Maddie's Brief:

Gateway to Spring: A garment designed to show the possibility of renewal, symbolized by the life cycle of a cherry blossom. The dress is made up of dozens of felt cherry blossoms that fall off as the model walks the runway, representing the short life cycle of the flowers and their renewal every spring.

Gateway to Spring was inspired by Lena McCarthy's mural 'Power', which is blooming with nature and the growing and coming of spring. Our garment challenges people to think about how things don't last, but also about how loss is a stage of renewal. Fully bloomed cherry blossoms made of felt are sewn on to strings that are sewn together on the back of the belt to create a train of flowers. As the model comes into view, the flowers appear freshly in bloom, but as she turns her back and exits, the flowers appear to begin to fall off the dress. A white piece of fabric unrolls from the belt to cover the flowers while releasing paper petals that were wrapped in its folds and fall to the ground. Ideally worn in the springtime, the train will remind people of the quick coming and going of cherry blossoms, heralding a new season.

Roisin's Brief:

A detachable dress train designed to represent renewal in life and in nature through cherry blossoms. The model wearing the dress will pull a string to cover the train of cherry blossoms as she walks down the runway, to represent renewal and the circle of life. Our piece is made up of a long train that can be ripped off that shows life and death.

Renewal is a fresh start, it's a new time for humans and for nature. The circle of life is represented in this piece. The dress is inspired by a Lena McCarthy mural in Central Square, called Power. Within the mural it has lots of plants and living elements throughout it. In the center of the mural, there is a heart with leaves growing out through the painting symbolizing growth and renewal. The mural captures power and feminity as well. On the piece, we wanted to emulate the life cycle of cherry blossoms. Cherry blossoms bloom at the beginning of spring, representing the renewal of life after the winter, and represent a new season and a new time. The petals fall off the trees soon after they are pollinated and soon after the petals fly off the tree. The cherry blossoms are placed on out garment on multiple strings to create the look of a long train. Each cherry blossom is made out of laser cut felt. When you look at the dress the flowers are the biggest at the top and the smallest at the bottom to show growth, dress The model as she walks down the runway will hide the flowers to show the cherry blossoms dying.