we all came together 'without any ideas' about what we are trying to achieve. I enjoyed this 'not knowing' and 'purity' of the encounter of disparate forces of influence.
Written by Andrzej Pytel
Edited by Demi Conrad