Reconfiguring fashion design with new ideas and materials
A fashion show featuring 81 costumes created by 31 members of the School of Fashion Design at the Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts' class of 2021 took place at 800Show Creative Park over the weekend.
With the theme “Reconfigure,” the graduates interpreted their understanding of life through these costumes. Some called for social distancing amid the pandemic; some were for the disabled; some focused on environmental protection; and some absorbed traditional elements of Chinese culture.
Graduates interpret their understanding of life through their costumes.
A variety of materials such as cotton, silk, feathers, down, linen and new composite fabrics were applied, reflecting the thoughts of these graduates on structure, function, fashion and design.
One costume, “The Cycle of A Flower” by Han Han, was inspired by Miss Havisham in the novel “Great Expectations," a proud lady from a famous family who suffers from marital betrayal and becomes schizophrenic, self-imprisoned and self-withering. The view of Miss Havisham toward love became morbid, just like the wedding dress that she never took off until she died.
The School of Fashion Design is one of the earliest schools established at SIVA. Over the past 16 years, the school has created four fields of design — fashion design and communication, textile design, fashion-knitwear design and performing arts.
An international cooperation course is the main strategy of the school’s teaching reformation. For example, under the guidance of professors Jane and Patrick Gottelier, who have been engaged in the fashion and design industry for four decades, students from the DeTao Visual Experimental Class presented a variety of original and high-quality costumes during the show.
A variety of materials are applied to the show's costumes.
