Poppy Sendell
The classic pull a rabbit out of the hat magic trick laid the foundations for this ensemble, as it led to research on Victorian magic tricks and finally the 1840 collapsible opera top hat. The final design is a transformable set, composed of a large hat that can be collapsed into a bag, a black sculpted top, a sculptural boned skirt and a lace bodysuit.
Centred around trickery, with a hat that transforms into a bag and a skirt and top that form a dress, this piece uses concealed internal structures to create a transformative set that can be worn many ways. The white, spotted print of the pieces were hand sublimation printed spot by spot, and inspired by Balenciaga dress number 174 1964, black and white polka-dot dress. Underneath, the set is complimented by a black, lace bodysuit, echoing Balenciaga’s 1952 balloon dress, using floral motifs to contrast the rest of the design.
