The theme for this years exhibition was 80s Glam Rock "Recycled to the Max".
Students had to select a costume designer (must be a member of the guild), choose a character from their work, and reimagine one of that characters looks in the style of 80s Glam Rock. The project had to be made entirely from recycled and upcycled materials.
The costume designer I selected was Milena Canonero, for her work in the 2006 film Marie Antoinette.
INSPIRATION
My inspiration behind this look began with the key features of the original costumes - it was impressionistic, youthful, girlie, and excessive. I reimagined these traits through the lens of 80s glamrock and established some new requirements; she needed to be iconic, glamorous, intricate, grand, and with a little edge. Some people and characters who inspired this look include:
- Cher/Bob Mackie (icons of 70's and 80's glam.)
- Madonna (the posterchild for bold and daring fashion of the 80s)
- Vivienne Westwood couture ('modern' grungy examples of rococo gowns)
- "The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert" (exaggerated drag glamrock fashion)
- Showgirls (the most sparkly, luxurious, over the top girlie fashion)
- Bianca Jagger (a fashion muse of the 1970s, and the wife of a rockstar)
I thought heavily embellished with lots of sparkles, rhinestones, and beads; slightly exposed undergarments; a big skirt with tiers (like a rococo 80s prom dress); sheer black edgy accents, and a tall, feathered headdress.
SKETCHING PROCESS
When I first started sketching, I knew I wanted to include cartridge pleats, a pannier, and lots of sequins/embellishments, but I couldn't decide if I wanted to give her a traditional stays, an underbust corset, or a more modern neckline. Ultimately I opted for a bodysuit with a keyhole neckline, (inspired by a dress worn by Bianca Jagger at Studio 54), and more of an emphasis on glam.
SEWING
THE BODYSUIT
The bodysuit was fully draped, patterned, cut and sewn from scratch (none of the original garment was used). The neckline was ruched by hand to open the keyhole, and sewn in place. Bodysuit is closed by two rows of grommets down either side seam (as a reference to traditional Austrian dirndl's which are often laced with chain). The garment is finished with two small rows of blood red beads, finished with small teardrops (as a subtle reference to her beheading).
THE SKIRT
The skirt is made primarily from 'chair covers' found in the curtains and sheets section of the thrift store. Originally a yellowish-cream crushed poly-taffeta, each of the eight panels was pressed twice before two hours soaking in a red wine bath (which I had done in tiers with hopes of giving it an ombré effect, but this evened out in the dryer). The skirt has more than 200 cartridge pleats, flossed with three rows of pearls, glass beads, and smaller pearls, and attached to a thin piece of twill tape at the waist for reinforcement. It has three tiers (to resemble a cake, and an 80s prom dress), and is attached to the bodysuit with hook and bar closures along the waist. The train is 8 feet long, and the lining hem band is hand felled along the entire bottom (which took about 10 hours). Atop each gathered tier is a single row of matching sequins (taken from the dress pictured). Lastly, the top cage is a combination of pearls and glass beads, three layers at each side, connected by two additional strings of beads at the back. Two long beaded strands run straight down the back of the skirt to emphasize the length of the train.
THE WIG
Marie Antoinette's hair is arguably her most recognizable physical trait. I had two choices for her hair, a true rococo wig, or an edgier heavily crimped and frayed wig. My design for her character skewed more glam than rock, so I opted for silkier, shiny, well-kept curls over a more frayed, teased look. I was lucky enough to find recycled ostrich feathers (ridiculous, I know!!). The pearls were thrifted, and the glass beads off of a dress.
ACCESSORIES AND SHOES
The shoes were purchased through Depop (a resale app). The gloves were a pair of old tights, as were the stockings. The veil (a reference to the masquerade outfit in the movie), was originally a chiffon scarf. The pannier was made from the prom dress (pictured below), a lace pillow (ribbon replaced), and zip ties (courtesy of my dad).
FINAL NOTES
I can only imagine Marie Antoinette, if she were alive through the 70s into the 80s as the ultimate campy glamorous drama queen. Milena Canonero costumed her through the eyes of an innocent girl who coped with her discomforts and loneliness through pastels and ruffles; I believe that in glamrock 1980s, she would want to be big, bright, tall, and covered in sequins.
