Image courtesy of Joyce Wong

Morris and the Fishgirl by Joyce Wong

Originally from Hong Kong, Joyce Wong studied fashion in London at LCF and will soon join the team of Kokon To Zai. For his latest collection, he was inspired by Morris, a very choreographic English folk dance, and by women roleplaying and dressing up as fishergirls of the late 19th century during the folk parades in the north of Great Britain.

Image courtesy of Joyce Wong

Among the sources that Joyce drew from is Arbroath Seafest Auchmithie Haar Festival, Newhaven Gala, Wimborne Folk Festival and the Museum Archives of Edinburgh. But the fashion designer concentrated particularly on the Morris folk dancers and the costumes they wore. Clothes with ragged hems, decorated with ribbons and bells that ring during the dancing.

Image courtesy of Joyce Wong

Joyce combined the style of the fisherwomen and the dancers with a work method that relies on photography, collage and the chromatic re-elaboration of the garments, which allowed him to trace the silhouettes of the pieces. And to remain in tune with all the folk imagery, even the color palette is inspired by a painting: “1/4 Savouring the Moment” by artist and former fisher Martin Ellis aka “Nutty Noah”.

more. http://showtime.arts.ac.uk/joycewkw