Nero, meaning ‘water’ (νερο′) in the Greek language, is essentially a collection inspired by the movement and pressure of water against the female form. My intention of the Nero collection was to explore different sources of inspiration as well as incorporating my own design methodologies and ethos. A few of these notions included the juxtaposition of: gravity versus weightlessness, underground versus high fashion, pressure versus fluidity and hard versus soft.
"I was fascinated by waters manipulation of the body’s movement and visa versa through the reduction gravity. Using water as my catalyst to design garments allowed me to explore the notion of drape as well as structure around the female body."
The dark colour palette is cold and eerie, with black transparent and matte tones found when diving into the deep dark sea. The dark underwater world's profound depths and layers are hidden beneath the waters metallic blue sparkling surface.
Overall the Nero’ collection is complex in pattern design and construction, however remaining harmonious as a complete series of outfits, which parallels with the detailed structure of waters particles, juxtaposed with its fluid aesthetic. Moulded leather represents the suction of water imposed on one point of the body during impact into the water, whilst the draped silk fabrics flow around the opposite side organically mimicking the release of the waters pressure. Industrial shot cord (elastic) were sandwiched in between an under-structure and moulded under the leather creating a skin manipulated and someone disturbing surface, as well as extending from the garment to anchor the garment to certain parts of the body and be used as a closing mechanism. These extruding cords also contributed to the collections under-worldly and somewhat aquatic feel, also creating a noise simular to the roaring ocean when the elastic drags on the ground.
The garments' come alive when the body moves through the gesture of walking, dancing or when the body is stationery however surrounded with moving water or wind that manipulates the fabrics motion. Simultaneously, the feeling the viewer experiences whilst viewing the Nero collection is eerie and unsettling. Each garment is somewhat a prosthetic shell that although resembles the female form, it also manipulates the viewers perception into a false representation of the form that the garment is being worn by.
Please note: The images were taken by www.fashionising.com
