Fashion Design

I have just finished one set of costumes, based in the Firefly universe. It was a series for my sisters-in-law, and I can hardly wait to show them. When my mother came back from Zambia, she brought me some cloth. It was made in India; so now after researching some Indian fashion, I have more inspiration that could develop into a series on its own or work into the Firefly series very nicely. Most of Inara's dresses must have been inspired by Indian fashion.

Part of the reason I love designing in the Firefly universe, is that I get to pull inspiration from all over the world, from many time periods. There are certain inconsistencies that trip me up occasionally, like what culture is the dominant culture, but I think I have discovered that the wealthy of all the cultures combined into culture of the leading classes, and the poor of the earth still were the poor of the earth. That way it kept familiar patterns of what poor and wealthy and vagabonds and others look like, rather than being a deep historic culture.

If in the future, the American culture and Chinese culture combined to rule the universe, why are the leading citizens often wearing Indian garb? Why do the huddled masses often look like the Chinese farmers? Why do the colonists on other planets usually look America? Why is Chinese the vulgar language - used for swear words and the pop culture on signs and TV things? Even the Alliance draws on Indian fashion. Where are other cultures? What happened to the Islamic culture?

So observing it works, we understand who is rich, who is poor, and who belongs together. But analyzing it can be rather difficult. On the other hand, that means there are no limits, and creative juices have freedom to roam and develop things on their own.

I just started reading The Lord of the Rings again. Lost of costume inspiration there too - mine would probably look rather different from the movie ( if I dare mention it in connection with the books) - a lot simpler and possibly more practical, I think. Goldberry and Tom Bombadil were my favorite part so far. I think I was too young last time I read it; there are so many things that play in my mind, both images, concepts and words. I love the way Tolkien uses words. Imagination and creativity is full and overflowing. Now if I can only put them into communicatable forms. (How was that for a nice big non-existent word?)