In order to develop the skills I have already learned, and work creatively I have been asked to start exploring fashion and textiles in a more conceptual way. The theme for this chosen project is ‘Twisted Fairy Tale’, and here I am asked to design and make a garment inspired by one of the original Grimm Brothers Fairy Tales. My final completed Twisted Fairy Tale garment will become part of a group exhibition, along with work from the Level 3 art students.
The Grimm's' Fairy Tales, originally known as the Children's and Household Tales, is a collection of fairy tales by the Grimm brothers or "Brothers Grimm", Jacob and Wilhelm, first published on 20 December 1812. This collection contains many of the most-loved fairy tales in history, many of which have been revisited by Walt Disney, who made these stories into much more wholesome and tamer versions. The original Grimm Brothers Tales are much darker than those that we are more familiar with, and the horror of the stories create some very interesting ideas for concept design. Examples of some of the more popular Grimm Brothers Tales are:
Hansel & Gretel, Rumplestiltskin, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, Death’s Messenger, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, The King of the Golden Mountain, The Frog Prince, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Town Musicians of Bremen, Rapunzel, The Elves and the Shoemaker.
Fairy Tale Fashion
Fairy tale fashion is gorgeously designed garments which withhold fairy tale fantasy stories. These fairy tale garments echo original and historical features from fairy tales. Smallest elements from a fantasy fairy tale can be taken and executed within a Devine designed garment, which creates and paints a storyline for the garments. Many fashion designers create and design collections which hold simplicity and status, bringing the garments in the collections to life. This enables audiences and viewers to understand and recognise the meaning and storyline behind garments, in how they are presented and executed.
The term “fairy tale” is often used to describe clothing that is especially lavish, beautiful, and seemingly unattainable. Fairy tales have been aligned with the world of high fashion for along time. There is Endless similarities which exist between the two subjects—fantasy, beauty, history and myths. The dress wear in fairy tales play crucial roles, signalling the status, wealth, power, or vanity of particular characters, symbolising their transformation. While fairy tales most often provide little information behind what is necessary to a plot, clothing and accessories are often vividly described, enhancing the sense of wonder integral to the genre. Fairy tales have been extremely important to fashion. Some theorists believe that designers are creating fantastical and escapist clothing in an attempt to counteract an increasing emphasis on technology, functionalism, and globalisation. Fairy tale fashion is hugely taken in to perspective as you have to recreate a twisted story telling garment that is set within a fairy tale time. When I come round to creating a garment based on a fairy tale, I want to include all aspects and elements of fashion from. the time the fairy tale is set in.
Walt Disney
Disney princesses are most likely some of the best-known characters worldwide. Part of their appeal lies in their oldey-timey-ness. Each Disney princess is certainly a product of the period in which the movie was made. Disney Princess movies are almost always set in a fantasy historical settings which hold all the fairy tale expectations; true love, wicked witches, princesses, princes and more. Disney creates fictional worlds for their princesses to live in, drawing on historical and mythical inspiration to create beautiful fairy tales.
However, the fashion we see in Disney’s fairy tale tellings are rarely historically accurate, but instead draw inspiration from a range of European fashion history. Many of the Disney princess dresses are way more modernly drawn than the times there actually set in. For example, Tiana's dress in princess and the frog is far from historically accurate from the time the actual fairy tale is set in. Princess and the frog was set in 1920 Newlines which was the time of the flapper style dresses. However in princess and the frog the fashion is far different as Tiana wears a puffy classic princess dress. Many Disney princess movie create gorgeously styled dresses to fit the beautiful princesses, however the actual design of the dresses don't always fit the time that the Disney fairy tales was set in.
Hayden Williams’ Disney Reimaginings
Hayden Williams- a contemporary fashion illustrator -is well known for his creativity re-imaginings of Disney characters. He creates new looks for his ‘Diva’s’ and approaches their fashion on a more contemporary front. He designs Devine, gorgeous illustrated garments which are heavily influenced by Disney character costumes, creating them more modernised and unique. His drawings are creatively stylistic, which feature haute couture outfits for the usually more fantasy and historically dressed characters. His done a series of designed illustrations for many Disney princesses recreating the dresses to be fabulously unique and rejuvenating. His designs would fit perfectly within this current era, from how modern and high in fashion they are.
John Galliano’s Red Riding Hood
This gorgeously executed collection was decadently staged and featured romantic and eccentric characters and garments, that had their roots in 1920’s Paris. This particular peculiar stunning piece is an interesting exploration that is reminiscent of Little Red Riding Hood. Raw Red satin is used in layers of frill that culminate in to a beautifully executed red rose. The ‘hood’ become a woollen cage, which is reminiscent of medieval head gear. The hair is used as creatively plaited pigtails, which join and perform the look of a scarf. This could even be suggesting the story line of Rapunzel, with the elements shown through the hair on this gorgeous piece. The model strolls past creatures of a forest- such as dears and stags- recreating the fairy tale storyline of little red riding hood, portraying it through this gorgeously twisted executed fairy tale piece.
Colleen AtWood’s ‘Snow White and The Huntsman’
Academy Award-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood Who created the gorgeous costumes from Alice in Wonderland, puts her amazing vision and expert craftsmanship to work, bringing to life the characters of Snow White and the Huntsman. This is by presenting them to modern audiences through astonishingly intricate and carefully assembled designs. In this amazing storyline film, where symbolism is crucial to the story and wardrobe is integral, Atwood’s contributions blends seamlessly into a world that’s both fantastical and realistic, which speaks massive volumes about the characters. Each characters costume in this fascinating movie has been hugely thought about and put together to create magnificent costumes for each character. In addition to this, the costumes have been beautifully created by withholding elements and aspects from the movie, as well as keeping the tradition of the fashion of the time that Snow White is set in. Examples of this is the Queens magnificent dress which has elements of broken glass within it, as well as a large oversized collar which is from elizabethan time fashion. This era is the actual time that Snow White is set in, meaning that the costumes in this movie are historically accurate, as well as the costumes withholding Snow White elements within them.
Pam Hogg’s Red Riding Hood and The Witch
The fairy tale fantasy presented by Pam Hogg's at London Fashion Week Autumn / Winter 2015, began with a glammed-up version of the gorgeous little red riding hood herself. There she was presented with an oversized haute-couture silken looking hood, paired with cherry red hot-pants and platform heels. This was then followed by a shaved woman wearing an eye-patch, holding a mysterious wooden stick; the evil witch. The dominatrix feeling given off this collection piece was mixed with a Grimme brother story book attitudes - twisted and altogether unwholesome. The hugely contrasting designing little red riding hood outfit was presented in a less innocent and more loud presentation. The wicked witch costume was performed in a horrifying way, echoing all wicked witches in every fairy tale story, presenting a mysteriously peculiar darkening look.
Eugenio Recuenco for Spanish Vogue
Spanish photographer Eugenio Recuenco recreated classic twisted Grimm Fairy Tales for this photo-shoot that was featured in Vogue Espana in 2006. He did a similar shoot for Vogue France. His re-imaginings of the classic tales are indeed, grim, and feature disheveled models that represent famed characters. These are over the top, distressed yet glamorous representations and extrememly haute couture. Each photograph from his recreated twisted Grimm fairy tales photoshoot is imediately recogniasble to the viewers eyes in which fairy tale it presents and preforms.
