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Historical and contemporary design development: Contemporary designer Lisa Ho
Suggested answers
- Sketch the detail of the traditional and contemporary design features of the bodice, sleeve and frog closures of the garment ‘Chinese Girl’.
Note the differing garments and fabric such as stretch body leotard top and traditional woven brocade Chinese style sleeve, frog buttons and collar with piping.
Overall the costume has a style which reflects costumes worn for Chinese Opera. The long sleeve is especially dramatic.
The silhouette was dramatically elongated to exaggerate the height of the wearer, this technique is seen in Chinese paintings.
- Identify the garment styles and the fabric structures that make up the costume.
Style features include a half bodice; extended long flared sleeve; Cheungsam style neckline and extended long skirt.
Fabric structures include nylon/lycra for the leotard body suit; jersey knit for the skirt; silk jacquard woven fabric for the sleeve and bodice; yellow satin lining fabric and; polyester woven fabric for belt.
- Describe and illustrate the special structural features of the costume that make it suitable for a performance such as the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games.
Performance criteria would include ease of movement; ease of entry/exit; exaggeration for dramatic effect. Special features would be Lycra body suit, one-sided Cheungsam, long skirts in order to drape around a base of a pedestal thus creating an elongated shape.
- Review the accompanying Statement of significance for the costume then outline the inspiration for the costume.
Inspiration for the costume was drawn from a theme Arrivals, representing Australia’s multiculturalism; the colour yellow and the culture from Asia.
- Explain the cultural symbolism of the garment to Australia’s multicultural heritage.
Classic Cheungsam neckline, round medallion shapes and gold embroidered dragons are symbolic of Chinese culture introduced to Australia with gold rush migration during 1800s.
- Review the Production notes and identify the other design forms described by Lisa Ho as ‘visual and cultural icons’.
The Goddess Shiva, Chinese Dynastic Court dress, Asiatic flower, Thai temple architecture, Japanese tattooing, Arabic coin jewellery, 19th Century Palestinian Headdress, Indian tapestry.
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