‘MECHA’

DAVID KOMA, SPRING/SUMMER 2015

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Final AP degree exam done in 2014, at the end of the 4th semester at VIA Design. For the AP degree, the goal is to document one’s ability to understand and adhere to the design DNA of known designers and brands.

For my final exam, after much deliberation, I decided to apply my theme of inspiration to the style of David Koma. His collections up until that point were heavily dominated by body-hugging mini-dresses, made from viscose jersey for spring/summer and wool fabrics for autumn/winter - with interesting cutouts, and often with leather-panelling. These days those leather trims have been replaced with more relevant textural trends for the fashions of today, such as sparkly gems and fur-like textures.

Mecha, on the other hand, is a futuristic Japanese animation movie genre, which was especially popular during the 80’s and 90’s. Although most known for their presence of oversized robot-battles, many directors of the time would explore the conditions of human psychology and vulnerability through the interactions between soft emotions and heartless inventions - which, for me, is where the most interesting aspects of the genre are found.

Materials:
Viscose jersey - Imitation leather