Jun Takahashi's the ‘Swan Maiden’
This ensemble inspires thoughts of The Swan Maiden. The level of detail on this Undercover ensemble is astounding, including “feathers” that were printed, painted, and laser-cut. The tutu-style skirt evokes the ballet Swan Lake, composed by Tchaikovsky in 1875. A composite of elements from several folktales, Swan Lake is itself often regarded as a fairy tale. The combination of the outfit sits somewhere between fantasy and contemporary, with the use of the leather gilet that sits over the top of the featured and tulle tutu that has its origins in modern-day Japanese street style. This gorgeously designed garment screams twisted fairy tale with the contrasting fabrics and styles it withholds, fitting in with the Grimm's Brother fairy tales comfortably.
Sandy Powell’s ‘Cinderella’
Although cinderella is a timeless timeless fairy tale, Sandy Powell was aiming for the “look of a nineteenth-century period film made in the 1940’s or 50’s” she says. Cinderella’s stepsisters are seen wearing the yellow and pink of 1950’s sorority sisters. However Cinderella required a subtle rethinking of the tale’s traditional iconography. Sandy Powell's explained “I didn’t want her in rags, what I gave her instead is a dress that starts out pretty and ends up looking faded, tired and worn out”. The gorgeously created costumes for this beautiful put together movie of a recreated Cinderella, looked fabulously pleasing and fit this beautiful fairly tale confortably with the time Sandy Powell's based it in. She carefully coloured each costume wisely so the audience could associate colours with the certain characters, and determine why the specific colour had been used. For example, the wicked step mother in this movie is seen wearing green, and audience can immediately associate this colour to be bad and evil.
Comme Des Garcons Red Riding Hood
Rei Kawakubo took the red riding hood in a provocative new direction, designing an enormous, peaked headpiece in patent leather. Its size led to quips from the fashion media about a “Big Red Riding Hood.” This noteworthy design received even more attention when it was worn by Björk in the Spring 2015 issue of T magazine. His design is a huge contrast to the original expectations of what Little red riding hood wears. However, it is extremely captivating and unique.
McQueen’s ‘The Girl Who Lived in the Tree’
Alexander McQueen handed his audience a self-imagined fantasy of crinolined princesses and British colonial romance. “I’ve got a 600-year –old elm tree in , a garden”, he said, “and I made up this story of a girl who lives in it and comes out of the darkness to meet a prince and become a queen”. McQueen’s collection ‘The Girl Who Lived in the Tree’ is his own made up created fairytale, and echoes influences from other fairy tale’s like the Swan Maiden and the colours of Snow White, and even glimmers of the evil witch complete with a dead-tree like headdress. His beautifully executed designs present a unique approach in the twisted fairy tale fashion world, and would look modernising and unique if it was in a real twisted fairy tale.
Dolce and Gabbana
This luxurious fairy-tale like magical collection was presented to audiences with the backdrop of an enchanting forest. Inspired by fairy tales and the forest, capes and dresses were adorned with beautiful appliques and flowers and forest creatures. Hood’s were reminiscent of Little Red Riding Hood. This fabulously Devine collection was gorgeously presented and withheld elements of a mixture of fairy tales including Little Red Riding Hood. The Hood elements within some of the garment pieces created a complete modern approach to Little Red Rising Hood, preforming a new unique styled approach.
Eiko Isioka’s ‘Mirror Mirror’
Eiko Isioka led the creation of more than 400 costumes. Her Main designed costumes were seen in the marvellous movie 'mirror mirror' which was a twisted recreation of Snow White. All marvellously spectacular costumes from the set are creatively handmade. The styling for Snow White was to connect her to nature, with her final costume being made to look like a present. The costumes are lavish and very far out fantasy at its best, with references to historical costume and costume of the court. Although the costumes were very unique and different, they still withheld elements of the historical accurate clothing at the time 'mirror mirror' was set in. This is seen on one of the queens fabulous dresses, with the collar of feathers. This specific style is an elezabethan type style which was hugely worn during the Elizabethan period on wealthy clases of women. This style was magnificent oversized large collars, which grew out from a dress. Although in the elizabethan times, the collar wouldn't have been made in feathers, the 'mirror mirror' designed dress still creates the Elizabethan collar style and affect.
Vogue Fantasy Photoshoots
The dream team of Grace Coddington and Annie Leibovitz for Vogue have perfected the genre of fairy tale fashion, putting their own contemporary gloss on familiar tales with fresh fashions and brilliant casting. Throughout the years, Vogue has used Fairy Tales as the setting for some elaborate editorials to showcase the best of Haute Couture. Although they capture the fairy tales differently to show and withhold different features, it is still obvious on which fairy tale they capture and present.
McQueen’s Rapunzel Reference
Alexander McQueen represented the story of Rapunzel with a deep emerald velvet embellished dress. The reference comes through the use of copper coloured beads and thread that were sewn on to the dress, cascading down the body to create the illusion of Rapunzel’s long flowing hair. This was Alexandra Mcqueens Autumn/Winter 2007 collection which was inspired by the Salem Witch Trials. However, the Rapunzel link here was inspired through the tale of the witch and the magic in Rapunzel’s golden hair. His beautifully designed Rapunzel garment, fabulously presents the elements within Rapunzel, telling the story through this marvellously captivating piece.
My Fairy Tale Fashion design
For my fairy tale fashion design, I wanted to incorporate a mixture of elements from many different classical fairy tales, and merge them together to create a gorgeously designed twisted fairy tale dress. I decided to choose elements from little red riding hood, Snow White and cinderella. I then intertwined all these elements together creating a gorgeously designed twisted fairy tale dress sketch. The element I used for little red riding hood was the hood. I wanted to emphasise the hood from this original fairy tale adding my own design within it by preforming a Devine elegant oversized bow hood. The elements I used from Snow White was the huge puffed sleeves and a corset. I decided to draw a corset within my dress design to represent how Snow White is killed by the witch in the original tale. This therefore helps my design fairy tale fashion sketch withhold and tell a story. The element I used from cinderella was the second layering of the dress to create a more puffy volumised dress as well as a sleek fitted dress. I wanted to create a modern creation of a twisted fairy tale design, as well as keeping original features and elements. Therefore I decided to add a slit onto my dress design to create more of a modern twisted fairy take design which withheld historical and original elements.
My design feedback
Fairy Tales brought to life through fashion
Fairy Tale Fashion was a unique and imaginative exhibition that examined fairy tales through the lens of high fashion. In versions of numerous fairy tales by authors such as Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, and Hans Christian Andersen, it is evident that dress was often used to symbolize a character’s transformation, vanity, power, or privilege. The importance of Cinderella’s glass slippers is widely known, for example, yet these shoes represent only a fraction of the many references to clothing in fairy tales.
Organised by associate curator Colleen Hill, Fairy Tale Fashion featured more than 80 objects placed within dramatic, fantasy-like settings designed by architect Kim Ackert. Since fairy tales are not often set in a specific time period, Fairy Tale Fashion included garments and accessories dating from the 18th century to the present. There was a particular emphasis on extraordinary 21st-century fashions by designers such as Thom Browne, Dolce and Gabbana, Tom Ford, Giles, Mary Katrantzou, Marchesa, Alexander McQueen, Rick Owens, Prada, Rodarte, and Walter Van Beirendonck, among others. While many of the designers included were specifically inspired by Little Red Riding Hood, Dorothy and the other iconic characters, "Fairy Tale Fashion" features many more that illustrate the tales by representing a period-appropriate look, concept or motif central to a story. For example, a Rick Owens cloak accessorized with a large comb-like attachment was not specifically inspired by Snow White's evil stepmother but makes reference to a lesser known part of the fable — the queen tried to kill Snow White by appealing to her vanity and giving her a poisoned comb.
