Cascades

Created at Massey University at 100 level, this design responds to a brief to ‘explore a classmate’s identity through fashion design’. Upcycled from an old men’s button up shirt, the design takes reference from my friend and classmate Jack, who is from Rotorua, and draws inspiration on the Green and Blue Lakes,  Lake Rotokākahi and Lake Tikitapu.

This piece is named “Cascades” to reflect the inspiration behind it. My classmate grew up in Rotorua, which is often known for its geological landmarks, the Green (Rotokakahi) and Blue (Tikitapu) lakes. The name “Cascades” references both the physical idea of flowing water in lake Rotokakahi and lake Tikitapu, and also symbolises the flowing heritage history of Jack’s family who have lived in Rotorua for decades. 

The base of the piece is a men's button up shirt, which I have then altered the silhouette of, and added organza and chiffon overlays, to represent the physical motion of flowing and cascading water, further strengthening the identity of this design.

Draping Process

For the construction of Cascades, I wanted to ensure the draped chiffon and organza sat freely and mimicked the flowing of water on the form. To do this, I sampled pinning the strips of fabric in different layers to find the outcome I saw fit my design intentions best.

Acknowledgements 

Carli Burn as model