Graduate collection

[yack]

I wouldn't worry about Leland, he's just a snob who can't see that he's just stuck in a state of puritanical thinking, who quite possibly wants a moratorium on beaches and public bathing.


A crop top on a guy is aesthetically revolting. That's some skin I don't want to see. Seeing some skin on a woman in public isn't automatically going to make my pants rise and offend me. Tomorrow we will all be in diapers, in wheelchairs or crutches shitting ourselves with skin that looks like a wet paper bag so if you have sex appeal today, it's perfectly reasonable to want to flaunt it.

And of course, getting rid of objectification would be silly and impossible anyways. Sometimes I want to be a sexual object, sometimes not. If I get tied up or tie up my partner, that's not patriarchal oppression, it's great sex.

If you want to be a designer though, you have to expect a fair amount of negativity. A little bit of hostility to your work is probably a good thing, for one it will keep your wits sharp. Then look at the people whom you've upset, maybe you're upsetting the right people.

[Ahimsa]

I don't think all objectification necessarily holds a negative connotation. We objectify things every day, and art is a sphere in which things are constantly objectified. We objectify our emotions, concepts and intangibles, in order to express them onto the world for whatever reason. What's important is the mode and method of objectification - dehumanization is not equal to objectification. Kinbaku embodies (objectifies) conceptual and social bonding and many of the women who engage in it as an artform are expressing this, subverting expectations by allowing themselves to be displayed as objects. Combined with the revealingly free formed, subtly unstructured garments here, there is an expression of freedom through restriction... which is a wide reaching concept.

And of course, getting rid of objectification would be silly and impossible anyways. Sometimes I want to be a sexual object, sometimes not. If I get tied up or tie up my partner, that's not patriarchal oppression, it's great sex.

I was solely referring to the objectification of women.

I'm talking about non-consensual objectification and gender inequality. Consensual objectification is a completely different matter to which I was not referring.

[Faust]

Boa, I apologize for lelandj's idiotic behavior. I removed the offensive posts.

[Irara]

First of all I would like to say, I think the collection looks mature and well-thought, it doesn't strike with naivety one might expect from a first or second year student. The proportions of the dress and its' confident expressive cut of the décolletage seem quite strong. The seam lines at the back of the coat are simply beautiful. But for me most important is the attention to details and traditional crafts and the ability to incorporate manual technique into contemporary garments. The hair in the some pictures looks it is sewn into the coat's shoulders - it's weird in a good way.

Maybe I also find the connotation of submissive sexuality in this interpretation of sex positive feminism a disputable matter, but direct connection between sexual objectification and female nakedness which dome commenters made is a dozen times more disturbing.

Among other matters, contemporary feminism is about desexualisation of female (naked) body. A deep cut in a dress is considered sexy only because we are too used to seeing female chest and breasts as sexual objects. But nakedness may be functional, comfortable and even liberating once a woman herself stops viewing her bod as an object.
Just a few days ago I stumbled upon an amazing project of a Russian femnist and theater director: http://feministki.livejournal.com/3605172.html
It's called 'A Woman for Herself' and presents pictures of women who just live in their bodies instead of endlessly checking if those are good enough for being considered sexually attractive. And the photographs are intentionally uninviting.
Unfortunately the texts are in Russian but the models are mostly speaking about being in their bodies, getting to know themselves, body acceptance and their personal fight against self-objectification and objectification by the people who surround them.

And I personally have felt that the photo-shoot with the garments is almost as desexualised as pictures from that project. The cut of the dress is dramatically geometric, it creates a striking contrast with open skin but it's definitely not suggestive.

[boandaropax]

Boa, I apologize for lelandj's idiotic behavior. I removed the offensive posts.

No, no no it wasn't offensive. Honestly. Very close minded and archaic I give it that at the most.

[boandaropax]

I honestly appreciate everyone's analysis of my work (they're actually very good, bringing up a few new things to think about). Thankyou for taking the time to even look at it.

