When we pay condolences or visit the graveyard, we are reminded of the inevitable ending and therefore our own mortality. The funeral is where we are going to end up, and so “To consider life in all it’s stages, ultimately and invariably culminating in death, gives us a healthy balanced view on life” - Hebrews 12:11
This bible verse condenses the philosophy behind this essay, that the life we build will inevitably come to an end. This is not to be perceived as a depressive matter but more so as a beautiful eclipse that is not to be feared, as death is the only certainty in an uncertain world. “To resist death, to resist change, to resist transience is to resist life itself and to come to the feeling of a result of this resistance that you as a human being are in some way separate from life”. (Zen: The Best of Alan Watts, 1994). These words clarify that we should not resist, fight, nor fear what is in fact the essence of life that is the prequel to death.
With this philosophy underlining the body of work, the collection of clothing presented at the end on a catwalk is a catharsis, a creative outlet of unresolved issues, and an illustrated letter of unwritten words. It also mourns a feeling that fashion is dead, no longer a substantial way to provide positive outcomes. Leading on from this, the paper proposed will evaluate the fundamental research stages undertaken in order to react upon the subject of death and therefore to visualise a ready-to-wear Autumn/Winter collection using a male as muse but open to be worn by both genders.
The story leads in with the Vanitas still life paintings that explore the concept of the emotional values and attachments humans have with their pleasures and archive of objects that structure their identity, yet in the end it means nothing as time passes and we die. Vantias is a documentation of a person as well as providing symbolism through the objects painted, building an essential philosophical layer.Latin phrases are extracted from the research that link art and death as one. This subject also includes the reading of Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe’s book ‘The Sorrows of Young Werther’ which explores the justification of taking death into our own hands and approaches the awareness of our own mortality.
As death is the tone of this project, the aesthetics of the collection were built upon the subject of historical mourning wear. Using Lou Taylors ‘The Mourning Dress’ as a base, the history and development of the dress code is outlined, providing in-depth and fascinating links in relation to mourning dress and social status. Specific design details were extracted such as fabrics, colours, details and accessories. It also underpins the symbolism of black which is further investigated. Thirdly, Russian Folklore from the 19th century enticed bold silhouette structures and proportions in length and volume with emphasis on the sleeve.
These fundamental principles are to be translated into a contemporary fashion vision. Collaboration is a key value in the collection, bringing two separate visions together to create a strong outcome. Prints from illustrator Gaia Inserviente add a fashionable edge to the designs with bold primary colours and illustrate the feeling of uncertainty, anxiety and pressure from the media and society. Franziska Schutz is another artist who draws a scene from Japanese anime ‘Belladonna of Sadness’. These prints help the designs go into the market of the adolescence, mixing together with the historical references that form unique pieces.
The ritual of the collection and the result of the research is placed in the format of a funeral ceremony which emits the ora, the essence and the emotion of the collection. The final presentation resembles the feeling of loss to the fashion industry as well as to personal relationships and therefore is a closure and ties the knot of uncertain feelings.
Philosophy of concept
The philosophy of this collection entertains the inevitability of death. Vanitas still life is an example of this. It is a period of artwork which portrayed objects that often belonged to the high class. Each belonging held a symbolism to represent that persons life upon their death and thus becomes a memorial. This idea focuses on the fact that we sustain our identity and comfort with pleasures and objects that in the end mean nothing as they do not go past death and will outlive us. Fashion can also be used as symbolism and therefore as visual communication that evokes powerful emotions. The meaning of the collection must be known as an explanation of the the working, however is the symbolism isn’t clear or known then it doesn’t mean that the viewers can’t enjoy it.Symbolism is one of the oldest forms of communication which is in an integral part of the collection being a catharsis. By using references to research, a library of symbolism can be used to form the story of the collection.
Willem Cletz Heda, Adrien Coorte and Willem Kalf were three influential still life artists from the 17th century used for this visual research. Crisp white satin fabrics and beautiful silverware were painted amongst glistening glasses, gold chains, worn books, exotic foods and skulls brought together in one canvas form a similar aesthetic of opulence, intimacy, balanced composition and the intelligent use of light to create shiny and smooth surfaces.
