The object belongs to the Chanel collection inspired by surfing wetsuits. The exhibition Expedition: Fashion from the Extreme delivered the theme of surviving in wilderness through high fashion garments. The object contributes on extending social paradigm about adventure. The term “expedition” represents human’s fundamental desire towards life. Since very early stage of human life, people had to participate different types of adventures throughout history to retain their lives. It is about internal emotion of a human being rather than an external figure. The exhibition introduces the theme appeared through fashion since Victorian Era. I believe it contributed on “feminist”[1] aspect of fashion suggested by Susan B. Kaiser in Fashion and Cultural Studies which was described as “deconstructing subject-object binary or power of hierarchy”[2] existed in classical era.[3] Even though it is now not surprising for a woman to wear technical garments inspired by an adventure to unknown wild world, it would be an inspiration of male and female equality to the women of the period when majority of expeditioners were male. The object was designed based on the inspiration of technical garments of surfers who spend most of their time in water. According to Michael Luck in The Encyclopedia of Tourism and Recreation in Marine Environments, the original garment is made with “neoprene”[4] to control “body” temperature in “water”[5]. [6] However, the object is decorated with countless sequences and designed for parties. It is a simple and light garment for summer that gives least burden to the body not to hinder movements without heavy ornaments or pockets.
[1]. Susan B. Kaiser, Fashion and Cultural Studies, (New York and London: Bloomsbury, 2012), Chapter 6.
[2]. Ibid.
[3]. Ibid.
[4]. Michael Luck, The Encyclopedia of Tourism and Recreation in Marine Environments, (Wallingford: AUT University Auckland, 2008).
[5]. Ibid.
[6]. Ibid.