Irara thanks for the link. I love how the women are just going about their daily business. There is not a hint of sex through the images, I appreciate that.

I think because the collection is rather small it makes it a little harder to look past the initial stroke of irony. It is only until you look at the concept statement that it all ties together (or at least that is my goal) : Kinbaku inspired coiled rope(restriction) vs feminism replaced with sex positive feminism & Kinbaku used in harmony promoting the same message in unison.

I am applying for internships worldwide, does anyone have any suggestions that my work could branch from?

[ambrosian]

I was solely referring to the objectification of women.

I'm talking about non-consensual objectification and gender inequality. Consensual objectification is a completely different matter to which I was not referring.

I don't see them as two opposing and black and white concepts, but it's a minor point and not appropriate to discuss in bo's thread

[Ahimsa]

I honestly appreciate everyone's analysis of my work (they're actually very good, bringing up a few new things to think about). Thankyou for taking the time to even look at it.

Irara thanks for the link. I love how the women are just going about their daily business. There is not a hint of sex through the images, I appreciate that.

I think because the collection is rather small it makes it a little harder to look past the initial stroke of irony. It is only until you look at the concept statement that it all ties together (or at least that is my goal) : Kinbaku inspired coiled rope(restriction) vs feminism replaced with sex positive feminism & Kinbaku used in harmony promoting the same message in unison.

I am applying for internships worldwide, does anyone have any suggestions that my work could branch from?

Una Burke is looking for leather workers that she posted two days ago: http://www.fashionunited.co.uk/fashi...-opportunities

[boandaropax]

Una Burke is looking for leather workers that she posted two days ago: http://www.fashionunited.co.uk/fashi...-opportunities

Thanks for that, I will look into it.

[Aurum]

Among other matters, contemporary feminism is about desexualisation of female (naked) body. A deep cut in a dress is considered sexy only because we are too used to seeing female chest and breasts as sexual objects. But nakedness may be functional, comfortable and even liberating once a woman herself stops viewing her bod as an object.
Just a few days ago I stumbled upon an amazing project of a Russian femnist and theater director: http://feministki.livejournal.com/3605172.html
It's called 'A Woman for Herself' and presents pictures of women who just live in their bodies instead of endlessly checking if those are good enough for being considered sexually attractive. And the photographs are intentionally uninviting.
Unfortunately the texts are in Russian but the models are mostly speaking about being in their bodies, getting to know themselves, body acceptance and their personal fight against self-objectification and objectification by the people who surround them.

And I personally have felt that the photo-shoot with the garments is almost as desexualised as pictures from that project. The cut of the dress is dramatically geometric, it creates a striking contrast with open skin but it's definitely not suggestive.

Irara: This project was refreshing to have discovered! Thank you for sharing something so relevant.

boandaropax, as a woman, I found this work to be both intellectually fascinating and very wearable. The craftsmanship is evident even in the simple images of the articles alone and unstyled. I really look forward to seeing what you produce as you continue to explore your vision!

[boandaropax]

Irara: This project was refreshing to have discovered! Thank you for sharing something so relevant.

boandaropax, as a woman, I found this work to be both intellectually fascinating and very wearable. The craftsmanship is evident even in the simple images of the articles alone and unstyled. I really look forward to seeing what you produce as you continue to explore your vision!

Hello, thanks for the positive feedback. Cross my fingers that I can push this concept into a larger range of wearables :)

[Faust]

/\ Can you do me a favor and not use the #stylezeitgeist hashtag on your instragram? It's tactless.

[boandaropax]

/\ Can you do me a favor and not use the #stylezeitgeist hashtag on your instragram? It's tactless.

Sure I guess. Why does it bother you? Get all right up in your elitism?

[viciouscircle]

Great work Mel! Didn't know students at cofa actually get to design a range like that

Whats your next step? I recently graduated from a Branded Fashion course in Sydney. Job hunting is killing me here.

Best,

V