Niguyen Kieu Anh
Drawing inspiration from resilient pearl hunters, particularly the Ama women of Japan who have defied gender norms for over a millennium by free diving without equipment up to 30 metres under water, this design captures their independent and adventurous spirit in its unconventional, voluminous-sleeved silhouette. The innovative use of wet suit fabric, skillfully cut and transformed, elevates the design into an abstract dress, embodying the daring essence of these remarkable women.
The proposal is a marriage of the fitted cut of a diving suit and the volumes present throughout Balenciaga’s designs. Made with a black scuba fabric, embroidered with rhombus stitching and supported with side panels of black faille fabric with a tulle underlayer, the dress combines a variety of techniques, materials and textures to create the light and shadows similar to the wet glean of the Ama divers. The high neckline envelops the body in a cocoon shape, accentuated by the raised rounded shoulders and sleeves.