The exhibition is split into four sections; each covering a different theme found in the works of classic children’s authors like Lewis Carroll, The Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen, 15 classic fairytales in total.
Section One : “Forest” presents fairy tales connected with forests like Snow White, Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood. Several variations of Little Red Riding Hood’s red cloak are shown, beginning with a fashionable woolen cloak from the late 18th century—the style that is used to illustrate innumerable versions of the story—and concluding with a fall 2014 Comme des Garçons ensemble . The subsection on “Rapunzel” includes a stunning dress from Alexander McQueen’s fall 2007 collection, made from deep emerald velvet embellished with copper-colored beads that create a motif of cascading hair.
Section two : “Castle” is dominated by a large Castle and the section is influenced by the tales of Cinderella, Furrypelts, Beauty and the Beast , the Snow Queen and Sleeping Beauty.
Cinderella’s spectacular glass slippers are exemplified by a pair of 2014 heel-less shoes by Noritaka Tatehana, 3D-printed in clear acrylic and faceted to reflect light. Clothing is central to a lesser-known Brothers Grimm tale titled “Furrypelts,” which calls for a cloak of many furs, in addition to magnificent dresses that look like the sun, the moon, and the stars. The latter is represented by a dazzling, early 1930s evening gown by Mary Liotta, covered in silver stars crafted from beads and sequins. In “The Snow Queen,” the beautiful villainess wears a coat and cap of pristine white fur, exemplified in Fairy Tale Fashion by an opulent hooded fur cape by J. Mendel from 2011 and a two piece enseble in a contrast black colour by Jean paul Gaultier.
Section Three : “Sea” references The Little Mermaid and the Swan Maidens. The Little Mermaid” is represented by a variety of beautiful, mermaid-inspired gowns, including Thierry Mugler’s 1987 bustier and fishtail skirt in metallic lilac fabric, and an elaborately crafted dress embellished with pearls, sequins, feathers, and Swarovski crystals from the spring 2015 Rodarte collection.
Section Four : “Parallel Worlds” explores fashion influenced by more surreal stories like Alice in Wonderlandand, The Wizard of Oz and Fairies.
An eccentric bright blue mini-dress by Manish Arora, adorned with fabric playing cards refers to the Queen of Hearts and her playing card army. By contrast, The Wizard of Oz makes numerous references to fashion, including Dorothy Gale’s blue-and-white gingham frock, represented by a checked cotton dress from the early 1940s by Adrian.
Three Grimms Brother Tales I have selected
To begin this Twisted Fairy tale project, I have started reading through and analyzing Grimm Brother fairy tales to then eventually pin point and decide which fairy tale I then want to convey and produce within a garment. I read through a handle full of Grimm Brother fairy tales, researching and analysing the symbolic meanings and definitions to these mysteriously twisted tales. After reading many of the Grimm brother fairy tales, I then selected a final three, which I thought preformed magnificent symbolic meanings, which would create allegorical garments
that withhold the peculiar twisted Grimm Brother tales. The three twisted Grimm Brother tales I selected, which I thought presented a grandiose symbolic meaning were Our Lady's Child, The three Snake Leaves and The Seven Ravens. I made the decision on picking these three to choose from, because each one of these Grimm Brother Tales withheld a symbolic meaning. Each Tale also held elements within them, which can be and performed and produced within an extravagant meaningful garment.
Our lady's Child
Our Lady's child fairy tale starts with a child who is adopted by the Virgin Mary. After the child has grown into a girl, she is then sent back to earth without a voice, after she lies to Mary about going in the thirteenth door that she was forbidden not to go in.
The girl awakes back on earth in a forest with no voice, when a king eventually finds her and is memorised with the girls beauty that he marries her. The couple has three children, each of which is taken away by the Virgin Mary because the girl will not admit her lie. Just as she is about to be killed and burnt alive, the girl admits her fault and her children are given back to her. The symbolic meaning within Our Lady's Child is a potent symbol of Mexican patriotism. Mary in Our Lady's Child is used as a symbol of Justice because she holds an appeal to the poor, because she took in the little girl from a poor family and brought her up. In the modern day, we can see her as representing people standing against oppression, declaring their independence.
This story teaches a valuable lesson about telling the truth as well as the dangers of pride. The girl's original sin is that she opened the thirteenth door. Her pride keeps the girl from happiness and almost causes her death. The elements used within Our Lady's Child which stood out to me the most was a Key that could unlock thirteen doors in heaven, holy trinity, and burning fire. These elements used within this story brought this fascinating Grimms Brothers tale to life, which helped me briefly think of a beautiful garment I could produce by using the ideas of these elements. The elements of the key and the holy Trinity echoed a gold and white designed garment which had speckles of red and orange to represent the elements of the burning fire.
I really enjoyed reading this Grimms Brother fairy tale, as it gave me lots of ideas to produce a garment piece together. This story withheld many elements which I found would make a magnificent garment piece to represent this twisted peculiar fairy tale. The elements used within this tale painted and performed colours in my head to use within a created designed garment for this specific fairy tale (Our lady's child). This Grimms brother tale perticallary signified pure colours, such as gold and white. This tale also signified darker raw colours such as red and orange. The elements used within this tale help create a garment piece together by using the significant colours the elements represent.
The three Snake leaves
The three snakes leaves fairy tale begins with a young man who marries a princess as a reward of fighting in a battle. The King saw that the young man had to be rewarded for fighting in the battle, so he rewarded him to marry his daughter (the princess).
The princess, the kings daughter, insists that when she dies, her husband, the young man, must agree to be buried alive with her in her tomb. She dies of sickness and the man does as she has requested. He discovers three leaves that was brought from a snake to bring a snake back to life the man had killed. The snake used these leaves to bring the other snake back to life. The young man saw this happen and used the leaves to bring his wife back to life. The princess comes back to life but after this experience she does not love the man as she once did. She plans to have her husband killed in his sleep on a boat and thrown into sea. She would then marry another man. The first husband tells the princess' father of her plan and he has the princess and her new love put to death.
The symbolic meaning of The three snake leaves is the betrayal of love and honesty which paints this Grimms Brother tale together. This story borders on the mystic, as it includes leaves which have the power to bring the dead back to life. The story teaches that if a person is not capable to following through with a promise, they should not make this promise to begin with. The elements used within this tale which stood out to me the most are snakes, leaves and the sea. All these elements entwined together within this twisted fairy tale, which created an idea of a garment I could produce based on this peculiar crooked tale. The elements of the leaves gave me an idea to create a garment with a growing nature pattern or embroidery, to symbolise the three leaves, and the life they resurrected back in the fairy tale. I would also add to this idea of using the elements of the snakes by embroidering it onto the nature pattern of the garment. I then would include the final element (the sea) by using different tones of blue material to eventually create a twisted garment, telling the story of The three snake leaves.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading through this Grimms brother twisted fairy tale. The symbolism used through this tale helped me to create an idea of a garment to produce. The elements which stood out to me expressed and painted colours in my head, which I could potentially use on the garment I make that tells this Grimm's brother fairy tale. The colours which painted images in my head from this Grimm's brother fairy tale was green, to represent the leaves and nature of life, and deep dark blue to represent the darkness and the dangers of the sea.
The Seven Ravens
The seven ravens Grimms brother fairy tale begins with the parents of seven sons that long for a daughter, and, voila, she is born. The young daughter becomes ill. The king did not want his daughter to die without being baptised.
