“The Space Between”
Concept |
Danielle’s research began with her obsession with snakes and esoteric symbolism. She looked to historical references of snake symbolisms like the ouroboros, Medusa, Quetzalcoatl, and the Nagas, for example. All of these mythological/theological serpent symbolisms revolve around ideas of cycles, sustainability, healing, rebirth, duality, ambiguity, and androgyny. In fact, snakes are the perfect representation of ambiguity and androgyny biologically as well due to their ability to reproduce sexually or asexually. Overall, through delving into her hyperbolic academic interests, the core of Danielle’s investigation is in the concept of liminality– The Space Between. For this collection she focuses on avant garde androgynous wear. She explores her concept through material treatments and the shape/form of her garments as well as their presentation. The placements of pleating and gathering snake around the body as if a serpent were slithering through. She also embodies the nature of the snake through the usage of materials that have been shed (i.e. scraps of fur, leather, and left over fabric). The garments furling and unfurling into themselves– self-sustaining.
Bio |
Born and raised in Southern California, Danielle is an innovative, passionate, and determined young designer with extensive training working with fur, fabric, and various other materials. She received her BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2017 and has chosen to continue her studies in fashion, body, and garment in the Post-Baccalaureate program concluding this spring. She first arrived at SAIC to continue her painting and drawing practice where her interdisciplinary approach to concepts about the body grew onto the body– at first 2D representations then to 3D wearable sculptures. Her vast material knowledge from a myriad of fine art and fashion related disciplines aid in generating her distinctive approach to design. Danielle is a queer cis woman who has inherently been given a platform of privilege and wishes to use that platform to enact positive social change through her work.