“rootless.”

The collection "Rootless" consists of an experimental design through developing an alternative approach towards lacemaking. By going back to the roots of lacemaking and being inspired by the cutwork technique, lace is reinterpreted and reinvented. The concept explores the phenomenon of Global Nomads who feel rootless as a byproduct of globalization. Traditional and past notions become 'old' and lose touch with the contemporary world.

Through this experimental work, I explore the value of narrative and emotional attachment in the meticulous handwork in lace and the appreciation for the craft. My project explores the intersection of west and east through examining traditional lace in Western paintings such as in works of Abstract Expressionists such as Jackson Pollock, Lee Krasner, and  William de  Kooning. The Western paintings are deconstructed with the use of shows, decaying details, and geometric perspective. While traditional paintings focus more on negative space showing the value of harmony and the “imperfection” of asymmetry. 

The collection has elements of minimalism as well as maximalism. Experimental lace-like surfaces are visually opulent, and a reductive aesthetic is pronounced in minimized silhouettes. Garments are built on the corset base. The phenomenon of the fashionable human body is the background for the experimental work with the body form. Garments challenge the wearer by offering slightly odd silhouettes the showcasing a reinvented lace. These are achieved by shifting proportions, layering, and distorting the images of what flattering garment silhouettes mean.