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With LINE's 2024 fashion show soon upon us, two designers have taken the time to discuss their part in the spectacle. May Robinson is designing looks for Cinderella, the Lumberjack, Mouse King and Ursula. Arwa Aamir is taking on the task of designing for the Sultan from Aladdin. With so many different tales to consider, LINE blogger Anya Duncan asks how these two designers have used their artistic visions to create not three, not four, but five distinct garments for the fashion show.
Whilst she was initially interested in costume design, May has grown into her love of fashion since she began sewing at 14. The LINE fashion show has given her the perfect opportunity to rekindle her love for design and creation after almost pursuing a degree in fashion design at university. But what does May want her clothes to represent on the runway? She has decided to move away from the visual identifiers that are typically associated with the characters. Instead, her work aims to look into the themes of her fairy tales under a fresh lens. To all of those attending the show, May hopes that they can 'explore the emotional themes that I am expressing with my garments, thinking about the ways that clothes can be a canvas for personal expression.'
This takes differing forms in her four characters. When asked whether she would be focusing on texture or silhouette, May's response made it clear that her intention differed depending on the story: 'For the Mouse King I really wanted to explore dramatic silhouettes whereas with Cinderella, it was more to do with intricate detail and texture. I tried not to think too strictly about the fairy tale roles and focus more on exploring each character's inner journey.'
In comparison, Arwa intends for her garment to 'capture the essence of wealth and power embodied by characters like the Sultan from Aladdin' with a modern twist. When asked about her goal for her presentation, Arwa said 'I want my designs to showcase the darker side of wealth, where it's the ultimate villain, even in today's world. I'll infuse Arabian flair with opulent fabrics, using gold and chains to symbolise its allure. It's a commentary on the complexities of power and privilege.' Her focus on wealth aims to look past the Sultan's initial depiction in Aladdin's fairy tale, instead extrapolating a classic story into the modern world where the issue of wealth disparity is more rife then ever. Arwa's interest in the morally grey space that these characters inhabit has driven Arwa to look closer; her design aims to express what makes the Sultan tick and add context to a character that has previously been defined exclusively by his part in Jasmine and Aladdin's tale.
These two designers share a deep understanding of their characters and an urge to flesh out a fresh take on their historic fairy tales. Arwa's designs are greatly influenced by street ware, particularly blending the genre's comfort with her Pakistani heritage through fabrics, textures and accessories. While this is her first time designing, she is excited to let her inner child play with the Sultan's look. Largely influenced by Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood, May's designs will also look beyond the character's place in their fairy tale. She will encourage her audience to consider her many different characters as more than their stories. Instead, they will become agents to larger emotional storytelling. Come and see these designers transcend simplistic character archetypes to present the good and evil in all five characters, breaking the mold of the story they came from.
Also check out May and Arwa's work on their instagrams:
@arwaaamir28, may.robinn and @mayrbin
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