The intention of this work is to illustrate the direct influence of fine art on fashion design in a future exhibition – featuring a series of related paintings, textile designs, dress designs, and fashion illustrations.
Collaborator Larry Rushing’s fine art painting “Flora Rush” was the inspiration for a textile print and an apparel design. The original acrylic painting, which took about three months to paint, was copied digitally. Then a small part of it was used as a base for a repeat pattern, designed on Photoshop by Della Reams. The final pattern was digitally printed onto 100% cotton woven fabric. The printed fabric was then draped on the mannequin by Hisham Dawoud, creating tucks in the skirt matching up the repeat motifs in the print. The dress was then sewn together, using a washed test sample of the print to line the bodice. The name “Ribbon Tuck Dress” comes from the yellow ribbon in the abstract floral arrangement, and the tucked form of the skirt.
