Fashion Show:

I never imagined that I will be a model wearing a dress I designed and made at a fashion show in school! I had a terrible gastric pain due to my irregular eating habits and almost couldn’t turn up for it. Even though I missed the photoshoot, I made it on time for the fashion show in my school. Okay, so the following will be a spam of all the photos taken of me by photographer: Syazali. I still cringe whenever I see myself in the photos. Especially the unintended samurai poses or selfie-taking stances or whatever people like to call it.

Title: Little Armoured One

Walking down the path: This dress is made up of used fabrics and aluminum waste cans. The designer had weaved the aluminum cans to create a shell resembling that of an armadillo. This dress is meant to be a defensive armor for Mother Nature.

At the end of the path (nearest to the lift): Here, she pulls out an imaginary sword that had pierced her abdomen and at the same time activate a system of mechanism that causes her skirt to curl into a bloom, mimicking the defensive mechanism of a puffer fish.

Walking back: Wearable technology can be observed in the form of LED strip under the belt around her waist. When alarmed by the human touch, the lights changes from a constant blinking white color to a myriad of colors that gradually speeds up in its blinking rate to express an aggravated state.

 

Password: ADMDA9004

 

Artist Statement:

My motive and inspiration behind my dress had to do with beauty and defence in Mother Nature. I wanted to show that technology could be integrated in garments to move along with the wearer’s actions, in which minimal action can create a big transformation between beauty and defence. My garment combines geometric design with organic forms to create a juxtaposition between hard and soft edge. In defence mode, my dress appears to be an armour for a lady. To initiate transformation, the lady will pull onto a set of fishing line that will result in the mechanical movement of the skirt upwards. During transformation, the pull will result in the winding of a translucent string that will bring the edge of the armour-skirt up to reveal the natural colour – purple and gold, of the can drinks, like the defensive mechanism of a puffer fish. Another set of strings threaded across the shoulders pulls the two blooming diamond shaped pink lotuses, which signifies rebirth, to be closed shut into two spikes. When she wave her hand across an infra-red sensor attached to her arm, an led strip across the waist will change from white (peace) to a myriad of colour (changing emotions of mother nature that reflects an aggravated state of global warming).

I was inspired to create a warrior armour for Mother Nature which transforms from a peaceful state to a defensive one. The idea of Mother Nature fighting a war with her “killer litter” was addressed in a piece of wearable technology made out of waste cans. Biomimicry can be observed in the imitation of an armadillo’s rigid shield that covers its tail, back to the top of its head. The underside of the animal which is covered with soft skin and fur is replaced with folded organza. The transformation of my dress meant to bring public awareness on the livestock we indirectly harm when they step on the broken cans that we litter in our natural environment. At the same time, if we could contribute in our effort through the proper disposal of wastage and recycling activities, the outcome can be blooming flowers.

 

Summary:

 

To end off, this course was really enjoyable and meaningful to me. I made new friends and learnt many new things to do with kinematics and the limitation of electronics. I will miss this class definitely.