Beneath the Surface: (001: "On Lightness")

"On lightness" is a reflection on the beauty in duality and contrast. Using weight and color as a definition of light, the collection is inspired on the balance of lightness and heaviness, light and shadow.

The fluidity of lightweight fabrics and structure of certain cuts/heavier weight fabrics, and the contrast between white (light) and bone (shadow) allude to the idea of balance between weight and color in every design. Because of this concept, the designs in this collection are oversized and flowy yet, with a certain structure added to them.

This collection started being inspired on "Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch" by Henri Miller. The title comes from "The Garden of earthly delights", where oranges and other fruits symbolize the delights of paradise. Focusing on oranges, I came to realize the duality in them–hardness and softness/shell and pulp. Which also symbolize the knowledge of good and evil (along with apples).

But that was not it, after researching citrus in a book called "The Secret Language of Flowers: Notes on the Hidden Meanings of the Louvre's Flowers" by Jean-Michel Othoniel, which contains descriptions of symbolisms of different fruits, plants and flowers through art history, I came to another realization. When a lemon is peeled in a spiral, its meaning is: "the unfolding of life leaving aside material covering and retaining the "pulp" of spiritual essence"–which was for me an important subject to explore in the development of this collection, a beautiful and interesting duality.

It was in with this understanding that my exploration started guiding me to another book which happened to be one of my favorites: "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" by Milan Kundera. It is a book about the paradox of human existence, touching on subjects such as lightness and weight, lightness and darkness, body and soul, dream and reality, being meaningless or being meaningful, and of course the eternal and ephemeral.

After this research, I had to find a way to translate it into designs. Which naturally lead me to the following:

1. Color: white as symbolism of light and bone as shadow

2. Weight: lightweight fabric contrasting heavier weight by paneling designs

3. Movement: playing with structure and flow, some designs such as (absul) blouse and (evostid) dress hace pleated details which translate to "flow" sewn together to plain sleeves symbolizing structure

After the designs where made, I had to think about which direction the campaign was going to take. It was in this campaign where I wanted to explore a less tangible duality–body and soul (lightness and heaviness, light and shadow were of course still present).

1. Body and Soul: moving shots portray etherealness of the soul, while sharper images and close ups portray rigidness and heaviness of bodily existence