Creative Design: Undergraduate

The Restrictive Dress, Experimental and Modern Take on the French Revolution

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Abstract

The Restrictive Dress was inspired by a drawing in the Musee du Louvre: “Marie Antoinette Led to Her Execution” (1793) by Jacques-Louis David. It depicted the last moments of the queen as she was seated on a wooden plank in white simple chemise with her rough haircut, robbed of her wig and corset, looking miserable but calm. The purpose of the dress was to create an imaginative take on what the victims felt and experienced with the blade of a guillotine. The designer aimed to design a dress that was beautiful but also restrictive, as victims were tied down before being decapitated. The restrictive dress could only be taken off with assistance and must be untied at the top of the gown to be loosened up. This action represented what victims felt when they were restricted, as only their executioners could set them free. 

Keywords: French revolution, knitwear, avant-garde

How to Cite:

Lor, K. & Rhee, J., (2022) “The Restrictive Dress, Experimental and Modern Take on the French Revolution”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 79(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.15859