Graduate Collection: Ontologia

Ontologia explores the potential for the human body to be altered and manipulated through garments, suggesting that our relationship with clothing can be redefined. The collection challenges the wearer to become more aware of their body, as the garments force them to navigate space in unpredictable ways due to their geometric and structural forms.

Drawing from modernist art movements, particularly the ideas of abstraction and geometry, my design process began with an inquiry into the relationship between geometry and the human body. This journey was inspired by the works of Piet Mondrian, Theo van Doesburg, and Wassily Kandinsky from the De Stijl and Bauhaus movements. Geometry, for these artists, was not just a visual tool - it was a universal language that transcended cultural boundaries. I saw parallels in the Bauhaus' exploration of the relationship between the body, clothing, and space, especially in Oskar Schlemmer's Triadic Ballet (1922). Schlemmer’s avant-garde performance was a pivotal moment in my research, demonstrating how garments could extend beyond mere adornment or protection and become artistic constructs that reshape our bodily experience.

In my work, I aim to translate this concept of abstraction into fashion. Through the lens of geometry, I approach the human figure as a blank canvas, using sharp geometric lines and structures to challenge conventional bodily perceptions and movements. The use of form, space, and proportions within fashion is akin to architecture - just as geometry plays a key role in architectural design, it also shapes how we move and interact with our environment. As Matila Costiescu Ghyka discusses in The Geometry of Art and Life, geometry provides a natural order and harmony that is reflected in the human body and nature, and these principles are central to my collection’s design philosophy.

The materials chosen for ‘Ontologia’ are equally unconventional, including deadstock and recycled materials such as wood, steel, vinyl, PVC, foam, and metal. This choice stems from a desire to challenge both the aesthetic and functional roles that garments traditionally play. Working with reclaimed materials aligns with the ethical principles of sustainability and allows for a deeper emotional connection to each piece, much like the unique, one-of-a-kind nature of Schlemmer’s costumes in Triadic Ballet. These garments disrupt standard movements, altering the wearer’s interaction with space and presenting new possibilities for how we view the body.

Incorporating concepts from Clemens Thornquist’s research on ontology, particularly the relationship between body, dress, and space, I sought to explore how geometrical shapes and structures can distort our perception of the body. As Thornquist notes, fashion is not just a visual or aesthetic practice, but a philosophical one, questioning the nature of being and the role clothing plays in shaping our identity. My collection invites the wearer to reexamine how they relate to their body through the lens of geometry and abstraction, while also addressing the philosophical implications of fashion as a reflection of human existence.

By merging art, geometry, and sustainable practices, ‘Ontologia’ not only explores the redefinition of the human form but also engages with the broader narrative of how clothing can enhance our understanding of self and space in the 21st century. The aim is to create a new, harmonious interaction between body, dress, and environment - one that challenges traditional notions of beauty and functionality while embracing the potential for new narratives in fashion.

Milan Jeon

(Ontologia was awarded the 2022 Bachelor of Sustainable Fashion Design Year 3 Award for Theoretical and Conceptual Design Resolution, sponsored by Charles Parsons.)

Photoshoot Credits:
MUA: Abbie Ahmed
Hair: Lenard Johnston
Photographer: Jim Huang
Model: Sabrina Brunton
Special Effects: Laura Stables
Graphics Design: Cate Sullivan