Form Follow Fashion
Category: Apparel
Competitions: Fashion Competition 2025
This project explores the design philosophy of Cristóbal Balenciaga, focusing on his innovative approach to garment construction, sculptural form, and architectural balance. Inspired by his headwear collection exhibited at the Balenciaga Museum, I immersed myself in research on historical hat-making techniques from the 1920s to the 1970s, which led me to experiment with three-dimensional volumes and textures. Using plaster, I created a custom mold to serve as the foundation for constructing the piece. I combined traditional felting methods with industrial felting machinery to shape and sculpt merino wool and a silk wool blend into a seamless, volumetric garment. The process emphasized manual craftsmanship alongside material experimentation, aiming to achieve a coherent sculptural silhouette that reflects Balenciaga’s signature contours and balance. The final piece preserves a three-dimensional structure without visible seams or cuts, embodying both innovation and respect for traditional techniques. The feedback highlighted the successful integration of new working methods with the designer’s principles, as well as the thoughtful solution derived from my research on Cristóbal Balenciaga — an internal back belt (corset) that stabilizes and supports the entire jacket structure, allowing it to remain steady and elevated on the wearer’s body. This piece is scheduled to be exhibited at the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum in Spain in the upcoming October.
