BA (Hons) Costume Design and Construction
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/7232
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Item How did the opening up of opportunities in leisure and employment evolve women’s tailoring?(2020)Women’s tailoring is now a massive part of mainstream fashion, this study will look at the origins and evolution of this style. Equestrianism is the first time we see Tailoring used popularly in womenswear, it crept into different types of sportwear and to eventually completely revolutionize womenswear. During the Victorian era women began to fight for their rights and win in earnest, this led to women having more bodily autonomy and we see a rise in more practical clothing and the promoting of rational dress and Bloomerism. Women also began to work in establishments more due to their newfound rights, the industrial revolution also saw a boom in new employment opportunities. The invention of the sewing machine around 1850 also let women producing their own clothes at home and at a much faster rate. Tailors at first would only make women’s riding habits, then other sportwear, then coats but eventually opened up their shops to women. Dress makers not to have their trade decrease learned tailoring skills and even copied the tailor’s flat patterns but would adapt them on a dress form to more suit the feminine silhouette. The dress makers made a more froufrou version of the austere men’s styles of the time and they created some spectacular garments. All of the subjects covered in this study will show the evolution of Women’s Tailoring from its origins in Sportswear until it trickled up to be the most fashionable outfit of a high society ladies’ wardrobe later in the Victorian era .Item “Are traditional prop making craft skills still relevant for Film production in the era of CGI? “(2020)This study aims to argue how Prop Making is still relevant in the budget film productions where CGI is gradually establishing itself as a practice. To answer my research question, I personally tested some of the most used Prop techniques in the Industry on a transformation mask. To support my empirical data, I included the experience of four experts of both CGI and Prop Making. My findings show that Props and Computer Graphics are not to be intended as separate worlds. Their role is in fact complementary and they are constantly adapting one to each other to bring new levels of realness on our screen.Item Conspicuous Consumption at the Court of Henry VIII. What do first-hand accounts and sources from the 16th Century tell us about material culture in Early Modern Europe and at the Court of Henry VIII?(2020)This study aims to identify how first-hand accounts and sources can inform us about conspicuous consumption and material culture at the court of Henry VIII. The paper uses a broad range of sources to gather this information. Surviving first-hand accounts make up the majority of sources. Through examining and analysing existing historical evidence, in the form of: the Letters and Papers of Henry VIII, Calendars of State Papers, Inventories and Wardrobe accounts, this paper uncovers the motivations and outcomes of Henry VIII’s sartorial habits. The original sources are supported by research already undertaken on subjects of Tudor dress, by authors such as Maria Hayward and David Starkey. The paper focuses on specific aspects of the Tudor court, royal residences, courtiers. It examines elements of the king’s wardrobe, textiles, embellishments and jewellery. It explores Sumptuary Law and relations with foreign rulers. Lastly it investigates the king’s personal wardrobe and how it functioned as part of his household. The combination of these topics in relation to their topics provide a unique insight into conspicuous consumption and material culture at the court of Henry VIII.Item What construction techniques might have been used to create the “costume” in the Ditchley Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I.(2020)The purpose of this study is to investigate what garment construction methods might have been used to create the outfit worn by Queen Elizabeth I in the iconic Ditchley Portrait by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger c.1592. Research is presented on each layer of clothing worn by women of the elite ranks during this time period in order to gain a clearer understanding of how the exaggerated silhouette in this portrait was created. This includes examining each garment’s purpose, what fabrics were used and how they were made. Portraits and extant garments from this era have served as visual aids whilst literature, particularly from clothing historian Janet Arnold’s extensive catalogue has proved invaluable to this investigation. The written element of this dissertation will focus mainly on the four garments which will be constructed in the practical element, these garments include a pair of bodies, a wheel farthingale, a petticoat and a gown. Since the practical element is a costume and not a fashion reproduction, it will demonstrate the use of both modern and historical construction techniques. Research on other articles of clothing which would have been worn is also included although in slightly lesser detail, this includes a smock, bum roll and ruff.Item How effectively costumed are characters of the fantasy video game “Dragon Age: Inquisition” and how do these costume designs contribute to believable characters and fantasy worldbuilding(2020)Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014), is a popular fantasy Role Play Game (RPG) developed by Bioware. It is the part of a trilogy of games and has been awarded many accolades for its successful release. It has critical acclaim and a cult following among RPG fans and casual gamers alike. It is a visually impressive game, but this dissertation aims to evaluate the specific success of the costumes within Inquisition and how it supports the characters and worldbuilding. It critically analyses the design appeal, relevancy and effectiveness of the costumes against character origins and narrative roles. By focusing on Inquisition, it narrows down the vast field of research to a manageable state. Inquisition is a large-scale video game with many diverse characters and cultures and offers a unique range of costumes to critique. This dissertation will analyse the effectiveness of the designs using visuals and information from the game itself, The Art of Dragon Age: Inquistion (2014) and the lore books The World of Thedas Volume 1 (2013) and 2 (2015). The technical success of these costumes within the rendered game will be evaluated by outcome and design phases, including how Inquisition costumes its enemies using colour theory and symbolism. The effect on gameplay is examined thoroughly. It will evaluate the roles of the characters and the created world state against the costume designs presented and analyse the materials appropriately in the context of the game. The outcome will be a judgement on the specific effectiveness of the costumes within Inquisition using the outcomes of this critical analysis and usage of costume theory, leading to a greater understanding of video game costuming and its importance.Item DOES SIMON STONE’S RADICAL NEW ENGLISH VERSION OF “YERMA” MAINTAIN THE KEY SYMBOLIC ELEMENTS OF LORCA’S ORIGINAL WRITING?