Inhabited Abstractions
Balenciaga 50s/60s x Kawakubo x Mass ProductionFall 2022
This project explores the theme of mass production. This theme, based on Rei Kawakubo’s exploration of mass consumption, has a strong contrast against Cristobal Balenciaga’s insistence of solely producing haute couture. This contrast will be used to create a dialogue between the two very opposing means of production. This juxtaposition will be shown through the creation of a denim jacket - a garment repeatedly made and worn by the masses, and a skirt. These garments will contain repetitive elements, volume, rounded shapes, and an abstraction of the body - all elements thoroughly seen trhoughout Balenciaga and Kawakubo’s work. The look represents a pile of denim jackets, referencing enormous piles of clothing in landfills or fabric in factories.