Issy Wilson

For my Final Major Project, I chose to adapt the book and animation of Coraline for a Theatre Production. I have designed and made for the character of ’The Other Mother.’ Her costume is designed for the end of the story when she has become her true-self, a Beldam (old witch). I drew inspiration from both the book and animation, both adaptions have a strong insect reference which influenced the construction and textiles of my costume. Each part of the costume is inspired by a different insect. I hand painted the skirt with disperse dyes, looking at the beautiful patterns of moth wings for inspiration. The print is layered with embroidery; I drew the close-up structure of a dragonfly wing in a CAD file for laser cutting, this cut lots of small hexagon shapes that are stitched onto the skirt to create the feathery texture of moth’s fur seen close-up. The corset is made out of leather, creating the look of beetle’s skin, accompanied with beading to create the dotted skin of the Eupholus beetle. The construction also shared a Victorian influence referencing the age of the Other Mother, this is seen through the Victorian inspired Bolero and Bustle in the shape of a spider’s abdomen. I have thoroughly enjoyed making my costume and seeing my design come to life. But with more of a passion for Design and Textiles, I hope to achieve a career in those fields and also experience working in the Film and TV industry.