Transparent Pannier

Abstract

<p>This design is a juxtaposition of the interpretive study of eighteenth century historical fashion and contemporary ideal body image. The fashions of the eighteenth century transformed the female body into the de rigueur silhouette of the era. In contrast, the body itself became a powerful medium of expression in the twenty-first century fashion. During the 1700’s, the female body was manipulated with the use of elaborate devices, layers of understructures, and foundations to hide and alter the woman’s true physique, where now the body itself has become the fashion. Today, it is possible to transform the appearance of the body through diet, exercise, cosmetic treatment, and plastic surgery. The Transparent Pannier design reveals the architecture and engineering of the pannier to the viewer. The figure of the wearer is exposed and enhanced by the lines of the design and the aesthetic sense of the pannier.</p>