Margaret Woodliff Wright – United Kingdom

Nympheas

Description

In my head piece – Nympheas – I have examined the theory of equilibrium through the use of colour, textures and the contrasting juxtaposition of structural shapes, to create a stylised lily flower balanced in equilibrium on a lily pad. Looking at the design and its execution here are some examples of how Nympheas fulfills the brief:

Shape – whilst the 2D outline of the brim and crown like flower echo each other, their 3D shapes oppose each other.
Colour – by the use contrasting yet subtly monotone combinations of ivory crin, vintage rose and bronze sinamay, silk and coque feathers, the colours of the fabrics used are differentiated yet in harmony = perfect equilibrium.
Textures – through the contrasting use of textures eg the pleated crin used in two opposing styles, the two different treatments of the coque feathers, whilst the silk stylised lily pad band is contrasted with a matching sinamay band on the reverse, all illustrate that textures and styling that are opposing yet balanced.

Materials

• Sinamay – 3 layers – with a 2nd colour way for the broad wrap on the rear of the brim
• Silk dupion – for the wide wrap on the front of the brim
• Pleated crin – doubled to make central disc & flat on front of the brim
• Wire
• Flat crin – flat disc as the feather mount
• Coque feathers – cut 2 ways – lobster style & feathered
• Silk satin – on the button centre of the folded crin disc
• Swarovski crystals – highlighting the button at the centre of the central disc

Techniques

• Brim – the wired bias sinamay brim “lily pad with border “ finished with a wide double bias silk wrap edge (front) and matching tonal sinamay border on reverse.
• Brim – a “misty” collar of pleated ivory crin has been layered onto the front of the sinamay brim
• Crown – made from ivory crin doubled and gathered, to create a central disc which is finished with a silk satin covered button, with highlight Swarovski bronze bicones
•  Outer edge of crown “lily” shape – made from massed lobster cut coque feathers set onto a flat crin mount surrounding the central disc in point 3.
• Bandeau – crown and brim are set on a wired sinamay bandeau, the bandeau is finished in “feathered” pond weed style cut coque feathers. Internally the bandeau finished with petersham.
• Attached – using doubled hat elastics