Therefore, the king sends his seven sons to fetch water for her baptism. The sons go to fetch water, but the bucket falls into the well, and the stupefied boys do not know what to do. Their impatient father back home waiting to baptise his little girl says "I wish the boys could turn into ravens". The boys turn into ravens and the little girl is brought up not knowing she had brothers. One day she comes to learn she had seven brothers and seeks out to go and find them, taking a few items with her on her journey, including her father's ring. The girl visits the sun, the moon until the stars tell her to go to the glass mountain, as that is where her brothers lived. When she reached the glass mountain, her brothers turned back into human form and they all went back down to earth. I would interpret the Seven Ravens as a form of spiritual metaphor. Her brothers, the seven ravens refer to the seven chakras, (which symbolise our connection to the physical world), They disappear on the birth of the daughter as she represents the crown chakra or higher consciousness.
As far as any fairy tale might have a moral, “The Seven Ravens” could also be interpreted as a warning by using harsh words which you eventually regret. In this fairy tale story, when a man’s seven sons don’t return after he sends them to get fresh water for his ailing infant daughter, he angrily shouts, “I wish all those boys would all be turned into ravens!". After saying this comment they immediately are. This indicates that this fairy tale is trying to show audiences that you should think before you speak, otherwise it can end up with regret and loneliness. The elements used in this twisted fairy tale that stood out for me the most were the seven ravens, her fathers golden ring, the sun, the moon and the stars. These elements stood out to me specifically because they each painted colours in my mind, which helped me create brief garment ideas to produce for this twisted Grimm's brother fairy tale.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this specific Grimm's Brother Fairy Tale. I found that this fairy tale specifically was filled with lots of symbolism and morals, which helped me create brief ideas of a garment to create based on this peculiar twisted fairy tale. The certain elements mentioned within this fairy tale gave me ideas to create a garment withholding these elements. The elements which stood out to me the most, which I thought could be used within a garment were raven feathers, a gold ring, the moon, the sun and stars. These elements gave me an idea of merging them all together within a garment by having black feathers to represent the seven ravens. I also had the idea of using certain coloured types of materials to represent the moon and the sun. In addition to this, adding gems and sparkles would represent the stars in this amazingly twisted fairy tale, creating a gorgeously designed garment which tells the story of the seven ravens within it.
The fairy tale I decided to choose
After analysing these three Grimms brother fairy tales, I decided to choose The seven Ravens fairy tale to produce a designed garment piece on. This specific Grimms brother fairy tale inspired me thoroughly, with the constant symbolism and morals it gave off.
This twisted fairy tale also told an interesting peculiar beautiful story which held a happy ending. I chose this Fairy tale from all of the rest, because it instantly stood out for me. The title drew me in and after analysing and reading through this marvellous story, I instantly came up with ideas of a twisted fairy tale garment to create and produce; based on the seven ravens. The powerful strong message held within this twisted fairy tale inspired me to want to create a magnificently idiosyncratic garment, that would withhold this Grimms Brother Fairy Tale within it. When thinking of initial design ideas, I wanted to included as many elements from the fairy tale so that my designed garment could echo and scream the story of The Seven Ravens. Initial ideas I had in mind was to create a dress that included elements which stood out for me in the seven ravens.
The elements which stood out for me were the ravens, the father's golden ring, the moon, the sun and the stars. I wanted to think about these elements carefully and take the colours I associated with them and put them together in an initial dress design. The colours I associated with these elements were black (raven feathers), gold (the father's ring), White (the moon and stars) and Orange/red (the sun). These colours screamed out to me while I was reading through this fairy tale which helped paint an idea of what garmen to create based on this story. These colours also go gorgeously together and would compliment eachother fabulously on a dress. My initial ideas are to use these colours on a dress by eaither using different coloured fabrics or dying them myself using a specific dying technique. I also had the idea of using actual black feathers to place over the dress, to represent the seven brother ravens. Alexandra McQueens memento More collection meaning 'remember you must die' presented a few gorgeously created garments withholding feathers. This collection performed Memento More symbols within the garments, presenting demoralise and deceased elements to remind one of death. After McQueen's tragic susicside in 2007, he dedicated this spring/summer 2008 collection to his Close friend Isobella Blow. known for her bold fashion forward look, her love of risk taking and her playful way with colour and proportion, McQueen's collection used all of these varying degrees along with prince of Wales check to symbolise Blow's British heritage. With hats provided by Blow's other proege Philip Treacy, the show finished with a series of pieces featuring a bird motif which particularly resounded with memory of the extraordinary fashion editor. This fabulously executed collection inspired me with some of the feathering garments produced. This collection linked to my chosen fairy tale the seven ravens, by symbolising the death of the birds through the garments, which links to the story of the seven ravens, how the brothers were interpreted to be dead. From analysing this marvellous collection, it has helped me gather ideas of what to include in my initial design, and to symbolise elements such as feathers a tell a story within the garment. Another collection which inspired me was Iris van Herpen's collection on 'Shift Soul'. This couture collection was inspired by early examples of celestial cartography and its representation of mythological and astrological chimera. This fabulous collection inspired me from the use of colours used, which are very similar to the colours I associate with the seven ravens. This collection also links partly to the seven ravens through the mythological and astrological chimera, being a made up twisted story and withholding astrological elements such as the sun, stars and moon.
More initial design ideas I had was using gems and sparkles to add to the dress to represent the stars. By including all these features, such as the feathers and the gems, and using these specific colours, it would create a fabulously unique initial designed dress, which would fit gorgeous with this twisted crooked fairy tale.
I also wanted to take in mind the time that The seven ravens was based, so that I could create an accurate initial designed dress based on the time this fairy tale was set. From further analysis and research, I found out that this story is a German fairy tale which was published in 1812. I researched more about the the time this fairy tale was set, and discovered that it was actually set in the Elizabethan era, from the clothing worn in sketches and pictures from this Grimm's brother tale. This was obvious from the large puffy sleeves and extravagant collars within the sketches and pictures. I then wanted to research Elizabethan fashion and the styles and colours of the dresses. I also researched the fashion in Germany during this time so that I could produce an initial dress design that withheld elements from this twisted fairy tale, and also elements of the time it was set and based in. From reading and analysing this Grimm's brother fairy tale, and seeing the sketches and pictures, I could work out that the girl and the seven brothers are not an extremely wealthy family from the dress the young girl is seen wearing in the sketches and pictures. From analysing the sketches and pictures, I could gather that she was from a lower class family, and therefore had a less extravagant dress during the time seen as a maiden. I wanted to take in my research of looking at the styles of fashion within the sketches and pictures from the seven ravens, so that it helped me produce fabulous initial designs that echoed the elements within this tale, as well as the elements during the time this fairy tale was set.
A collage of dresses I liked which presented colours of the elements from The Seven Ravens
Initial Textile experimentations ideas I could use within my fairy tale garment
When I come to creating my dress garment piece together, I want to I include a series of textile experimenmtations to produce which would mimic some of the elements within the story which stood out for me. In addition to this, I thought silk painting or heat transferring would be the perfect distribute to recreate the moon and the sun on my garment dress, which would create a gorgeous style for this dress based on the seven ravens. If I was to incorpriating silk painting in my designed dress, I would have to make sure I fit it in with the style of the times the seven ravens is set in. In my personal opinion, I feel that a silk painted piece of the sun and moon would fit gorgeously on the bodice of a dress set in the elizabethan era. However, I will have to take in mind the type and style of dress which would be an elizabethan German maiden dress. Other textile experimentations I could use to mimic elements which stood out to me in the seven ravens are Angelina fibres. I could use the Angelina fibres textiles technique to recreate the raven feathers of the seven brothers.
