During this unit I completed two separate projects. The first project was to construct two garments for the National Theatre Hire, a chemise and a shirt. The second was to design a scene from Arthur Schnitzler’s La Ronde. I completed renderings for both a male and female character, then constructed the woman’s blouse of my own design. In addition to these projects I completed a brief essay titled “Emerging Trends in Theatrical Gender Roles”.
The National Theatre Hire project was a huge challenge for me. I am not a maker and have never made a garment completely on my own before. I worked on the chemise first, I thought it would be an easier start than the men’s shirt. However, the fabric proved to be an enormous exercise in patience. While it’s quite beautiful, it really wasn’t suitable for a beginner. Even using a domestic machine, the grain was regularly caught. Every pin left a mark. I was three quarters finished with the chemise when I caught the front on a pin or the tip of a scissor. A hole opened right on the front of my garment and I had to start all over again. It was a very frustrating experience! Also, once the garment was finished, I went to find the drawstring and it wasn’t in the bits and bobs box! It was not returned there after someone else used it, and neither I nor my supervisor could locate it before hand-in.The men’s shirt turned out to be the easier of the two. I had some problems with buttonholes, I’ve never done them before, but aside from that I think it turned out well.
I found the La Ronde project much more enjoyable. Not much of a surprise since my experience is in design! I began by reading the play multiple times to get a good understanding of the themes and overall feel. I decided that The Actress should be bright, but not overly decorated. 1900 was right in the beginning of ready to wear clothing, working women were transitioning into simpler mass made garments. I chose the dark pink because it’s a sassy, eye-catching colour that would transfer easily from day to night. I struggled a bit with The Poet. He is a dark and devious character, but is also overpowered by The Actress. I didn’t initially picture him in a suit, but decided that his failure to commit to detail reminded me of a shady businessman. I though a suit would be the best representation of that. I also wanted it to be faded and worn, with an unclear original colour. Nothing about him is certain. When it came to making the blouse, I really enjoyed it. I was happier working with a coloured fabric, as well as deciding how I wanted to sew things. Again, I struggled with the buttonholes.
I chose this body of work to improve my design process and construction skills. This was my first time making something I designed. By working on the National Theatre project, I gained skill and confidence in my making abilities. I completed this work by keeping an up-to-date work plan. I stayed very organized and used my time efficiently. All of my original goals were met.
