Blog 4: Peer Review
After looking through some of the blogs and reading about other students’ experiences in the other Better Lives projects, I have chosen to reflect upon Eleanor Parry-Hensley’s third blog post on her outcomes in the Navigating Through Clothing project.
Eleanor’s project outcome featured a playful design for Gretel that really captured the character’s traits while taking into consideration the impacts that come with the realization of her design. Drawing from the fairy tales and stories that she heard growing up, she was inspired to create a design that reflected the “carefree and whimsical” qualities of Gretel’s demeanour while allowing the costume to communicate strong female attributes. While many fairy tales feature princesses in need of saving, it’s refreshing to see a design that features a bright, dainty appearance without imposing any restrictions. By ensuring that the costume does not hinder the actress’s mobility, the characters are able to “adventure freely”, portraying more dynamic personalities that may inspire more diverse female narratives for future generations.
The illustrated diagram included with the blog shows the different components of her design as well as the thought process behind it. The duck pattern that Eleanor chose as a print pays homage to the two children’s interactions with wildlife in the story. This focus on the animals, in addition to creating a “childlike” appearance, also demonstrates the significance of nature and the need for the preservation of natural wildlife habitats. The importance of sustainability in the design was also highlighted in Eleanor’s reflection as she considered the material composition of the costume. Using cotton as a “sustainable, renewable, and biodegradable” material, would allow her to ensure that the production of her costume would create minimal impact on the environment. However, obtaining the materials from responsible sources would also help to ensure ethnic and socially responsible labour and practices throughout the supply chain.
One of my personal favourite aspects of this design is its practicality. As many costumes are often restrictive, too revealing, or overburdening on the wearer, this design values the importance of the actress’s comfort without sacrificing the design needs to portray Gretel’s character. By ensuring that the garment is made ready for expressive actions, it also allows the actress to “immerse” herself into the character’s narrative as if wearing custom armour made to prepare for an adventure. In doing so, Eleanor’s design also ensures the well-being of the people on stage, maximizing the positive impacts on all the groups involved in every aspect of the garment’s lifecycle. In her comprehensive blog post, Eleanor’s design and reflection demonstrates her understanding and implementation of all three of the Better Lives themes.
References: Parry-Hensley, E. (2020) ‘Blog 3 Reflecting on my Navigating Through Clothing Project Outcome and Personal Development’ myBlog 19/20 Better Lives SMC, 30 April. Available at: https://1920betterlivessmc.myblog.arts.ac.uk/2020/04/30/blog-3-5/