My mood board based on my chosen Grimm's Brother fairy tale, The Seven Ravens
Disney Dimensions: Historically accurate Disney princess
Disney princesses are possibly some of the best-known characters worldwide, and part of their appeal lies in their oldey-timey-ness. Each princess is certainly a product of the period in which the movie was made, but they are also almost always set in a fantasy historical setting, with their costumes being presented fantasy historical as well. Disney creates fictional worlds for their princesses to live in, drawing on historical and mythical inspiration to create gorgeously, beautiful fairy tales. However, not all of the princesses that Disney presents are historically accurate in their character or costume representation. One of the constant criticisms of Disney movies is that, as magical as they may be, they took a lot of liberties with historical accuracy, especially where costumes are concerned. Many artists, designers and historians have wondered what the princesses would’ve looked like if they’d existed in their real historical fantasy world. Here we take context clues from the films to determine, as specifically as possible, the time and location of each Disney princess’s story. This allows fashion historians to reinvent the princesses in the trends of the era. Each Disney princess has been created and performed in a beautiful magnificent way which looks to a majority of viewers eyes aesthetically pleasing. However, I am going to analyse various Disney princesses, and the historical fantasy worlds that they are in, to determine what they would have actually dressed like in their fantasy world eras.
Disney Princess Jasmine from Aladdin
Historical Period Placed at: c.300s Arabian Peninsula
Disneys princess Jasmine from Aladdin is a beautiful made up princess. However her dress wear within this fantasy movie is highly inaccurate in the time this movie was set in and where the movie is based. Contextual facts about this fantasy fairy tale tells us that this film is set in Arabia in at least the fourth century A.D. Evidence of this is shown through this fantastic fairy tale movie is when we hear "salaam" on several occasions, which is an Arabic Greeting. This indicates that the movie is set in Arabia, and more evidence of this within the movie is the opening song "Arabian nights". It was also obvious when the movie was set because the genie says to Aladdin "that fez and vest combo is much to third century". This makes it seem that this movie must take place in the fourth century A.D.
Islam became a religion during the seventh century A.D. Aladdin takes place in a pre-Islamic Arabian society. Women of the region dressed modestly even before Islam took hold; wearing loose, shapeless clothing. Many women (higher-class women like Jasmine especially) wore veils of varying lengths. Some women wore veils that left only one eye exposed, while others wore veils just over the hair. A woman of Jasmine’s elite social status would’ve worn more elegantly elaborate, high-quality clothing and fabrics than lower-class women. Thick black eye kohl (eyeliner) was commonly worn by women of the era. How women would have actually dressed in these times makes Jasmines dress wear highly inaccurate, as women in the era couldn't show as much flesh. No matter the social status, pre-islamic Arabian women had no legal status. They were sold in to marriage and had no rights to any property. Even as the daughter of the Sultan, Jasmine would have also been sold in to marriage. This Islamic Arabian tradition is somewhat historically accurate in the movie, until the ending, when jasmine has the law changed so she can marry Aladdin.
Clare hummel and Hayden willams have recreated jasmines dress wear in different ways. Clare hummles illustration is still not historically accurate, but makes a gorgeous dress wear for the fantasy princess jasmine. Hayden Williams illustrations are more modernised and fututristinc, presenting how Disney princesses would look currently. His illustration was boldly presented performing a marvellous modern dress wear for jasmine .
After analysing and researching the historically accurate dress wear which Jasmine would have worn at the time In Arabian, I found it extremely interesting with differences between the two outfits. The historically accurate dress wear for the time set in Aladdin was much more covering and loosely fitted. Whereas the outfit which jasmine wears in the Disney Fantasy film, is far more revealing and fitted, showing more of her body physique. It is interring to see how completely different and contrasting these two outfits are. The historically accurate clothing in fourth century Arabian, and jasmine's outfit in the Disney movie both express a beautified look. The Historical clothing in Arabian withholds gorgeously detailed embellished designs and patterns, which look elegantly beautiful. The outfit Jasmine wears in the Disney movie is aesthetically pleasing and unique. Out of both of these clothings, I prefer Disneys un accurate dress wear for Jasmine, because I find it more figure hugging and feminine to look at, which creates a beautifully bold strong status and look for this gorgeous Disney princess. At the historical time of Aladdin women didn't have many rights. Therefore, this marvellous designed recreation of dress wear creates a more courages outfit for jasmine to wear as a princess in Arabian. Jasmine in the Disney movie is a strongly opinionated women, and the dress wear Disney created for her fits her status extremely well. Disney may also be showing how Arabian women didn't have many rights, and they wanted to present Jasmine to overpower the rights through her clothing and personality. At the end of the movie it is obvious that Jasmine over powers the laws of marriage, and is able to marry who she wants, which is Aladdin.
Disney's princess Arora in sleeping beauty
Historical Period Placed at: c.31300’s England
Disney's princess aurora was a beautifully created princess. However from contextual facts about what time and era the movie was set in, Aurora was not accurately and historically dressed for the time period that sleeping beauty was set in. Contextual evidence of what time and era this movie was set in is how the film opens which is an illuminated manuscript with a gold leafing. This indicates that the movie is set in old times such as the 14th century. By analysing the movie we are told that Aurora's name before she is a princess is actually Biar rose, which is a rose that has been prevalent in England since Ancient times. This also suggests the movie is based in old times. More evidence to suggest this from watching the movie is prince Philip says to king Hubert "now farther, you're living in the past! This is the 14th century" From analysing the movie it is clear is is set in the 14th century, and that Aurora's dress wear is highly in accoutre for the time period of the movie.
Aurora would’ve had a lot to adjust to once she discovered she was a princess, as noblewomen led far more restricted lives than peasants. Aristocratic women also had a different style of dress than peasant women. Thanks to innovations in dressmaking, 14th-century English noblewomen had tailored, tight-fitting sleeves and bodices for the first time. Surcotes were worn atop the fitted dress; these were secondary, loose dresses, almost like robes. Surcotes were often worn open, and would either have a long train or be sleeveless. The bodice was decorated by brooches Women with wide foreheads and blonde hair were considered especially beautiful during 14th century England. Women wore their hair in vertical braids by their ears, sometimes supported by hair pieces, veils, or crowns.
Clare hummel's and Hayden William's recreated illustrations of Aurora's dress wear. Clare Hummel's design was gorgeously executed and presented the more historically accurate side for when the movie sleeping beauty was set. Hayden William's design was for more modernising and would be hugely appropriate if sleeping beauty was set in a more fashion modernising year.
After analysing the historically accurate dress wear for the time set in sleeping beauty, there is a huge contrast with how Aurora's dress wear looks incomparioson to the historically accurate dress wear. Although both of the dress wears look quite different, there is also many similarities with the Aurora's dress wear, and the historically accurate dress wear at the time. The similarties are that both dress wears have a gorgeous princess bodice and long sleeves. Another similarity is the length and puffiness of the dress wear for both the Disney and historically accurate are very similar. However, Disneys choice of a pink dress is highly un accurate and not historically worn massively at the time. A more commonly worn dress at the time set in sleeping beauty would be a gorgeous blue. In my opinion, both dress wears are beautifully designed. However, I prefer the historically accurate clothing for the time, because it was far more elegantly designed, with different layering included, as well as beautifully designed patterns within it.
