GOLD ROCOCO
THIS SECOND SEMESTER MASTER’S PROJECT INVESTIGATES GOLDWORK AND EMBELLISHMENT, THE CONCEPT IS SURROUNDED BY ALL THINGS ROCOCO, SWIRLS AND ORNATE INTERIOIR ARCHITECTURE OF THE VATICAN IN ROME AND THE DOGES PALACE IN VENICE, A COMMON COLOUR THEME THROUGH-OUT IS GOLD.
GOLD WORK IS TRADITIONALLY ASSOCIATED WITH ROCOCO SWIRLS, HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO MAKE IT INTO SOMETHING NEW, I WANT TO EXPERIMENT WITH SURFACE PATTERN AND TEXTURE TECHNIQUES TO APPLY TO A FASHION GARMENT.
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INTRICATE DETAIL AND SMOOTH CURVED LINES HAVE BEEN ADOPTED TO GIVE A SENSE OF THE TRADITIONAL THEME HOWEVER THE MORE CONTEMPORARY COLOUR PALLETE IS DESIGNED TO TARGET A MUCH MORE MODERN, YOUNGER CUSTOMER WHO IS PERHAPS FOND OF CUSTOM, ONE-OFF PIECES THAT WOULD BE COMPLETELY UNIQUE TO THEM.
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I THINK, AS YOUNG DESIGNERS, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CONSIDER THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE GARMENT WE ARE PRODUCING, AS FASHION HAS IMPACTED THE ENVIRONMENT NEGATIVELY AND NEEDS ADDRESSING, SO FOR THIS PROJECT I DECIDED TO UPCYCLE AN OLD FAUX LEATHER JACKET, THAT IS NO LONGER WORN GIVING IT A NEW LEASE OF LIFE THAT IT PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE, HAD I NOT CHOSEN TO DO THIS. I AM ALSO BEING CONSCIOUS OF THE KIND OF EMBELLISHMENTS BEING USED ON THE JACKET, IN ORDER TO MAKE IT LAST LONGER BUT WITHOUT HARMING THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE PROCESS.
THESE SAMPLES ARE EARLY RESEARCH INTERPRETATION SAMPLES OF WHAT TRADITIONAL GOLD WORK EMBROIDERY AND EMBELLISHMENT MAY LOOK LIKE, VERY FINE AND INTRICATE DETAIL.
A RANGE OF MATERIALS WERE USED, FROM BEAD STRINGS TO TEAR DROP PEARLS, GOLD TRIMS, LARGE LOOSE PEARLS, SEED BEADS AND BUGAL BEADS.
EXPERIMENTATION WITH THIS KIND OF EMBELLISHMENT SHOWED ME THAT A BALANCE OF COLOUR WAS NECESSARY TO NOT LOOSE ANY DETAIL IN THE SAMPLE.
A SIMPLE SPLASH OF THE PURPLE WAS EFFECTIVE AND WORKED WELL WITH THIS QUANTITIY OF GOLD . THERE IS A LOT OF SHINE AND METALLICS, ALTHOUGH THE CROSS STITCH BRINGS A NICE MATTE RELIEF TO THE SAMPLES AND HAS ONLY AN EMBELLISHED BORDER. THIS MADE ME REALISE RESTRAINT WAS IMPORTANT TO ALSO APPLY MATTE COLOUR AND TEXTURE TO THE DESIGNS .