Shannon Owen

“When I first received my blue sapphire fabric, Resene Submerge, the name really inspired me.  I looked up the meaning which normally means being submerged under water or covering something up.  I then found a saying “she submerged her identity into the role of the photographer’s wife’ in the dictionary.  This started me thinking that I could create a meaning to go behind my garment and let the wearer become free to express themselves the way they wish to.

My muse was submerged in a world of judgment, she could not see her own beauty.  She felt she had to submerge her identity into one which was not her own.  She wished she could be free and express herself.

I designed the garment to look like two different dresses – one side with lots of fullness and ties to represent being tied down compared to the other side, it is designed to be very simple to show that my muse is becoming free.

I decided to pit an oversized hood onto the dress to represent the name of the colour to hide part of the face.”

Resene Whitecliffe Colour of Fashion clothing - 2019

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