Another detail that was extracted from the research were three latin phrases: “non omit mortar” ( I shall not entirely die) “vita brevis ars lunga” (life is short, art is long)“finis coronet opus” (the end crowns the work). These sentences “underline the christian notion that death is to be welcomed joyously rather than feared” (François van Daellen/Vanitas Still Life/c. 1650,” Dutch Paintings of the Seventeenth Century, NGA Online Editions,). Interpretation of this leads to viewing life as one big artwork, hence why we strive so much to put our stamp in our community so that we can remembered. Latin is appealing because it is a dead language, meaning it does not have any native speakers but can still be understood.
The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe attempts to comprehend the argument in trying to explain, if not justify the act of suicide. This research was undertaken as suicide approaches an alternative perceptive on death as it is an act conflicted upon the self, therefore controlled. In the introduction from the above mentioned book, Goethe is explaining the suicide of the character“as the necessary culmination of a course of action which was itself not necessary, although humanly understood” (The Sorrows of Young Werther Introduction, 2010) showing that suicide is not a morally understanding act but a personal conflict and justification. Suicide goes against the Christian values that life is a gift and should be valued, however arguing this, humanity was given free will, leaving our own lives in our control and choosing to do as we please, for some that is to end it prematurely.
“Uniformity marks the human race…most of them spend the greater park of their time in working for a living, and the scanty freedom that is left to them burdens them so that they seek every means of getting rid of it. O fate of man!” (the Sorrows of Young Werther, 1744)). This part of the book further explores the idea of free will. If we have free will then why so so many of us feel that we are conditioned to follow the formats of society?To work an increasing amount of hours in order to pay for necessities and luxuries, to creating our own Vanitas. “Happy are those too who give sumptuous titles to their shabby jobs, perhaps even their passions, recommending them to the human race as gigantic operations contracting to mans salvation and welfare.” (The Sorrows of Young Werther, 1744). We are living within a structure, for those that do not fit so easily into the structure, disparity and worthlessness can become the implication.
Existing illustrations from artist Gaia Inservient (see fig.3) associate the feeling of pressure within belonging to society. Her work originally titled ‘How Do You Like Me?” questions what woman are asked to be like (virtual reality) and why do they always feel wrong? (that’s what they feel). The drawings are contemporary through use of bold colours, layeringand repetition. Eyes and fingers demonstrate the load of work that comes with graduation alongside life. These will be translated into the collection through screen printing and sublimation printing. The additional print is a drawing by Franziska Schutz taken from a scene of Japanese anime Belladonna of Sadness. It identifies the relationship of romance and death which becomes dramatic but at the same time provokes a softness through use of delicate lines. The prints carry through the catharsis of the collection and collaboration with artists.
Aesthetics of Concept
This section focuses on the aesthetics of the collection, beginning with fashionable and flourishing mourning attire for women upon the Victorian era following the death of their spouse. The use of black and it’s symbolism for mourning is one the fundamental components that has been withdrawn from this research and has therefore been used as the underlining colour theme for the collection.Throughout clothing history, black and wealth went hand in hand, providing an opportunity to showcase social standing as “Black dyeing of textiles was a particularly difficult and labour-intensive process” (Black: Masters of Black in Fashion & Costume, 2010) meaning that only the rich could afford to buy garments made of black fabric. As noted in the research, wearing black is the representing the act of“expressing death and loss to symbolising wealth, social pre-eminence, piety and even rebellion” showing that is has several connotations with the expression of death through grieving is most likely the most well known association that to this present day is still used. For a woman to be dressed entirely in black amplified her beauty as it enhanced the pale skin and mirrored to the public that she was without husband yet sexually experienced. “Women with the means and the desire used mourning in surprising ways, appropriating its ambivalence, controlling the emotional messages it communicated.” (Death Becomes Her: On the Progressive Potential of Victorian Mounring, 2013). This shows the relationship between colour and emotion. How, when and where it’s worn signifies to the public the emotions of the wearer, therefore dressed in black is a visual communication of it’s symbolism.
Concealment with veils is used to symbolise grieving and rejection of joy as well as the sexuality of the woman. “Widows wore black caps low over the forehead hiding their hair and concealing the neck at the back - tied with a bow at the back neck and covered with transparent, crimped, white veil like a handkerchief falling onto the shoulders.” (Death Becomes Her: On the Progressive Potential of Victorian Mounring, 2013) This discretion was to ensure that women remained without husband until her mourning stage was over and harmonises with the symbolism of black. The white handkerchief follows and provides another aesthetic for the collection, this snippet of white can be used to segregate and uplift the heaviness of the black by using delicate and transparent fabrics such as lace, mesh and satin to contrast black sections with more durable natural fabrics such as gabardine wool, cotton and corduroy.
