|
Article Audio:
|
ROTTERDAM – Redesigning traditional workwear is a complex task for an experienced designer, let alone a group of young artists.
However, for eight Mohonasen High School students, it just took a bit of teamwork.
As part of the school’s Olympics of the Visual Arts (OVA) team, they spent the last school year creating a version of a waitress uniform that focuses on functionality in a post-COVID world and on body positivity. Their design won first place in the fashion category for the state-wide Olympics of the Visual Arts competition, hosted by the New York State Art Teachers Association last month.
“It definitely did not feel real,” said Teagan Lowe, a senior on the team.
Their design, which won out against 15 other teams, features a navy blue pleated, flared skirt and v-neck top decorated with lace. As per the rules of the competition, the dress is made of paper, which made the construction quite challenging.
They also had to put together a short skit that demonstrated the functionality of their design and they had to present a thoroughly researched project on the history of waitress uniforms. Beyond designing a dress, they created pants and a shirt as well.
“It was divide and conquer,” said Gianna Frisone, another senior on the team.
Each member submitted a design sketch at the start of the year, and they voted on their favorite.
“We just wanted something anybody could wear,” said Chloe O’Connor, a sophomore on the team.
They met each week and sometimes even over school breaks to get the dress and the research done. Some students helped to make the pleats, while others helped with the research.
It took about 40-45 hours to make the dress, using Mod Podge and strong wrapping paper. It also had to be wearable, and the team fitted the dress to O’Connor, who modeled it during the competition.
Some students, including Frisone, plan to study fashion merchandising in college, but for Giovanni D’Auge, OVA is a way to explore one of his passions.
“I don’t really intend on pursuing fashion, but I’ve always been a huge fan of the Met Gala and luxury fashion. I spend a lot of time researching that. So it felt like a natural way to express my ideas and interest in that,” D’Auge said.
“It’s nice to have something extracurricular that’s different than our formal classes,” said Christina Mathieu, a Mohonasen art teacher who leads the team.
Mohonasen has competed in OVA for the last nine years and has taken one other first place and three second places, as well as the award for most creative. Some of the earlier challenges have seen the teams creating more whimsical designs, including a gown with dragonfly wings. This year’s challenge was more practical, though no less challenging.
“I think they won because they really answered the problem. They came up with an amazing solution that was form and function. They just did a really great job of making it look wonderful,” Mathieu said.
Categories: -News-, Email Newsletter, Life and Arts, Life and Arts, News, Rotterdam, Schenectady County
