Apocalypse Later Exhibiton

At the end of the Wish You Were Here project, level 4 put together a private view to showcase their final pieces of work.  To get the exhibition as professional as possible, we had to tidy up some of the work.

I filmed and edited a short 7 minute video of me making the dress, following the instructions at the relevant point, which was showed alongside the dress in the exhibition.

Display

For the final display, images in the newspaper
were replaced with images taken from the photoshoot. 

Final Collection

These images are the final 3 dresses made.  Only Dress 1 has a pattern to follow.  If I were to continue this project I would make patterns for all garments and expand the collection to include male clothing.  I feel as though dress 2 and dress 3 are not as successful, however they complement dress 1 and complete a small collection.   

Dress 1

Dress 1

Dress 2 

Dress 2

Dress 2

Dress 3

Dress 3

Dress 3

Expanding the dresses into patterns

From feedback after a group presentation, it was suggested that as well as making the dresses from newspapers, I should look at making patterns so that the dresses were easy to copy and easily adapted into post-apocalyptic life.  As people have no money, they would not be able to buy the garments, but instead this would enable them to make their own disposable clothing.

Making the garments look eye catching and fashionable was one challenge, but making them look amazing and yet simple enough to write (and follow) instructions was another!

I did simple illustrations for what I thought was the most effective dress.  I printed them onto tissue paper, similar to a dress pattern, and made a packet to contain them - printed on newspaper.  I also incorporated the pattern paper and packaging into a bag to complete the outfit!

Photoshoot

The final dresses are made from the Financial Times, however I did my photoshoot using the prototype designs.

The backdrop I used was inspired by the hyperinflation in Germany, 1923 - see blog posted on 25th January 2012 - Due to the masses of money printed which became worthless, people used the bank notes to make children's toys, and decorate the walls with etc.  As this links very closely with my scenario of a financial apocalypse I thought to cover the walls in newspaper (as unable to supply enough banknotes!).

Further Designs and Ideas

Further designs and ideas:


Following a pattern when using newspaper wasn't very easy, as the material is not as easy to manipulate as fabric, so I developed some designs straight on to a mannequin.  I found the best way to make the paper adapt into clothing was to fold & pleat the paper in various ways rather than using it as one continuos piece.