Twisted Tradition - Sketchbook and Research

Hey,

I wrote about my final CSM project a couple of weeks ago, but I didn't include my initial research or any of my sketches, so here are a few pages from the three sketchbooks we had to use. 

The use of the sketchbook in Fashion related pathways differ from the use of a Fine Art sketchbook, which was what I was used to in my past creative/artistic life. First of all, I used to refer to it more commonly as a journal, and I used it to document my thought process and the journey of the project in the way my mind dealt with it. So, as you might have noticed, the mind isn't very chronological in its methods; so given this fact, Fine Art journals didn't need to make any logical sense, they were meant to be unplanned and reflect our own spontaneous explorations and ideas. 

However, Fashion sketchbooks are perfect. Everything for the core fashion students had to be precise, planned and perfected. My pathway was slightly less strict, but it still had to make sense. It couldn't be a reflection of my own jumbled mind processing everything bit by bit. And the layout for Fashion sketchbooks were generally much neater.

My Fine Art sketchbooks were, well, arty. I was able to stick in anything vaguely related to my theme, scribble down any relevant information, and draw/paint anything I wanted to explore. But for FJA, I had a separate 'information file' for any articles, book photocopies, images etc., and a 'reflective journal' for all my reflection. This made the transition from being a Fine Art student into a Fashion Jewellery and Accessory student harder. I was no longer able to put everything in one book (which was easier for my mind to process, as I could put a lot of stuff on one page). In addition, the work in my FJA sketcbook had to illustrate all the relevant information. This was really difficult when I wanted to include historical information, facts or statistics. However I found a way to get past it, and to make my sketchbook work.

Anyways, here are some of the images I put on my project brief, as my starting points. 

Hassan Hajjaj 2000 ‘Saida in Green’/ Hussein Chalayan Spring Summer 1998 ‘Between’/ Casa Elena Fashion Week 2012 ‘Jogja’/ Jean Paul Gaultier 2010 ‘Vogue-à-Porter’/ Raeda Saadeh 2003 ‘Who will make me real?’/ Prada 2010 ‘Vogue-à-Porter’/ John Galliano 2009, Couture abayas on Paris Runway

And here is some of my sketchbook work.

Twisted Tradition

Hey! Okay, so I've been sort of complacent for a while; I've been caught up with so much stuff, it's crazdiculous.

But anyways, I'm here now, and ready to blog my keyboard off. (Which is actually broken by the way, I have to use that annoying on-screen keyboard - SO irritating.)

I thought it might be fitting for me to say a little bit about my final project on my foundation course at Central Saint Martin's. I don't want to ramble too much about it, but it was an entirely self directed project, so I had to chose/create a theme, write up my project brief, make a timetable or 'action plan' etc. I chose to explore the theme of 'Twisted Tradition' in relation to Islamic womenswear, and the various laws and enforcements which either force women to wear certain garments, or prevent and restrict them from doing so. Both of these situations are acts against free will, which was my main issue with the laws. People over time have twisted one of the most beautiful and purest thing; an expression of devotion to god. People should be allowed to express these however they wish, and laws should not force or confine them from displaying their devotion. Therefore the aim of my piece was to object to the ‘twists’ people create through using traditional notions as an excuse for essentially man-made rules.

I wanted to create an accessory that involved some sort of statement that reflects on these specific issues in relation to women. As a result, I designed and created a series of masks and hijabs to narrate the struggle for freedom that women face. The first piece is 'Restriction'. I have chosen to completely conceal all the key human facial features. This was to reflect the lack of identity and independence of mind. Some may argue by concealing the face, you are removing the individuality of the person, but others may believe you are protecting the person. A man once used an anecdote of how if you have something valuable, you'd hide it in a safe and keep it protected, so some husbands and fathers feel that by covering their wives and daughter's faces, they are keeping their most valuable possessions safe. However I believe that although this is a loving idea, women are not their possessions to protect. A woman should have the right to decide whether she wants to cover her face or not.

A few design ideas for the series.
In the end, I changed the mouth
veil into face masks, to add
more of a statement. 

The next piece is called 'Struggle'. The mask is battered and not symmetrical. The eyes are thought to symbolise the mind, so the woman is now aware of what she thinks and wants, but her mouth is still restricted. The woman behind the mask is fighting for her freedom.

The final piece in the series is called 'Liberation'. Her mouth, the final feature, is entirely liberated; she is free to speak her mind and act on her own will.

A sketch of a paper model on a person.
Paper models are key parts of the
design process. 

With the head coverings, I wanted to explore the beauty of expressing devotion to God. However, women who are forced to wear hijabs are often neglected of their individuality. I wanted people to question what, or who, is behind it the veil. I created cut-outs in the hijab, taken from Islamic geometric decorations. This was in a way to remind the outside world that a person, a woman, still exists behind the overpowering fabrics and coverings they tend to see. To make it more religiously acceptable to wear for Muslims, I added the 'transparent' fabrics behind the cut-ours, so you can still see the beauty of the individual women behind.

Islamic inspired tiles from Leighton House in Kensington, London. 

The head covering for 'Restriction'. The cut-outs are small
and limited, and the design is simple, to reflect the lack of
thought and imagination.

The different fabrics behind the cut-outs.

The head covering for 'Struggle'. The number
of cut-outs are increasing. 

The head covering for 'Liberation'.  There are now more cut-
outs,and the pattern is more creative, beautiful and ambition,
to reflect the traits of a free woman;
imaginative, beautiful and ambitious. 

If I were to do anything different about the project, it would be to explore the face mask aspect more in terms of tests and models. I think I did explore this in my sketchbook, but I moved away from it too soon and focused on the fabrics and headscarves. I think if I had done some more tests, particularly with metal, I may have realised my final idea a bit sooner. I think I could have definitely taken the ideas further with more time, perhaps with more materials, more shapes, or even drastic and large pieces. I think the possibilities of directions to go with these concepts are limitless as the statement could be both huge and subtle.

I think more research into different methods and processes could have improved my work; perhaps there was a technique I hadn't heard of that may have been useful. I think if I knew about more processes, I could have pushed my design ideas further, as I think I sometimes don’t design certain ideas because I assume it’s not possible.

It was a long project, and hard work, with very little sleep, but I loved the course. I loved my tutors and I certainly gained valuable knowledge and inspiration. I hope to never leave art and fashion out of my life.

Images from the final photoshoot:

 

This is probably one of my favourite shots. I think it really reflects the freedom
and independence the woman can finally channel. 

Behind the scenes

Credits:

Anthony Fitzgerald (Photographer) (and his assistant stylist) 

Benoit Leveau (Photographer)

Cecilia (Model)

Eniko (Model)