After studying the nature of elitism, the allure of belonging, the power of the group on the individual, and the social anxieties caused by these behavioral stigmas, I formed a cult- The People- as a response to these issues. Consisting of thirteen members including one 90-year-old leader, La Martelle, the group strove to challenge the connotations associated with their existence. This staging soon became real and the relationships I fostered with the group members became my reason to carry on with the project.
I created 11 looks of clothing and jewelry based on each person in the cult, drawing inspiration from architecture, weaponry, crop circles, and the debate over high versus low craft. Lost wax casting, woodworking, crochet, and metalsmithing were utilized in order to fully realize the
ceremonial garb the members wore.
Throughout the course of a year, I worked with the members to create mini-pieces entwined in the overarching theme of the whole experience. A teaser video was shot to promote the collaborative fashion show I first presented the garments in, happenings were staged both publicly and privately to strengthen our bonds as a group, and finally, in the end, a short film, what happens when, was made to document the very real relationships that came out of the whole experience.
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