Escaping Expectations

My background in traditional men`s tailoring has started an acute interest in menswear. My collection aim is to make people reconsider traditional gender stereotypes and to push Western societies perception on masculinity. As garment shape inspiration I have been looking at Oskar Schlemmer`s ‘triadic ballet’ that represents eccentric garment shapes and pushes boundaries by only focusing on the basic geometric forms (triangle, square, circle). One specific part that stood out to me during my research is the contrast between hard materials being used in Oskar Schlemmer`s ballet and the soft movement of the dance itself. Masculinity is a term that often gets associated with being strong and tough. Soft garment shapes and textures form a contrast to the existing stereotypes on masculinity. The colour choice of pink and blue is a response to socially constructed gender norms Western society has created. Parts of the garments have been dyed and dip dyed to gain the right colour hues.