The role of the widow was mostly emphasised during the Victorian era but as a custom and tradition, it is as old as death itself. Widowhood however has a dark tainted past as they became social exiles and deprived of freedom of choice, having to remain within their black cloth draped homes with only close relatives to visit or by going church. It would be socially wrong to go to the theatres or engage in interactions during the stages of their grieving which lasted around a year.
Along with the dress wear is the symbolism of jewellery. The widow jewellery acted as a souvenir to the deceased and was a reminder to the living of the inevitability of death. Once again jewellery was used as a social status and added to the extravagant costs of mourning wear. “Memento moro” jewellery is one of the most ancient origins Meaning ‘Remember you must die’ and ‘Remember Death”.The use of pearls holds a great significance in the jewellery, a symbolism of preciseness, loss and consolation. A pearl is essentially a piece of grit that enter into the shell of the oyster who then secretes a layer of nacre around it to protect it’s softer tissue from getting damaged . The nacre forms a firm crystalline substance contacting calcium carbonate that turns into a smooth voting building up in layers.This is an exquisite process in nature that is worn by women and often becomes a heirloom.A portrait of Anne of Denmark mourning her husband that hangs in the National Portrait gallery in London shows her wearing a mourning brooch and large earrings with pearls and black stones shows the beauty against the pale skin.
Courts instructed that for second stage mourning white necklaces and earrings, most likely pearls could be worn and following to third stage mourning courts allowed ladies to “wear black fans, feathers and ornaments” (Mourning Dress, 1983) showing that mourning wear was progressing by 19th century into a more fashionable attire with more room for styling.The use of pearls, antique black fabrics, white lighter fabrics and silver demonstrate the opulence of historical dressing and relates to the collection of mourning. In addition to this, this collection is a build-up of mourning clothing for the contemporary wearer using the noted aesthetics in hybrid with the graphics of the philosophy.
Russian folklore underpins the silhouette, looking at the traditional costumes from different regions in the 19th century. The focus is mostly directed towards the volume of the sleeve and the layering of the aprons which references the‘Sarafan’,a sleeveless high-waisted dress cut on the bias or gored to give fullness to hem. Chemises are worn underneath, sometimes opening down the front with button. Over the saran, a short jacket could be worn, gathered at the back and also an embroidered apron, sometimes worn with a belt to give volume.
Another traditional item worn by all classes was the ‘kokoshnik’ which includes small pearls hats and could become rather extravagant even if worn by the lower class such as farmers wives. The Russian folklore combines heavy fabrics with adorned jewellery, it layers jackets, aprons, and shirts but does not look plump as there is volume in the right areas such as the sleeves and the adornment of jewellery makes it tasteful and appealing as a choice of silhouette inspiration.
Final Presentation
Born and raised in The United Kingdom, one can recall the death of Queen Elizabeth (Queen Mother) in the year 2002 and the extravagance of the funeral, sweeping over the television channels and front-lining the newspapers. A lavish royal funeral is the pinnacle of the tradition of a ceremony that is held for an individual that has passed on from life, therefore remembered and payed respect to by friends, family and loved ones. This is a function and ritual of European funerals which the research will focus on, especially in the Victorian era. In history, the funeral was an opportunity to display the families position in society, a demonstration of wealth and so “the growing popularity of grand funerals was reflected in the increasing numbers of undertakers, establishments set up in the 18th century and becoming an avalanche in the 19th century”. (Mourning Dress, 1983). This underpinsthat death, and thus funerals has been a ritual event which over the years has had a lot of money invested into it and thus hasn't had many rapid changes, therefore affirming it’s consistency in history of a societal norm. This ceremony is held within all classes but with the turn of the industrial revolution, funerals were often delayed as those with little money could not afford to put on a ceremony due to it’s many details. Nowadays a funeral fund can be set up so that when one passes, the family are not left with a funeral debt.
The collection that has been designed is within the concept on having a funeral fashion show. This was the starting point and from here the research has been rewound in order to discover the cornerstones of this final vision. The funeral goes hand in hand with the subject of death and proportionates the philosophy and aesthetics into a summarising event. The collection is a grieving process and the funeral is the place to do so. It is a ceremony to reflect and to be still, to honour and to remember the past and to finally say goodbye to what is no longer.
