Celestial: a Muslin Project
Fall 2016
Statement
This was Violet’s first apparel project at Rhod Island School of Design, completed in the fall semester of sophomore year. The assigned parameter of this project was to study Native American traditional costumes and make one full look in muslin based on the research. In this course, students learned about various Native American tribes (including the Narragansett Nation native to Rhode Island) and their traditions, observed Native American apparel and accessory pieces collected by museum, conducted research on the traditional materials such as leather and feathers as well as techniques such as beading, embroidery, the cut of garments, etc.
Violet was especially drawn to the rich visual symbolism in the Native American traditions and the narratives behind it. She was specifically inspired by the symbol of circle, which represents the sun, the moon, and the cycle of life. This symbol appears frequently on garments and accessories, often illustrated through beading or embroidery, in the forms of a simple circle, a circle with a dot in the middle, a circle with a cross inside, or with other embellishments etc.
