In my search for interesting bits of art and design, I stumbled upon Kendall College of Art and Design’s fashion show; Bodies of Art. I’m not much of a fashion person, so I didn’t know what to expect. Before the show started, I had a chance to look at some drawings by designers, explaining what they were aiming for with their works.
The theme was “Forest Floor”, and the designers interpreted it in a variety of ways. I liked that the clothes ranged from things that I could imagine people wearing in normal situations to things that were a little more “out there”, like you might expect in a fashion show.
I noticed a number of pieces that involved other repurposed clothes, like these two, with hacked sweaters and skirts.
These three pieces were by two designers from Grand Valley State University, Megan and Sam. I had a chance to interview them as well.
How would you describe your work?We just decided to focus on dark processes of nature, that was kind of the gist of things. There was the tar pit, shedding, and then a wounded animal.
How did you become interested fashion as a whole?I’ve been sewing since I was fourteen and I just follow a lot of fashion, watch a lot of runway shows, stuff online.
My thing was jewelry, I design a lot of jewelry, and fashion in general, I’m just very interested in. We’re both from Grand Valley, and we’re members of Grand Valley’s fashion club.
How do you go about starting a project like this?We just kinda threw out ideas, I guess, and just kinda started. We had a bunch of random supplies and said “Let’s just dig in and see what turns up from it”.
Is this the most challenging project that you’ve done? This was more fun because it could be more conceptual, not like everyday wear type of thing, so I guess in that respect it was challenging ’cause we had to narrow down what we wanted to do for a concept. Yeah, think a little more outside the box.
What’s the biggest influence on your work? For me, personally, these outfits is the movie “Antichrist” by Lars van Trier. It came out in 2009 I think. But it’s about how the devil is nature, and how nature is the devil. Other than that, I mean, just what I see. I go to thrift stores all the time, so crazy stuff there. In general for me, in jewelry and stuff that I make a lot, I do use a lot of natural elements, and so I guess this is just kind of an extension of what I normally do, and that’s kind of how I am, I use a lot of stones and things like that in my jewelry.
This piece stood out with the Native American theme. I got to interview the designer, Alexandra Johnson, as well.
How would you describe your work? It was really Native American inspired, I’ve been doing a lot of pieces of my own work, I do paintings, I’m an illustration major and I’ve been doing a lot of Native American stuff, so that was a huge inspiration for me.
How did you become interested in fashion as a whole? I started crocheting actually, when I was a little girl, my grandma taught me, so I guess learning how to sew and crochet, that really kinda got me interested in it.
How do you go about starting a project? It’s usually just an idea, like a concept, you know I like a pattern or a color, really evokes something, and that’s usually how I go about it first.
What’s the most challenging project that you’ve done? Well I guess it was quite challenging doing this outfit that I did because it was my first major sewing project, like I had to come up with my own pattern for bloomers and you wouldn’t think they would be complicated, but they were. It was cool though, at the end to have it turn out.
What’s the biggest influence on your work as a whole? The Native American theme? No, basically the things and the people around me that really make a difference in my life
There was one more designer who I had a chance to interview, although I didn’t get a picture of her work. One of the things I noticed about her work was the skirt, with different strips of fabric, looking very pretty. Here’s my interview with Danielle Hoag.
How would you describe your work? My work is very flowery. It’s very fairylike and delicate. I like colors and floral prints as well.
How did you become interested in fashion as a whole? I took a fashion illustration class… I was interested in fashion in movies, I took notes and sketched. I was really glad that Kendall offered a fashion program that I could, you know, get involved with.
How do you go about starting a project like this? I usually sketch it out first, and then I usually draft a pattern and then I choose my fabrics and then I get to sewing, really just putting it together.
What’s the most challenging project that you’ve done? Probably more like headpieces. It’s hard to balance them and fit them on the body, and I want my model to feel comfortable at the same time, so that right balance, and if you want things to come to the side or structure, that’s challenging.
What’s the biggest influence on your work? The biggest influence is definitely nature. I get a lot of inspiration from nature and the world around me, the forest.
Overall, I liked the show. There were a few things that could be improved for next time though. The programs were pretty difficult to read, as they were printed with white text on a light blue-grey background. The lighting could have been better as well, it would have been helpful to have a spotlight right when models came out onto the runway.
I liked the way they incorporated the theme into the whole show, using branch and leaf motifs to decorate the room. I think Bodies of Art was a great experience, and I’ll be sure to come again next year.
I’d like to thank all the designers who let me interview them, Katie, for answering all my questions about the event, and Mr. Stonebender, for taking all the pictures used in this post.