Abstract:

While costume design communicates character through silhouette, color, and texture, material choice plays a critical and often under-examined role in shaping both technical process and character perception. This thesis investigates how material substitution alters both the technical process of costume construction and perception ofcharacter in a costume design.

Gossamer or Glue examines material as an active collaborator in storytelling through a practice-based comparative study. A 1950s inspired evening dress is constructed twice: once using traditional woven textiles and once using nontraditional non-woven material. By holding assumed design intent and a foundational garment constant, this project isolates material properties as variables influencing technical decision making and visual interpretation. By using a practice-based methodology of research, this project investigates how differences in physical material properties, such as rigidity, weight, flexibility, and plasticity influence approach to construction technique and, how the visual properties of select materials may influence the viewer’s perception of character in the final product.