Sometimes artistic inspiration comes from the materials themselves. The Mermaid mask represents an as-yet unformed creative garment design inspired by the multi-toned sequin fabric and embellishments. The mask is made on a neoprene base and covered with sequin mesh fabric. The edges of the mask and eye holes are trimmed in metallic spandex that is teal foiled atop a royal blue fabric. The triangular embellishments were sourced online, and the jeweled pieces at the sides of the face were purchased in LA’s fabric district in about 2017. The sequin fabric is from Chicago, and the metallic spandex from Las Vegas. Each of these items were picked up along the way during visits to see friends and family, and have been assembled here in an exploration of technique and scale.
DetailsSide view
This project is funded in part by the Cornell Council for the Arts.
Electronic Dance Music, or EDM has evolved from its original roots to cover a diverse range of musical styles heard worldwide at massive dance music festivals such as the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC). Over the course of the quarantine, music festivals such as EDC have been canceled and rescheduled due to safety needs and the large populations of people attending. DJs have pivoted to virtual live sessions, drive-in raves have exploded in popularity, and the Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect (PLUR) ethos of the rave community lives on.
The EDC live event takes place annually all over the world, but the Las Vegas version is located on a racetrack in the middle of the desert outside the city, occurring from dusk to dawn over the course of three nights. Clothing worn to this event ranges from simple tanks and shorts to elaborate and over-the-top ensembles including wearable light-emitting diodes (LEDs). To create a look for myself to wear in attendance, I considered function and aesthetics, resulting in a modular ensemble look made with sequin fabric and topped with a light up headpiece. The pants and headpiece have become staples of my dance fest wardrobe, traveling with me to other events such as Atlanta’s Imagine Festival.
JL at EDC LV 2018JL at EDC LV 2018JL at the Imagine Festival, 2018
An unexpected benefit of the light-up headpiece was the increased ease of moving through crowds. On nights where the headpiece wasn’t worn, it was particularly more difficult to wind my way through large crowds. While the sequin fabric used is striking in daylight, it becomes extremely sparkly under indirect lighting such as at night.
The Mask
The Festival mask is created on a neoprene base, and uses sequin fabric scraps stitched together to create yardage. The seaming is disguised at a distance due to the neutral color of the base fabric and the distracting sparkle. The sequins are attached via chainette stitch with invisible thread (think superfine monofilament). The edges of the mask and the eyeholes are bound in a silver metallic foiled spandex.
Lived/Loved Garments
Attachment hole located at the top of each sequin allows for movement which can increase sparkle more than a sequin secured at the center hole would. Unfortunately, this also increases the likelihood of the sequins catching on each other, which is an ongoing issue with the bellbottom pants of the festival outfit. The garment thus requires a considerable amount of maintenance after each event, with sequins reattached securely by hand, tied off to add durability. The maintenance, instead of an irksome task, becomes a meditative way to reflect on the festival experience. While the costume appears perfect from afar, closer inspection reveals the wear, tear, and repair of the fabric indicating the importance of the garment, which can be seen in the composition of the Plague Doctor-style mask below.
The Festival mask
This project is funded in part by the Cornell Council for the Arts.
