Beatrice in Blue
Transforming floral curtains into a custom floor-length gown suitable for the witty and seemingly fearless Beatrice from the Shakespearian play Much Ado About Nothing.
Inspiration
Beatrice is a prime example of Shakespeare's strong, complex female characters. Like many of his creations, she plays a multidimensional individual with an emotional arc that is seamlessly woven into the plot through her humor and sharp wit. While she initially guards her heart, we later see a more vulnerable side of her.
For this gown, my aim was to capture Beatrice's witty, fierce persona while subtly foreshadowing her emotional transformation and eventual expression of vulnerability. It is through expressing her innermost self to Benedick that she is able to secure the future she longed for.
Ophelia
Creating a soft, ghost-like gown embellished with forest leaves and an elegant, silky blush slip. This look was inspired by the Friedrich Heyser painting titled Ophelia.
Inspiration
There are many adaptations of Hamlet, with most focusing on Ophelia's tragic demise. Driven by madness, Ophelia presents the royal court with a series of symbolic bouquets, each flower chosen to comment on the recipient's character. Soon after, Ophelia tragically dies offstage. In Heyser's version of the story, Ophelia finds peace in death, surrounded by the lily pads and the branches of a willow.
For this gown, my goal was to capture Ophelia as a delicate soul, emotionally scarred by her love for Hamlet and her grief over her brother's death. The design reflects her fragile nature, haunted by sorrow yet still connected to the beauty of her tragic fate.
