Tessa
Walking through the development of chronic pain and a disabling body. Touching on what is overlooked in the process, the darkness, the fantasy, the dreaming, to cope.
The body that one remembers having, that they still feel inside of them. It waits to live in moments of fantasy.
Adaptive design does not have to be put into its own category, but instead used as a tool to develop designs with a deeper connection to the human body in motion.
Here you can see the hooks soldering on that the dress connects to.
Bio
My work primarily focuses on exploring the female experience with nods to queerness and living with chronic pain by using whimsical imagery, often focusing on internalized desires and daydreams, as I found myself relying on those at certain points in my life to manage the experience of chronic pain. My influences include current youth culture, maximalist fashion, female rock, and experimental hyper-pop artists, these together push me to implement bold, new, and rebellious components in my work.
In fashion design, my primary goal is to create clothing that is new, interesting, and, above all, accessible. I have learned firsthand the role clothing can play in day-to-day pain management for those with chronic pain and physical differences. I design clothing that aligns with my artistic style, as well as custom-fitting the garments for each individual's needs and desires.
I design for all bodies, the differently abled and those with chronic pain are prioritized at the center of my work.