For this project, the concept was developed from the meaning/form of Tears. When do we cry? What happens to our body when overwhelmed by strong emotions?

Through research, the work of the photographer Rose-Lynn Fisher came up. She took upon herself to portray tears under the microscope, all belonging to different emotions and to different people. The images were as intriguing as beautiful. The fact that tears change from person to person started the journey to deepen the personal connection with the project.

The tears of joy became the central focus to inspire my fabric treatments. I used silk paint and embroidery/top stitching to recreate the plant-like appearance of these tears.

Taking things a step further, I decided to think about the places in the world where I had been overwhelmed by extreme feelings of joy. This created a shape in the map that served both as an inspiration for the print development as well as the main pattern shape.

The challenge became how to use this shape in its totality to create a garment which will somehow represent the intimate merging between my tears of joy and its location.

The resulting garment is a fine taffeta sleeveless long dress that changes and creases with each step. The silhouette being the product of 6 pattern pieces: two at the front and four at the back. the dress is accompanied by a neck piece/necklace in rounded shapes that represents the tears of joy themselves. There is silk painting, embroidery and beading to adorn the piece.

Both garments combined are an allegory of my trips around the world, and of the joy felt when standing amongst some of the most beautiful world’s wonders.