(2018)This dissertation examines how Australian theatre director Simon Stone has incorporated Federico García Lorca's key symbolic elements in his rewrite of the 20th-century Spanish masterpiece Yerma. Lorca relies on the use of symbols to give his plays and poems a romantic tone with a distinctive lyricism. An analytical study of symbols is applied to Lorca's work from a lexicographical and symbolic perspective, where the language of the poet is analysed taking into account ethnology and socio-cultural significance to correctly identify the principal symbolic components present in the play. Water, the female body and the land are recognised as the key symbolic elements in the composition. They are all symbols of fertility for Lorca. Simon Stone sees in Yerma a modern dilemma and changes the poetic language of Lorca to contemporary discourse in order to achieve his aim of connecting with an English speaking audience. The production succeeds in maintaining Lorca's fertility symbolism by the combined appearance of symbols in the script, the sound design by Stefan Gregory and the scenography by Lizzie Clachan.Item Can individual specialist makers within the fashion and costume industry remain viable while incorporating ethical and sustainable issues into their business model?(2018)This study investigates “Can individual specialist makers within the fashion and costume industry remain viable while incorporating ethical and sustainable issues into their business model?” The study was researched through literary research, such as books, journal and online articles, interviews with specialist makers and a survey of the general public. The study compares the broader view of the fast fashion market to the small scale manufacturing of a specialist maker. The majority of previous research focuses on large scale manufacturing. Upon examination this study determines that it is possible to remain viable while incorporating ethical and sustainable issues however the scale is limited.Item How has the appropriation of a male style of trouser by women in western culture marked the growth of female emancipation during the 20th century: a study into the pivotal moments across the century for both couture fashions and ready-to-wear trends.(2018)Women wearing trousers is a very common site in 2018, but less than 100 years ago things were very different for women. This study investigates the development and acceptance of trousers across the 20th century, and how they relate to the growth of female emancipation. Trousers became a symbol of power for women in the late 20th century, how and why this happened will be explored in this study. As this is an overview of the 20th century some pivotal moments have been picked out as focus points. These moments are key to the growth of female emancipation and trousers for women, in relation to couture clothing and ready-to-wear fashion. This study brings together multiple sources to provide evidence of how trousers for women became accepted in society and how they affected the growth of female emancipation. It will investigate how designers made their work popular and will investigate some of the most famous examples of trousers in the 20th century, Le Smoking Tuxedo by Yves Saint Laurent and the development of jeans by Levi Strauss and Co, amongst others. Research into why designers chose to include trousers in their fashion lines for women, and how that links to female emancipation will also be discussed. Connecting trousers for women and female emancipation across the entire 20th century is something that is not widely documented, and further study would be needed to give a fuller answer. This study provides some answers based on the pivotal moments it focuses on.Item ANACHRONISTIC APPAREL: UNDERSTANDING THE SEMIOTIC VALUE OF HYBRID-PERIOD COSTUME DESIGN(2018)The purpose of this study is to investigate and categorise the use of a hybrid of periods in dramatic costume design. The main objective is to examine and explore the theory of, what this study has named, Anachronistic Costume Design (ACD). The first aim is to define ACD, discover the structure of the method, and analyse the semiotic interpretation and psychology of hybrid-period performance attire. Secondly, the study researches the use of anachronistic costuming throughout the ages to gain an understanding of its evolution from the early emblematic costumes of Ancient Greece to the Modernist costumes of the early nineteenth century. In combining the established theory and the knowledge of its historical background, the study then explores the conventions of ACD in contemporary theatre by proposing a system of categorisation for the technique. This includes dividing it into three subgenres, each representing the differing forms in which hybrid-period costume may manifest. These are classed as: Visual Period Conflict, Concordant Period Amalgamation and Neoteric Genre Creation. Each category is supported by a modern case study. The fusion of time periods in design is an important signifier as it engages a viewer. It alerts them to alien garments/costumes in a production, resulting in an increase in audience appreciation of the design and its semiotic purpose. As this theory has not been clearly codified before (however has been widely practiced), this research is open to interpretation. The formula hopes to aid costume students by providing them with a concrete design method. It should also encourage them to test, and contest, this versatile costume technique so that it may further develop and expand as a legitimate design theory.Item How Has Competitive Ballroom Dance costume evolved Throughout the History of DanceSport?(Queen Margaret University, 2017)This project investigates the development of costumes worn by ballroom dancers; tracing the evolution of modern ballroom dance from a social activity to competitive sport and the effects this had on ball gowns. Research is presented on the history of ballroom dancing and the styles of dress worn; from corsets and crinolines to the influence of celebrities such as Irene Castle and Ginger Rogers to Christian Dior's 'New Look' silhouette and finally to todays form fitting performance wears. This study highlights the effect of dance on fashion and fashions effect on dancewear the results of which have produced stylish yet practical costumes enhancing the look and performance of a dancer. The study focuses primarily on dresses worn for the Standard category of DanceSport. The practical element demonstrates the development in fabrics and production techniques through the creation of two ball gowns - a 1950s recreation made from woven non-stretch fabrics and a modern gown produced using four-way stretch fabrics. The contrasting styles demonstrate the impact of developments in dancewear fabrics and construction techniques specifically the use of stretch fabric and elastic to create performance wear costumes that provide the athlete with a greater range of flexible and athletic movement.