Disney's Princess Snow White from Snow White and the seven dwarfs
Historical Period Placed at: late 1500’s Germany
Snow White will forever be Disneys most favorateied princess with the magical amazing fantasy fairy tale she is set in. However, Snow White's dress wear is not historically accuarte for the time that Snow White is based in. From contextual research, Snow White is based in the 1500s, and we can learn this from analysing the movie. To open the movie, Disney uses a story book which is reminiscent for the early printing press manuscripts. This indicates that Snow White is set in older times such as the 1500s. We also learn when alalysing the film that the dwarfs house is made out of carved wooden furniture and interments. This along with the mountains and the forest is a typical of the Black Forest region of Germany. This shows that the movie is based in 1500s Germany from analysing contextual evidence in the movie. Further more, more context in the movie tells us the time Snow White is set in. This is from the yodelling sang by the dwarfs. Yodelling was first recorded in Europe 1554, which means Snow White must have taken place after that. Taking In contextual facts within the movie, it is clear that Snow White was set in later 1500s.
Though still part of the Holy Roman Empire during the 16th century, Protestant reformations had sprung up around Germany and the culture was austere and religious. German women during this time period wore rich, heavy, dark-colored fabrics, with exaggerated, puffed up shoulders and hips. Their dresses reached the floor, emphasized the waist, and had a high neckline. Women wore their hair pulled back, often covering it with a headpiece.
Illustrators Clare Hummel, and Hayden Williams both recreated illistrations of Snow White's dress wear differently. Clare Hummel's illustrates a more historically accurate design, which is beautifully fitting within the time period. However, the colours within her design indicate that its a Snow White dress, but is still not historically accurate. Hayden William's Illustration is highly beautiful, and fits the fashion era time today, creating a newer modern Snow White dress version.
After analysing what time Snow White was set in, and discovering what the actually dress wear of snow white would have looked like, there's a huge difference. the beautiful Disney Princess, Snow White wears a gorgeously designed yellow, red and blue dress. Whereas dresses at the time were less bright colours and more dull. However some similarities between the hirtsorically accurate dress wear and Disney's dress wear are the puffy sleeves. Puffey sleeves were a huge fashion statement in the 1500s and can be seen in Disney's snow whites dress, and a historically accurate dress for the time set in Snow White. After seeing the difference and similarities between Disney's and the historically accurate dress wear, I can strongly say that I prefer the dress in Disney's movie, because the dress is more elegantly bright, bold and aesthetically pleasing.
Disney's princess Pocahontas from Pocahontas
Historical Period Placed at: early 1600’s Virginia
Disneys prinsess Pocahontas was a complete different approach than the other disney princesses. Other Disney Princess are mainly presented to wear extravagant gorgeous puffy dresses. However, Disney's Pocahontas was I complete different approach, because they presented a princess within a tribe, and not only was her fashion completely different to an average Disney princess, Disney based this amazing film on a true story. Although, Disneys magnificently created tribe princess is not actually historically accurate with the clothes she wears. From further analysis about what time and where the film was based, it is clear that Pocahontas would have dressed very differently than how she does in the movie. By analysing the film I found out that John smith, a character in Pocahontas, actually was a real person and and visited vaginia meeting the Native Powhatan Tribe (the tribe in the movie). Pocahontas was based on a real person, and because of this we know historical records of what her life was like. Although the Disney movie is based on this true story, it is not all acurately correct. Pocahontas was actually captured by the English 1613, forced to covert to Christianity, and her name was changed to Rebecca and had to be married to a man called John rofle.
The real Pocahontas was only about 11 years old when John Smith arrived with the Virginia Company of London in 1607. Pocahontas would have been considered a woman in the tribe once she turned 13. She was the daughter of the Powhatan chief, and would’ve worn a deerskin wrap around her waist with only strands of white shell beads around her neck. She would have most likely have worn bodice bear without no clothing, just beads and necklaces to barely cover her breasts. In the winter, she may have worn a leather cloak around her shoulders to keep warm. When unmarried, Powhatan women wore their hair in one long braid; women would cut their hair short after marriage.High-status Powhatan women like Pocahontas tattooed their faces and bodies with abstract patterns, sometimes of plants and animals. The ink was made of mashed roots, berries, and oils.
Illistartors Clare Hummel and Hayden William recreated Pocahontas's dress wear in illustrations. Clare Hummel's approach was far my historically accurate creating the young princess a fitting outfit fit for her Native Powhatan tribe. However she would still not be dressed with this much clothing. Hayden Williams illustration of Pocahontas's dress wear, is far more modern and would be presentable at this current time. His marvellous designs include many details, which preforms an outstanding, fabulous modern outfit for Pocahontas.
After finding out what Pocahontas's dress wear would have actually been, there is a huge difference and contrast. The Disney's Pocahontas and the historically real Pocahontas have complete differnt dress wears. The historically accurate pocahontas would have been covered in tattoos and had barely and clothing for coverage. Whereas the Disneys Pocahontas only showed one tattoo and had a lovely simple dress on. After analysing the differences there are some similarities between the disneys recreation of Pocahontas, and the actually historical Pocahontas. This is that both present Pocahontas to have no shoes. However the disney's Pocahontas is highly un accurately correct with how she dresses, and contrasts to the historically correct Pocahontas hugely. Out of both of the dress wears from Disney and the accurate historical Pocahontas, I prefer the accurate dress wear for Pocahontas because it was more interesting with the tattoos, and how they wore so little clothing. Although, Disney may not have included the actually historical dress wear to be more appropriate for younger viewers.
Disney's Princess Belle from Beauty and the Beast
Historical Period Placed at: 1700’s France
Disneys Belle from beauty and the beast was a gorgeously created Disney princess. However, the dress wear Disney creates for belle is not historically accurate for the time and place set in Beauty and the beast. By analysing the movie, it is clear that Beauty and the beast is set in France from the opening song saying "Bonjour". In addition to this in the song "Be our Guest" Lumineers says to belle "After all, Miss, this is France". This shows that this gorgeously created Disney fairy tale is based in France. By analysing the movie further, it its obvious that the time this movie is set in is 17th-18th century. This is by the contextual facts of the movie when Belle is been given a tour of the castle, and Cogsworth describes the architecture as the “unusual Rococo design,” and “this is yet another example of the late Neoclassic Baroque period.” This makes it obvious that this French film was set in the17th-18th century. Further more the beast is a prince and this shows that the story took place when there was still aristocracy, before the French Revolution in 1789. From working out where the film was based and the time period it was set in, it is clear that Disney's princess belle's dress wear was highly inaccurate.
Once Belle married the Beast and became part of the aristocracy, she would have worn the styles found in the royal court. Like the styles worn by Marie Antoinette, who lived during this period, women wore extravagant dresses with tight-fitting corsets and exaggerated hips. Women in 18th century France wore their hair in huge, elaborate hairdos. The bouffants could be as long as the face. Often these hairdos were wigs, but whether natural or fake, the hairstyle was powdered white. Women also powdered their faces down to their shoulders. The look was altogether unnatural: The cheeks were heavily rouged, and women wore black silk beauty patches of varying sizes on their faces.
Illustrators Clare Hummel and Hayden Williams recreated Disney's princess Belle's dress wear magnificently. Clare Hummel's illustration of Belle's dress wear is gorgeously designed, being far more historically accurate than Disneys dress wear for Belle. The volume of her dress design is more historically accurate and the detail within the dress as well. Hayden Williams design takes a more modern approach of Belle's dress wear. His gorgeous illustration creates a marvellous design, which would fit todays fashion if Belle was a real Princess.
