Yutong Zhang
Fashion MA
Kingston School of Art
Specialisms: Womenswear
Location: Kingston, United Kingdom
Yutong Zhang
First Name: Yutong
Last Name: Zhang
Specialisms: Womenswear
Sectors:
My Location: Kingston, United Kingdom
University / College: Kingston School of Art
Course / Program Title: Fashion MA
About
I started my project with science fiction
films. Science fiction is a branch of literature which deals with the reaction
of human beings to changes in science and technology. (Asimov, "How Easy
to See the Future!", Natural History, 1975) I watched several movies, such
as blade Runner, Interstella, 2001: A Space Odyssey. I am very interested in
the human exploration of the unknown, and the boldness of humans' imagination
beyond perceptions.
Humankind has never ceased to be curious
about outer space. As early as B.C., people began to observe the stars with
their naked eyes. Since the invention of the telescope, humans' exploration of
the universe has taken a new step forward. Most of the elements in science
fiction works are also related to the universe. the spacesuit operates as a
prosthetic extension of the human body, where the relationship between user and
tool is merged. (Bell, J., 2014) This also relates to the dystopian visions of
the last century: in order to prevent the human body from being harmed by
possible future air pollution as well as space rays, heavily armored suits like
the spacesuit is considered as life sustaining. Astronaut suits have ribbed
mechanics at the joints and are supported at the elbows by wire cords or cloth
straps.I went to London Science Museum and saw the real spacesuits. I used this
section as an exploration of silhouettes, and have made some draping.
The launch of Sputnik I in 1957 ushered in
a new era of space exploration, the space race and space technology, which
culminated in the 1960s. I researched some of the most distinctive designers of
the 60s: Pierre Cardin, Paco Rabanne and Andre Courreges. Their use of
synthetic materials, their exploration of silhouettes, and their avant-garde
experiments were transcendent at the time. I tried to learn from their use of
sci-fi elements in their designs, such as exaggerated and enlarged patterns and
geometric silhouettes.
My project is about people’s reverie about spaceflight and their vision for the future in the space age. I was inspired by 20th century science fiction movies and 60s space age fashion, incorporating retro futurism in contemporary fashion. I made assumptions about the relationship between people and the environment in the future, and completed this AW collection that fully covers the body.
Competitions
