who am I and What Am i doing?
My name is Arianna Stapley and I'm a final year fashion student raising money to fund the creation of my six look final collection and editorial/look book photoshoot!
My project
My collection explores the societal expectations women, femme presenting people and those who menstruate face regarding domesticity, motherhood and the physical expectations of birth. Inspired by the iconic film Alien (1979) and the themes of gestation, birth and bodily autonomy alongside the life of eccentric brothel owner Cynthia Payne.
Keeping the downstairs of her quiet suburban home a floral, chintz-covered, domestic bliss filled with knitting girls and visitors sipping tea in china cups, the brothel was run entirely in secret for years. This perfect facade not only allowed ‘Madame Cyn’ to entertain her many social guests, but also masqueraded the world of fetish only a staircase away.
The collection
The collection features a variety of experimental techniques and will hopefully include innovative, sustainable fabrics like pineapple and cactus leathers alongside hand embellishment, print design, sculpting, metal work, and leather wet forming. The six final looks will be showcased at the end of year runway show and in my photographic editorial look book.
The photoshoot
The photoshoot is going to be a wonderfully collaborative project aiming to use a mainly recycled and up-cycled set-building materials. I will be working with an amazing team including an incredible hair and makeup artist, photographer, and creature/prop-maker to help bring my dystopian housewife's domestic bliss to life.
Why is this important?
As a fashion student, my final collection is not only a culmination of 4 years of hard work, expanding my skillset and pushing my creative and technical ability, it is also the start of my future career. This is my chance to show what I can do and what I have been working for as well as my way of expressing my feelings of suffocation and exhaustion in the female experience and the fight for reproductive rights and bodily autonomy for all.
Where will this money go?
All funds raised will go directly to the materials cost of the final garments of the collection and the production costs of the photoshoot.
Cost
(Estimated costs)
- Studio for photoshoot - £350.00
- Professional model cost - £350.00
- Photographer kit - £200.00
- Transport and food for photoshoot - £100.00
Rewards
Donations of £20.00 or more will receive a personal thank you print of one of my looks and all donors will be credited in the look book.
Please check out my on-going work both in fashion design and photography on Instagram and follow along for updates on the collection!
@ariannastapleystudio
Please share this project with anyone you think might want to support - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, by email, telephone, in your group chat, or even someone you just met!
I would be incredibly grateful for any donation big or small. Thank you for taking the time to read about my project. :)
Arianna
