FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
Finalist
Alice’s Adventures in Cern
(click images to to enlarge)
Other Credits
Photographer: @mariasaltaura, aka. @aura.photography Model: @konstantinasaltaura
Outline the story …
Entry inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
"Curioser and Curioser, Alice cried as she delved deeper and deeper into Wonderland." (Carroll, 2018)
"Why?" is my constant question since I can remember myself.
Just like in Wonderland itself, I'm willing to find knowledge and express it through my creativity.
Alice is an ongoing source of inspiration for me, with her curiosity and quest for discovery.
As a fashion designer, I become an Alice of today, chasing white rabbits down rabbit-holes. Whenever I feel confused, I also feel determined to begin at the beginning and go on till I come to the end: then stop, as Lewis Carroll (2018) would write. It is this passion that leads me to a new awakening every time, just like Alice.
It is this quest of creative curiosity that inspired me for this outfit for the competition. Further inspiration would come from the ALICE project at Cern.
ALICE is a detector dedicated to heavy-ion physics at the LHC. Scientists are observing how the phase of quark-gluon plasma progressively gives rise to the particles that constitute the matter of our universe today.
The colours and lines of the experiments reminded me of Salvador Dali's illustrations of Alice in Wonderland, creating a more tangible image of my project.
Alice, then, became a fractal depiction of the curious 'scientist' in me.
Outline the construction…
As a fashion designer, I love creating hybrids. I designed a chemisier/ lab-coat and a corset/ trench-coat. I started with the birds-wing corset by Sparklewren, which I fitted on my model, did the appropriate changes, and then created my design. It is a strategically cut trench-coat. The chemisier has a hidden placket, oversized lab-coat pockets, and raglan sleeves. The late Victorian inspired sleeves are open on the outer side and fastened with an enlarged cuff. They are cut in a circular way to create the appropriate volume I envisioned.
The corset is a single-layer corset made out of heavy gabardine that I doubled in the center front, center back, and additional pieces to create the boning channels and structure I needed. There are 14 pieces on each side of the corset. The seams are felled seams towards the back, and each one has a spiral steel bone. In the center front and back, there are flat steel bones. Finally, there is metal underwire. Since it was my first time experimenting with it, I got lots of help from the Facebook group, especially Barbara Black. Her assistance was so valuable.
The fabric I used for the chemisier is heavy shirting. Moreover, I used shoulder pads to create a more severe outcome. I covered the shoulder pads in the same fabric. The seams are felled seams.
Finally, I dyed the fabrics. Unfortunately, the result was uneven. I designed around my dyed fabric to create a new pattern on the final garment.
The details in this are stunning!
Thank you so much for noticing. I really took my time in all of the stages.
The concept and design are fantastic!
Thank you! Just love this rabbit hole I went in.
This is INCREDIBLE!!!
Ohhhhh wow! Thank you so much!!!
Excellent concept and amazing execution. Super impressive and sort of cyberpunk elegant. I love it.
Thank you so much for your kind comment. I hadn’t thought of that aspect. That’s interesting.
I want to wear this outfit I think it’s gorgeous, and beautifully made. Well done! 🙂
Thank you so much!!! I really love this comment. As a fashion designer, I focus a lot on designing for women to express themselves and this makes me happy.
Fantastic modern interpretation. It is definitely weird and wonderful <3 Love it!
Thank you so much! To paraphrase a bit a quote from Alice: We are all a bit weird.
Wow! This is so beautiful !
Thank you so much!!!
Okay, now this is awesome! Thank you for being bold and going more modern and conceptual with it, and really showing off how historical technique can be used to elevate design. I love your thought process in why you made the design choices that you did. That’s very smart. 😀
Thank you so much for this kind comment. You’re describing my aesthetics very well. I love designing with different concepts and explore different things every time. I love fashion, but also great construction and design details from the past.
oh wow, so cool. love the mix of antique and modern. the final look is super striking. very original. job well done ♡
Thank you so much for your nice comment. It’s an outfit that I love for sure.
that’s a really bold and smart reinterpretation of the costume ! I love the modern cuts mixed with the historic details of slashes and corsetry.
It’s really great.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I wanted to give it my twist.
I love your complete “out of the box” creativity. Really impressive shapes and layers. Beautifully executed.
Thank you so much for your nice comment!
Wow, it is so intriguing, it makes me want to see more and explore how it is all built, amazing job !
Thank you so much! Lots of experimentation and lots of felled seams.
This is absolutely stunning. The thought that went into actual design in this is well worth every single vote you will surely be getting. When design people talk about asymmetry in design being a good thing, this is what they mean; subtle, carefully chosen asymmetry that doesn’t feel forced.
Bravo on the whole line!
Ohhhhh my! Thank you so much for your kind comment and for paying attention to all the little details that went into it. I was really nervous coming from a fashion background.
Thank you!
This is so weird and strange and it’s all kinds of amazing! While being very high fashion it still reads Alice. Super cool.
Awwwww thanks!
I ADORE the sleeves! I mean i love everything about this but i REALLY love the sleeves!
Thank you so much. Just another experimentation.
I love this! The way you took two completely different, yet thematically linked, sources of inspiration and combined them into this incredible, experimental piece, is amazing! Beautifully executed, your attention to detail is visible in every seam! Well done!
Thank you so much! I just couldn’t resist in this connection. Thank you for noticing the little details I have added.
I love how runway it looks but not unwearable as so many haute couture pieces can seem. The science connection to CERN and the Alice project is so unique and I can see this being worn to a business meeting there. Very cool.
Ohhhhh my! Thank you so much. That was the point for this outfit, runway yet wearable. Thanks!
Amazing work, I really love the deconstructed aspect.
Thank you so much for your kind comment!
This is SUCH a cool interpretation of the theme!! I love the avant garde look of it, I feel this easily could be part of a streetwear snapshot from Tokyo 😀
Ohhhhhh my! Thank you so much. I would love to see that snapshot.
As I am reliably informed corsets are definitely in this season I can absolutely see this being worn on the red carpet at some awards ceremony! I love the whole concept of the pale blue and the fractal elements (was I the only one not to love that line in Frozen’s Let it Go?). I’m really not sure which bit I like the most there are so many different elements I love. Beautiful.
Thank you so much! Corsets and especially stays are so in right now. Having my outfit worn at an awards ceremony would be amazing. I’m so thankful that you like my details.