Description

This design is made up of three components; a laced bodice with sleeves, a layered skirt with yoke, and a Medici collar with a connected train. This costume has been designed for Titania, Queen of the Fairies, for a modern screen adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, with particular consideration given to how textiles and surface design perform under close-up cinematography and theatrical lighting. The use of layered sheer fabrics, including dip-dyed silk and multi-tonal tulle, creates an ethereal, iridescent quality that enhances depth, movement, and luminosity on screen, reinforcing Titania's supernatural presence. Intricate surface embellishment, such as hand embroidery, stumpwork insects and flowers, glass beading, metallic threads, and digitally printed butterfly appliqués, provides rich texture and visual interest that can be fully appreciated by the viewer in high-definition film settings. A heavily structured corset, constructed with coutil and a combination of spiral steel and flat steel boning, balances strength with the delicacy of soft, high draping textiles, reflecting Titania's authority while maintaining femininity and fluidity for performance. Inspiration for this costume has come from multiple sources, including the colour palettes and flowing lines of the art nouveau artwork of Alphonse Mucha, whilst the embroidery that tells of Titania's natural forest setting is influenced by the ancient Roman statue, Prima Porta.

Images of Work

"The focal feature is a puffy sleeve made of a sheer, light yellow or cream-coloured fabric with a subtle shimmer. The sleeve is gathered and cinched at the forearm by a wide band of intricate silver lace. This lace has a floral and swirling pattern with a metallic, slightly antiqued finish. Below the lace band, the sleeve continues into a flowing, bell-shaped sleeve made of a sheer, pale lavender or lilac fabric that also has a subtle shimmer. The sleeve has a slit, revealing a hint of the lighter lilac fabric underneath. The overall aesthetic is one of romantic elegance the combination of satin, sheer fabrics, intricate lace, and detailed embroidery. The colour palette is soft and ethereal, with pops of colour from the floral embroidery. The materials and embellishments convey a sense of luxury and delicate artistry."

"The textile item features a sweetheart neckline and a fitted bodice made of a shimmering, pale peach satin fabric. The bodice is embellished with intricate floral embroidery in shades of blue and purple, depicting delicate bell-shaped flowers and sprigs of lavender. The embroidery uses ribbon techniques, giving the flowers a textured, dimensional appearance. Green ribbon forms the stems and leaves. Adding a touch of whimsy and sparkle, a prominent blue lace dragonfly embellishment is affixed to the upper right side of the bodice, near the neckline. This dragonfly has detailed wings with silver thread accents and small beaded details along its body. The overall aesthetic is romantic, whimsical, and evokes a fairy-tale enchanted garden theme. The underlying fabric has a subtle glitter effect that enhances the magical quality of the design."

Select Student Folio Pages

The pages selected for each project reflect the individual students' interpretations of the syllabus guidelines for the MTP. Each student should develop their folio according to the guidelines, relating to their own individual project. This may result in a variety of presentation styles, numbers of sketches and/or experiments.