The Thread(t)s of the Body
The project “The Thread(t)s of the Body” is a response to the taboo of female body hair. In the Western society, female body hair is considered unhygienic and unfeminine. Since the early 20th century there has been a lot of pressure on women to remove their body hair. Looking at it from the perspective of a fashion designer the influence of the fashion industry on this norm is evident. In the 1920s, clothes became more revealing and the fashion and beauty industry claimed that these garments could only be worn by women without body hair.
Therefore, this collection takes a critical look at this social norm, creating garments that are meant to be worn by women who do not remove their body hair. Each piece of clothing highlights a different part of female body hair and makes it part of the design. The use of florals and traditional handcrafts such as crochet and embroidery maintain a feminine and minimalist style. It is only at the second glance that the more rebellious nature of the cut-outs and the emphasis on female body hair is revealed. In addition, the slow handcrafts oppose the influence of the fast fashion industry.
