Inspired by the history around societal views of menstruation and the female body, ‘Menses’ is a four look, fashion collection that references the abstract views of ancient philosophers and practices. The Greek philosopher, Aristotle, who himself saw women’s menstrual cycle as the product of insufficiently produced sperm, believed menstruation made women the ‘lesser’ sex, while Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder described menstrual blood as one of the most dangerous fluids in existence (Hiltmann, G. 2005).
In the Greek myth of Medusa, the gorgon whose look could turn a man to stone, a horrifying woman with a crawling, bloody, and repulsive head of snakes was described by ancient folklore not only to mark the danger of a menstrual woman, but also to demonise menstruation itself (Mulvey-Roberts, M. 2005). These ‘menstrual taboos’ created through history have not only distorted the current day views around a woman’s body, but have also prevented both the comfort of body literacy and the advancement of all women’s overall health.
Through the relation of fabrics to the flesh tones of menstruation and anatomy, and the links of nature to our own bodies with the use of plant-based dyes, ‘Menses’ prompts us to address the fear of menstruation applied by ancestral misunderstanding, creating a calm atmosphere that welcomes the discussion of our bodies, from our own perspectives.
