When considering the quote that “all art is political,” the political includes various issues determined by our actions, and the art definitely extends into the realm of fashion. In fact, fashion is one of the most blatant sociopolitical statements designers and fashionistas can and do make on a daily basis simply by stepping into the world. In her CLIMAXX Project: A beautiful imaginarium and a fabulous delirium, fashion designer Rose Thurmesm from Luxembourg, has created a line that addresses the impact of climate change with beauty and narrative aided by accessories made with 3D Printing.
Concerned with the damage wrought to the polar ice caps, Thurmes sought to show the plight of the polar bear as a synecdoche for the larger calamity. Using faux fur, each dress lauds polar bear by evoking its essence and presenting beautiful fashions: sleeveless, furled trains, plunging necklines, and backless dresses. While the dresses represent the beauty and power of the polar bear in evening gowns and couture fashion, the 3D printed accessories form a narrative.
3D printed in polyamide, the necklaces, belts, and cuffs were painted. Their form, though gilded, symbolize the melting polar ice. In a dramatic turn, the necklaces and bracelets become weights and shackles, the figurative interpretation of the slow and painful demise facing not only the fauna, but the land itself. Transfixed by the initial grandeur and majesty of the fashion, we are drawn into the story unfolding before us, a story we cannot ignore once seen.
