I had the incredible opportunity to showcase the dress I made that was based off of this collection in the 2021 VMFA Fine Arts & Flowers Luncheon & Fashion Show. The dress was constructed in my Draping class, where we had to use muslin and apply our print designs by hand. The final dress is fully lined with on-seam pockets. The print was applied by different lotus flower stencil I cut out and painted over, then added gold detailing to the petals freehand.
When creating my own motifs and prints, I chose to use astrolabes and lotus flowers to convey my fascination with travel and space exploration and connected it back to how myself and others are feeling during this pandemic.
The prints tie back to the handcrafted and artistic aesthetics that came out of quarantine. Astrological symbols alongside florals express post-pandemic positivity and encouragement. Astrolabes represent aspirations for exploration and traveling. Lotus flowers represent rebirth and growth through difficult times.
