France, 1995
tatianaquard.com
Nominee GRA Award 2018 Applied Arts
Outside in / Inside out
How should clothes be considered if they lose their primary function? What does a garment represent if it loses its identity?
My intention in this collection is to question the identity of an outfit. I related the identity the "tobi-shokunin” – Japanese construction worker – put into their uniform to the identity of the outfit itself. By taking the sagyōfuku as a starting base, I played with it and created new uniforms, keeping the details of the original inspiration in all of my designs. I explored the uniform to create as many variations as possible, always with the original jacket and pair of trousers as a central reference. The goal was to let the uniform express itself in different ways in order to give it new identities, by combining those of other well-known items. These are translated into seven looks: the jinbei, denim overall, formal, bomber, jogging, skiwear and kimono uniforms.
When playing with shapes and materials, the most important was for the original outfit to still be recognisable. Two fabrics were used: natural and synthetic. Natural fabrics – cotton and canvas – as a reference to the original workwear, sweat fabric for a sporty feel, and plastic and nylon for an abstract appearance. I also made abstract prints, which I added to the abstract outfits.
