World of WearableArt Winner: Metamorphosis Unveiled with Juliet Dodson

In an exclusive interview, we look into the creative journey behind the remarkable designer and alumni Juliet Dodson on her wearable sculptured costume 'Metamorphosis'. Conceived during her final year on her BA (Hons) Costume for Performance course at LCF, 'Metamorphosis' represents the amalgamation of three distinct life stages, intricately woven into a single garment. From the innocent infancy to the armoured pupal stage and the refined adulthood, this costume is a testament to the artist's dedication, inspiration drawn from the natural world, and their unique approach to incorporating non-wearable materials into their creations.

Join us as we explore the artistic evolution of this extraordinary piece and how Juliet’s educational background at LCF has influenced her interdisciplinary and concept-driven approach to costume design, sculpture, and performance art, winning the World of WearableArt Award.

Congratulations on winning the UK and Europe Award at the World of WearableArt Competition for your costume, 'Metamorphosis'! Please tell us more about your costume that was selected for this award. 

This Costume has been a three-year journey. I began ‘Metamorphosis’ in 2020 whilst studying my BA at LCF on the Costume for Performance course as my final major project.

‘Metamorphosis’ is a wearable sculpture which observes transformations within nature and how minute sections of plant life can parallel a human lifespan. The performance characterises three separate stages of life into a singular garment, the costume pollinates, contracts and expands.

The original plan was for the costume to be performed by choreographer, Katie Boag at venues across London. As I graduated in 2020, Covid was at its height and there wasn't an opportunity to have the project presented. So, I kept the World of WearableArt competition in mind and worked towards developing the costume into a fully recognised piece from my studio in Bethnal Green.

New Zealand’s biological import rules meant that I couldn’t send the Infant (fluffy pollen cotton layer) of the costume to the WoW competition, but I plan to produce performances with the full costume once it is back in the UK.

'Metamorphosis' is a remarkable wearable sculpture that represents transformations within nature and human life stages. Can you please elaborate on the inspiration behind this concept and how it evolved into the final piece?

Initially, I spent two weeks drawing tons and tons of designs to understand what I wanted to produce in my final year. The element of reveal or structural shift was apparent in every design which led me to title the performance piece ‘Metamorphosis’. At this stage it struck me that what I was trying to capture was the shift in character and form within a singular garment to represent a lifespan. I watched nature documentaries to study the movement of cocoons, flowers blooming and dandelions. I then started to separate the costume into three stages, sampling fabrics and structural technicalities working from the inside-out. All three layers were continuously evolving during the design process which was interesting as I couldn't get held up on a stage looking a certain way.

The costume consists of three distinct stages: the infant, the pupa, and the adult. Can you walk us through the creative process of designing and crafting these intricate stages within a single garment?

I approached these three stages as separate designs and characters to ensure each had distinct characteristics, but I always intended the costume to be a singular garment. I designed the layers to be introduced by a physical catalyst of shedding or opening.

For the Infant stage I wanted it to capture the essence of childhood and innocence, drawing inspiration from fluffy textures of cotton and dandelions before they lose their seeds and transform to a bare stalk. I then got an epiphany of building the intensity of the performance by making the pollen-fluff shed out of the costume to reveal the Pupa layer. So, I devised a system to push the pollen stalks out of tubes and used magnets in the sleeves to shed the pollen. With this transformation I could completely change the form of the costume in a swift motion to reveal the Pupa layer beneath.

The Pupa layer which represents internal growth and adolescence was primarily dictated by the Infant level that was above, needing to shed out of tubes. However, the texture of the tubes helped create an armoured, spiky texture of a creature protecting itself. I also added cone-like legs and sleeves which came from looking at the bizarre form of cocoons.

Finally, the Adult stage symbolised a stage of calm refinement. To reveal the Adult layer, I looked at the graceful movements of insects opening their wings, the act of flowers blooming and cocoons awakening which led me to create the fan shape of the bodice and the fluttering of the legs.

How do you approach the selection and transformation of non-wearable materials in your creative process, especially with a focus on sustainability, to craft the distinctive textures and structures evident in your costume? 

I like to select transformation and non-wearable materials through an experimental and an old heritage orientated method. I take these materials out of context by combining them with fabric to feel unfamiliar and produce distinctive textures.

My approach is influenced through my family’s heritage of material construction which spans three generations of builders. I repurpose surplus building materials from my dad’s building yard, weaving them into a wearable context. For instance, for ‘Metamorphosis’ I utilised electrical insulation pipes to provide a pipe for the pollen to shed out of. To marry the insulation pipes to the fabric beneath I burnt the end of these pipes, causing them to organically fan out. Another non-wearable material feature of ‘Metamorphosis’ is the 927 pollen pods which shed from the first layer of the costume. I selected organic dried cotton stalks to create the pods, each of which was individually wired and wrapped to create a dense fluffy effect when seen on the costume and delicate when dispersed.

Your career has seen you working in costume departments for film and TV, as well as designing costumes for 'Dancing Nation.' How has your professional experience influenced your artistic practice and the creation of 'Metamorphosis'? 

Through my professional experience I have learnt to work faster. I had a month design and make six costumes for ‘Dancing Nation’, so I had to adapt to work a lot faster. Since graduating I also think a lot more about the fit and tailoring the garment. I currently work as a Costumier at Angels Costumes so the fit of a garment has become a bit of an obsession.

Your work artfully blurs the lines between costume design, sculpture, and performance art. Can you share how your educational background in BA Costume Design for Performance at London College of Fashion has influenced this versatile, interdisciplinary approach?

I think the most important thing I learnt during my BA at LCF was to think conceptually within the realm of costume. The course is a brilliant blend of sculpture and costume, challenging you to use the expanse of your imagination and to play with structure and material. The course is also unique as it teaches you to become a Designer and a Maker (which I found was harder to find when looking for a BA in Costume Design). Since graduating, I approach my designs fluidly, wanting to balance construction, concept and performance to create a hybrid of sculpture and costume.

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