Borrowed Soul is a personal exploration into the act of dressing and applying a costume. Clothing and bodily adornments can portray any desired persona; an exercise that occurs endlessly online and can be both an escape from reality for some and an empowering public exposé for others. Through an exploration into shape, pattern and historical techniques, this collection of costumery combines elements of cultures I wish I was part of with those I have ancestral connection to, albeit with minimal direct experience.
Through the use of natural themes—a resource occurring differently yet available to all peoples of the world—this work aims to address cultural borrowings and appropriations/misappropriations in a world that has become so small. This selection of garments is a wearable aesthetic representation of content perpetually referenced, rephrased and re-refined to suit a new identity.