Fashion - Bachelor
A medieval fantasy based collection designed to tell a story about love, family and generational change. Inspired by fairytales read as a child and modern fantasy novels, The Royal Court combines elements of 16th century costume with modern shapes and fabrications to bring to life a compelling narrative.
With this collection I encapsulate my love for fantasy, something that has been part of me my whole life. From reading and writing fairytales as a child to enjoying modern fantasy novels, I have always loved the way they use imaginative world-building to create a meaningful commentary on the world in which we live. As such, I have created a story revolving around love, family and generational change, and this collection dresses the four main characters. It is set in the European renaissance, so elements and techniques of 16th century costume have been combined with more modern shapes and fabrications to bring to life the fantastical world. The collection is whimsical yet practical, dancing the line between ready-to-wear and costume, using reclaimed textiles sourced from The Nest wherever possible, including upcycling vintage crocheted lace and doilies, and reusing beads from thrifted jewellery.
As the only kin of a deteriorating kingdom, the heiress wants to bring change to her home, and make it a better place for all who live there. With the help of her lover, she begins this change with the way she dresses. Her free-spirited outlook on the future is reflected with more modern shapes, while maintaining a professional standard of dress to appease her mother. This look has lots of volume and movement to literally show the forward movement she wishes to see, as well as familial motifs used throughout the collection.
Her look consists of a green velvet, puff-sleeved, gathered knee length dress with a bib made from fabric recycled from a vintage tablecloth.
Lover to the heiress and loyal guard to the queen, the protector lives a double life. Professionally he must follow orders to keep his kingdom safe, but there are some lines even he will not cross. He is the biggest supporter of his lover, including the change she wishes to bring to their home. His look is similarly modern, but practical enough to carry out his daily work. The Protector was a later addition to this story. I was weighing up between making this a men’s or women’s look, as to play into gender stereotypes or go against them. After researching historical armour and developing the story into what it is now, having a men’s streetwear look was how I decided to incorporate the modernity needed in this character.
The ruler of the kingdom, a title passed down through generations of her family. While she has brought some change in her reign, she wishes for her way of life to remain stable. With the power she possesses, this is not a difficult task. She does not approve of her daughter’s agenda, and dresses more historically to show it. Her look consists of a doily underskirt, containing the most doilies of the four looks to show her traditional family values. Additionally she wears a peach off-shoulder gown, with a rectangular skirt. This was made entirely of second-hand double georgette bought from The Nest. Finally, her forest green velvet waistcoat is made from the same fabric as the Heiress’ dress, and is somewhat a uniform for the royal court.
Common folk from a poorer part of the kingdom, the villager must do what they can to live. As a result of the queen’s superiority and lack of fair action, they have had to become resourceful with the ways they spend their time, money, and energy. Their look is versatile to fit many bodies, and created from reclaimed natural fibres to last a lifetime. The top is a linen apron with rope-like macrame cord cinching it to fit the wearer. Similarly, the pants have drawstrings around the waist and legs, allowing for a more adjustable and flowy silhouette, suitable for daily work. The use of natural fibres allows for durability, and versatility, especially as it allows the garments to be dyed using natural materials! I have dyed the pants with tea, as it is what was easily accessible to me, but the customisability is something the villager would find useful to make light of their dire situation.
Amelia is a Brisbane based creative, with a passion for storytelling through her designs. She loves being part of things that will have an impact bigger than her, and strives to make the world a better place through her work.
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