Personal Project :
Art NoveAu collection
The following project is an investigation entitled ‘The Representation of Women in Art Noveau Interior Design in 19th century, France.’ Through my research, I proposed a collection of contemporary haute couture nightgowns that translate the symbolism of Art Noveau, inspired by botanic studies, decorative art and ornamentation of surfaces, to create various objects such as paintings, sculptures, vitrails or furniture.
1. The first step was to gather visual material, selecting images, textile forms and a color palette from elements of the cultural context. I took botanical motifs as a resource for the garments, I also drew inspiration from draping depicted by 19th century artists such as Albert Moore.
One of the biggest challenges was to create a project that effectively captured the design principles of Art Noveau, due to the complex and ornate nature of the style. Also, the lack of well-preserved resources and information of the historical period presented a significant obstacle in my project.
2. The creative process continued with translating the investigation in a moodboard that visually grounded the concept and communicated the desired aesthetic.
I conducted research on specific techniques and selected textiles that would allow me to develop the required draping techniques, for instance tule and silk.
3. Analogous sketches were made to indicate how I deconstructed the visual inspiration and how it led to the design possibilities of each particular garment. For instance, I sought to depict the organic references in the form of seams over a textile manipulation as a resource for the dresses.
Material Sample exploration