After analysing Disney's movie Beauty and the Beast, and discovering how Belle would have actually dressed at the time and place which beauty and the beast was set, it is interring to see the massive differences and contrast. The Historically accurate dress wear which Belle would have worn, compared to the dress wear Disney created for Belle in the movie, completely differs to one another. The historically accurate dress wear is very magnificent and huge, with extravagant layering and details within the dress, as well as bold over done makeup and colossal hairdos. The Disney's Belle is very simple and basic compared to how she would have dressed if the movie was historically accurate. There's a few similarities between the Disney dress wear of belle, and the historically accurate dress wear, however they are still very contrasting and different. In my opinion, I prefer the historically accurate dress wear because it was very gorgeously lavish, with all the layering, textures and details. I also preferred the wild and bold hairdos, which added to the magnificently huge dresses.
Disney's Princess Tiana from Princess and the Frog
Historical Period Placed at: 1920’s New Orleans
Disneys Princess Tiana was a gorgeously created princess in a beautiful, magically musical made up fantasy world. However, the dress wear Disney designs for Tiana is not historically accurate for the time and place that Disney's princess and the frog was set in. when analysing this Disney movie, the contextual facts within it tells us that this movies based in the 1920s New Orleans. This is obvious when you watch the movie, because at the begging of this fabulous movie we are told that Tiana's mom is "the finest seamstress in New Orleans". This indicated that the film would have been set in 1900s New Orleans. Further more, from the Jazz, drop-waisted skirts, and Gatsby-esque cars, it dates this beautifully created film to the 1920s.
Although Tiana spends much of the film as a frog in the bayou, she is firmly in the world of 1920s New Orleans. Jim Crow laws were in effect during the 1920s, and New Orleans was a segregated city. At the same time, New Orleans was a cultural center and the birthplace of jazz.
Women in that era wore straight, curveless dresses with dropped waists. Women's hair was worn in a short bob, and small hats and headpieces emphasised this marvellous haircut. Makeup was inspired by Hollywood: penciled-in arched eyebrows, eyeliner, mascara, rouged cheeks, and dark red lipstick. The dress wear Disney creates for Tiana is completely contrasting to how she would have actually dressed at the time in 1920s New Orleans.
Illustrators Clare hummel and Hayden Williams recreted the dress wear for Tina in their beautiful designs. Clare Hummel recreates a dress for Tiana that is far more historically accurate, creating a gorgeously designed seamstress, which would fit nicely in the time the film was based. Hayden Williams recreates Tiana's dress to be more modernising and uniquely creative, which would look Devine for the princess Tiana to wear currently. Both illustrators recreate Tians's marvellous dress using her iconic colour green.
After analysing the Disney movie princess and the frog, and discovering the place and time it was set in, it is clear that Disney's dress wear they create is highly contrasting to the historically accurate dress wear. Disney creates a magnificent puffy green dress for Tiana, where as at the time and place it was based, the dress would actually be a straight curveless dropped waist dress. Tianas hair in the Disney move is also highly inaccurate, because at the time she would have worn it short with a head piece or hat instead of a beautiful crown. There was many differences between the Disneys dress wear and the historically acurate. However Disney creates long gloves for Tiana to wear and this would've been historically worn at the time the film was based and set. After analysing both the Diseny's dress wear, and the historically accurate, in my opinion I prefer the Disney's creation of beautiful dress wear for Tiana. This is because it is far more figure hugging and magnificently beautiful to look at. There is also also more going on within the dress of the Disney design, which stands out massively compared to the historically accurate dress wear of the time.
Disney's Princess Cinderella from Cinderella
Historical Period Placed at: mid 19th century, France
Disney's princess Cinderella was a beautifully created princess in a magical fantasy fairy tale. However, Disney's created dress wear for Cinderella is not actually historically accurate for the time and place Cinderella was set in. To find out what time Cinderella was set and based in, I analysed the movie. By analysing the movie, we are already shown in one of the first scenes Cinderella as a child with her farther wearing victorian clothing. This dates the movie 1850s-60s. Young girls in this era wore hoops (or multiple petticoats) for the very large skirt shape. This was fashionable among adult women, but also fashionable for young girl's dresses. However the dresses worn by the young girl's were cut off around mid-calf. Further more, Cinderella wears white under sleeves underneath her short blue oversleeves. This is another example of fashion from 1850-60s. In addition to this, Cinderella wakes up to some chipper birds wearing a very standard 19th/early-20th century nightgown. This also tells us the time that Cinderella is set in. When analysing the movie further, we are told that the movie is set in France from the narrator saying "chateau" when Cinderella lives with her wicked stepmother. This is French which immediately tells us this gorgeous Disney movie is set in France 1950s-early-20th century. This beautiful fairy tale is based on a fairy tale called Cendrillion, by a French author Charles Perrault. From working out the accurate time and place cinderella is based, it is obvious the dress wear Disney designs for cinderella is highly inaccurate.
In the mid-1800’s French fashion was very elaborate, lavish, and big, similar to the style that the famous Marie Antoinette wore, revealing necklines with ruffles, lace, and silk. Women’s dresses had wooden hoops added to the skirts to make them larger, and necklines so revealing that some women covered their cleavage with piece of lace out of modesty. The historically accurate dress wear for the time and place based in Cinderella contrasts to Disney's dress wear for Cinderella hugely.
Illustrators Clare Hummel and Hayden Williams recreates the dress wear for Cinderella in differnt ways. Clare Hummel's recreation is beautifully designed being more historically accuarte for the time and place which cinderella is actually set in. Hayden William's recreation is beautifully created by him using a more modern approach for Cinderella's dress wear. Both Illustrators create a historically and Modern dress wear for the Disney princess cinderella, using her Iconic colour blue, to carry their whole design.
After analysing the historically accurate dress wear for the time and place which Cinderella was set, it interesting to see the massive contrast between the Disney's dress wear for Cinderella, and the historically accurate. There is many differences between both of them. The historically accurate dress wear at the time which Cinderella was based in would be far more puffy and ruffled with textures and layering. Whereas the Disneys dress wear was far more simple with no layering or textures. However the Disney dress was puffy which was historically accurate for dress at the time which cinderella was set in. After analysing both of the dress wears from Disney and the historically accurate, in my opinion I prefer Disney's designed dress for cinderella, because it is elegantly unique but simple, however looks fabulously Devine and gorgeous.
Disney's Princess Mulan from Mulan
Historical Period Placed at: Western Han Dynasty 206 B.C.–9 A.D.
Dianey's princess Mulan was a gorgeously created princess of a different style of culture than most of other Disney princesses. However the dress wear Disney creates for this princess is not actually historically correct for the time and place which the film Mulan is set in. To find out the time and place which this beautifully created Disney movie is set in, I decided to analyse the movie. When analysing the movie, there is many contextual facts which indicate the time and place Mulan is set in. The chinease poem on which the film was based was written between 386-534 C.E (although this date is abandoned in the film). By analysing the film Mulan is seen wearing a 'Hand' which is a traditional Chinese dressed clothing from the Han Dynasty. This indicates that the movie Mulan is set in older times such as 206 B.C-9 A.D. Further more, it suggests that Mulan takes place during the Han-Xiongnu war, during the Han Dynasty of China, and many artefacts within the movie relate to this time period.
