A storyteller’s philosophy is rooted in the imparting of narratives they deem important to humanity which has provided us with the countless pieces of literature, film and historical knowledge we immerse ourselves in today. However, it is my personal belief that the authority that comes with deciding which stories are worth telling is completely disloyal to the female voices we have allowed to fade into the shadows of history simply because they were considered trivial under a patriarchal and industrialist society.
My practices as a designer and storyteller are driven by these forgotten and unfamiliar voices that I want to visually bring into circulation. This focus was brought to me by my fascination with the Belle Epoque period in France and the social and economic elements that propelled the cabaret and opera ballet culture at that time. I have also found myself deeply inspired by the Art Nouveau movement that characterized the art and design of that era by its whimsical and organic lines that mirrored the natural world and portrayed a divine feminine quality that I always felt was vastly overlooked. With that being said, it was through my investigation into this historical period that I found myself drawn to whom I believe are significantly influential women–Marie van Goethem and Cleo de Merode–whose stories I felt have been left behind or completely disregarded by history. It is my desire to share their narratives as well as other lost or untold stories through my visual artistry in costume design for film and theatre.
I am transfixed by the development of plots and characters and the physical details that help distinguish them and the social and political atmospheres of the fictional or factual world they live in. My work is highly dedicated to researching and analyzing words and events in literature and history so that I may implement the context of those small but powerful details into the makings of a character. I ask myself every possible question to find what external and internal factors might affect the character’s appearance and in turn, explore different materials and techniques that might best demonstrate their state of affairs under a cohesive and well-calculated visual narrative. Whether it be through the intentional aging and discoloration of a fabric or utilizing a statuesque silhouette rather than one that accentuates movement, my key objective is to wield my imagination by piecing together contextual clues to bring a persona to life and use those physical attributes to drive their story forward.