Taking Influence from the World Around Me – Costumes Inspired by the Sea.

Two of my most successful pieces of work have taken inspiration from the deep blue ocean, the first was a dress inspired by the shimmering blue water on hot summer days at the North Devon beach Westward Ho!. Westward Ho! is a splendid sandy beach, and in the summer of 2013 I spent many days there going for long walks. I would take photos of the rippling waters, sea plants and patterns in the sand. These photos became my primary inspiration in my first 2^nd year project whilst at college doing my BTEC Extended Diploma in Art and design.

The final outcome was a dress entitled ‘The Aphrodite Dress’; it was named after the Greek goddess as I felt this conjured up  an image of gorgeous, sophisticated style. The figure hugging fluid shape was inspired by 1930’s bias cut dresses such as the green dress worn by Keira Knightly in

‘Atonement’. While the cowl neck represented the calm rippling waves.

The Aphrodite Dress

Cowl Detail

The dress is made from silk habotai fabric which I then hand painted with silk paint and gold gutta to create my own print. I also used salt, sprinkled over the wet fabric this detracts the dye, giving the mottled effect of a frothy wave breaking the shore.  

It was also my first foray into pattern cutting and making a costume to fit an actress/model. I experimented with the cut of the back of the dress changing it from a traditional centre back fastening to a more unusual cut out back. The architectural shape is suggestive of the seas power to cut shapes and patterns into the sand. The pearl buttons fastening the dress represented the wet pebbles, glistening in the sunlight that are found all over the beach.

The seaweed straps add a contrast to the dress with the dynamic dark green/black rouleau straps. These were threaded with wire, moulding them into the shapes of seaweed.  

The costume wasn’t intended for any particular play or show, a more conceptual piece inspired by the world around me. I love living near the sea, walking along a seashore is such a calming enjoyable experience. A place to think, explore and be inspired by which I think this piece shows.

The Aphrodite Dress isn’t the only costume I have created that is inspired by the Sea. The final module I undertook in my first year at university lead me to creating a second, very different costume inspired by elements of the sea. This module was a live brief, we collaborated with Devon based dance company Cscape, creating costumes for their production of ‘Neptunalia’ which was performed last summer at the Somersault Festival at Castle Hill Gardens, Filleigh, North Devon.

Unlike the Aphrodite dress I wasn’t the designer this module was a costume interpretation brief; meaning we worked under a designer who designed the costumes which we then created from her direction.

My costume was one of a set of three intended for the ‘Swimmers’ section of the show. Our key inspirations were Mediterranean waters, the drawings of Ernest Haeckel and 1940’s Busby Barclay ‘Aquacade’ musicals.

Cscape Dance Company dressed in the Swimmers Costumes

Inspired by anemone plants seen in Haeckel’s drawings our costumes were covered in small circles, hand dyed in blues, pinks, yellows and greens. Some were also made of cling film and bubble wrap bonded together trapping threads and fabrics between the layers, creating delicate notes of texture.

The dresses themselves were intended to appear skin coloured to assimilate the effect that the circles were growing on the dancers. We dyed the base fabric to a colour suitable for each dancer and hand sewed the circles individually on to the dresses. It was painstaking work! The dresses also had swimming hats to go with them which featured twists of coral made of tubular crin and latex, cut into seaweed shapes. The final costumes were very pretty and suited the performance as a whole.

Swimmers Hat

I hoped you have enjoyed reading about two of my costume creations, both very different but united in their inspirations.

Lastly, Cscape will be performing ‘Neptunalia’ again this summer this time down at Trebah Gardens in Cornwall on Tuesday the 2^nd of August as part of the SALT music and dance festival and our costumes are going to be worn again. So if you happen to be thinking of a holiday in Cornwall, head to Trebah Gardens and you will be able to see Cscape performing in our colourful costumes!