Hanfu is the traditional style of the han people and consisted of a yi, a narrow-cuffed, knee-length tunic tied with a sash, and a narrow, ankle-length skirt, called chang, worn with a bixi, a length of fabric that reached the knees. During the Western Han dynasty, the “dark style” has been carried from the Qin Dynasty, where black is the preferred color. Court dress in this period was black, and when performing sacrificial ceremonies, the formal dress was edged with red. Characteristics of clothing in this time are square sleeves, sloping necklines, red clothes and red shoes. There were two categories for clothing in the Han Dynasty. They were either the Shenyi (or long coat developed in the Western Han Dynasty) or the Yijin (which makes up the front of the jacket/gown and can be made up of one or two pieces). Women in this period wore long pants or skirts and long jackets. The Disney dress wear for Mulan does not massively differ to the historically accurate dress wear. However, the colours Disney used and the amount of layering would have differed slightly.
Illistators Clare Hummel and Hayden William's recreates Mulans Dress wear in differnt ways. Clare Hummel's illustration of Mulans Dress wear is highly historically accurate, and would be fabulously worn during the time and place of which Disney's Mulan is based in. Hayden William's illustration is massively unique with modern and futuristic features, which would fit fabulously in this current era.
When analysing both dress wears for Mulan from the Disney's dress wear and the historically accurate, there is not a huge difference. Both Disney's dress wear and the historically accurate present Mullan to dress very similarly with the Classical Chinese Hanfu style . However the colours Disney used on Mulans dress wear is inaccurate to the historical colours which would have actually have been worn during the time and place of which Mulan was set in. The historically accurate colours would have been black and red which differs to the colours Disney uses, pink, purple, blue, red and white. Over all, in my opinion, out of the Disney's dress wear and the historically accurate, I prefer the historically accurate dress wear for the time and place Mulan was set in, because I prefer the gorgeous layering and complementing colours of black and red.
Disney's princesse's Anna and Elsa from Frozen
Historical Period Placed at: 1830’s - 1840’s, Norway
Disney's princesses Anna and Elsa were beautifully created within their magical winter fantasy land. However, Disney's creations of dress wear for these two Disney princesses is not actually historically accurate. From analysing the movie, it is clear were and when the film was based and set in. It is obvious that the film takes place in a city called 'Arendelle'. The name "Arendelle' is based on the Norwegian town of Arendal. However, the scenery of Arendelle is based primarily on Nærøyfjord in western Norway, as well as various buildings in Oslo, Bergen, and other Norwegian cities. Therefore it is clear where Frozen was set. Taking in where the movie was set, the costumes have been made accurately in some ways. However the dress wear for Anna and Elsa is not fully historically accurate for the place and time in which this Disney movie was set in. Further more, it has been confirmed by Jean Gillmore, who designed the costumes for frozen, 'my general approach was to meld the historic silhouettes of 1840 Western Europe (give or take), with the shapes and garment relationships and details of folk costume in early Norway, circa 19th century.' This amazing created movie is somewhat inspired by The Snow Queen by H.C.Andersen, which was published 1845. While this doesn't prove anything, it seems likely that the designers have taken this period as a starting point. Therefore, the costumes presented for Anna and Elsa by Disney are not completely historically accurate for the time and place set in the movie, which is 1830s-40s Norway.
1840s fashion in European and European-influenced clothing, is characterised by a narrow, natural shoulder line following the exaggerated puffed sleeves of the later 1820s and 1830s. With the narrow, sloping shoulder line of the 1840s, the shawl returned to fashion, where it would remain through the 1860s. It was now generally square and worn folded on the diagonal. With the new narrower sleeves, coats and jackets returned to fashion. These were generally knee-length with a cape-like collar. Ankle-length cloaks with cape-collars to cover slits for the arms were worn in cold or wet weather. Ermine muffs with attached handkerchiefs also were worn to keep hands warm and be fashionable. Even though the Disney's creation of dress wear For Anna and Elsa is very similar it is not completely historically accurate.
Illistartors Clare Hummel and Hayden Williams both recreate the gorgeous Disney Princesse's dress wear in different ways. Clare Hummel creates a more historically accurate design, which is entirely unique, and would be sensibly worn during the place and time Frozen was set in. Hayden Willam's Cretes a gorgeous design for both princess which drives away from the historically accurate dress wear. However, his designs look aesthetically fabulous and woiudl fit comfortably in this current era.
After analysing the Disney dress wear for Anna and Elsa and the historically accurate, it is interesting to see the differences between them. Disney's dress wear For Anna and Elsa has been done extremely accurately, however there is still some elements and features that missing on the outfits which would have been massively worn during the place and time Frozen is set in. Some of these features were puffed sleeves, more layering of the dress with capes cloaks, and ear muffs or hats to keep warm. After analysing the differences between the Disney dress wear for Anna and Elsa, and the historically accurate dress wear for the place and time in which Disney's frozen is set in, I hugely prefer the historically accurate dress wear which Anna and Elsa would have actually worn. This is because there was a lot more features and different layering of clothing involved, as well as gorgeous colours and patterns within the clothing.
My Design based on Pocahontas
For my design of a recreation of dress wear for one of the Disney princesses, I wanted to design an outfit for the princess which had the most interesting historically accurate dress wear that stood out most for me. I decided to recreate the dress wear for Pocahontas through a design drawing, because out of all the Disney princesses this princess stood out the most, and had the most interesting historically accurate clothing for the time and place in which Disney's Pocahontas was based in. I wanted to design something that was eaqually historically accurate, and aesthetically modernising, by merging elements of the historical clothing in the 1600s virgina, and adding modernising elements of my own ideas to recreate a magnificent design for Pocahontas. I decided to design Pocahontas 's dress wear to be more historically accurate by showing the breasts. However, I designed a necklace to cover the modesty of the breast area, making it look modern as well as historical at the same time. I also designed a layering teared skirt which also was historical and modern which created a fabulous outcome. My designed skirt started long, then gradually got shorter and joint together on the one leg to reveal a style of slit in the skirt. I decided to design the skirt to be more ruffled and teared to create a more historical approach. To add more of my own modern ideas, I designed beading to hang down from the skirt, to create textual layering and look aesthetically pleasing. To complete my design, I added tattoos on the arms and legs, as this was historically done in the place and time in which Pocahontas is set in. I also added ruffled tassels which added a historical approach on my design as the tassel affect is also seen in the Disney design. To add more elements from the Disney design, I wanted to keep the idea of the necklace she wore in the Disney film, which belonged to her mother. I decided to use elements of the necklace and recreate it in a more historical way on my design. When choosing what colours to include within my design, I decided to use the historical dull colours such as brown, and I used blue and red for the tattoos as these were the common tattoo colours of the time set in Pocahontas.
My feed back on my Design
Conclusion
When researching and discovering the historically accurate dress wear which Disney princesses would have actually worn at the time in which the movie was based and set in, it was thoroughly interesting to discover the differences and mass of changes within the clothing, from the different colours, textures and layers used within them. It has been extremely education and shocking for me to discover the historically accurate clothing which would have been worn during the time some of these Disney movies was set and based in. After analysing and researching the historically accurate dress wear in Disney movies, it has hugely helped to inspire me with an idea of what to create for my twisted fairy tale garment, based on The Seven Ravens. This has thoroughly educated me into wanting to explore the historical wear of the time in which The seven ravens was set and based in, and to include these historical elements within my twisted fairy tale garment piece.
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