My work exploring the word 'Phygital' has been entrenched in metallics, foils and the relationships between contrasting fabrics and alternative materials. I have been inspired by the Metallic trend within menswear, seen throughout the S/S 14 collections. Through statement pieces, metallic has crept back into modern fashion textiles; designers have been using subtle balances of OTT statement coats adorned with foils, metals, and plastics mixed with more accepted natural tones and fibres.
This leg of the rotation I feel I have developed a good understanding of my materials, and feel I have an interesting concept behind my work. The tactile world of the physical meets the digital screen with combined elements of slashing, foil bonding, entrapment of threads, and succesful use of the satin stitch to recreate the sense of meandering cracks through the fabric.
This piece by designer Antonin Tron used copper, gold and bronze embellishment to produce the key piece of his collection. I see this piece quite similar to my experimentation with the shards of acetate and foil I stitched together like futuristic scales on the contrasting feel of polysuede.
The work of designer James Long also caught my eye, matching subtle greys with metalic blues, and shimmering knits, Long's pieces have both block metalic embelishment and more spontaneous embroidery, similar to the wires and cracks I have been recreating.
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| James Long, S/S13 |
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| acetate, felt, foil, satin stitch, with elements of slashing and reverse applique |
I could definitely see my work in a fashion context, perhaps more aimed at concept art within fashion. Similar to the practice of Soo Sunny Park, who uses metal and glass in art direction. Her sculpture Capturing Resonance used wire and plexiglass to capture light and explore the relationship of material and space. Her beautiful structures shimmer as the light passes through creating impressions and reflections all around the space. This influential practitioner further pushes the boundaries, with similar material manipulation but on the body.
I am very much interested in how textiles for the body can also relate to the space around us and what influence our materials can have on the light and spacial awareness of our surroundings. The shine and glass of metallics and tactile ground fabrics I have used explore the connections between digital technology and physical touch. I have very much enjoyed these last weekes of embroidery, and would perhaps be interested in carrying these ideas and skills through to a more mixed-media approach in the future so I can further investigate qualities shared and opposed by the physical and digital as technology becomes an ever growing part of textiles.
