My work in garment design evokes a sense of storytelling in order to transport the wearer into a fantastical world of fabric and form. I invite viewers to enter into a cerebral playground of fashion through the manipulation of garment patterning, which makes domestic imagery a perfect vehicle to challenge the human form. Drawing directly from romantic literature and fiction, the experimental garments in their final form can move into the realm of costume. This realm resides in an overabundance of material, color and texture to delightfully overwhelm, while transfiguring the wearer’s identity into an imagined character.
The allure of historical imagery in my work allows contemporary fabrics such as furniture upholstery, sequins and fake fur to add a whimsical twist to traditional shapes. Using humour as a tool to create untraditional silhouettes, an emotional connection is fostered to facilitate discussion, surrounding intimacy, relationships of the body and beauty. I see my work as a way to engage in a concept, a means to visually manifest abstract ideas into physical objects and garments. By pushing the boundaries of wearability and comfort, each garment adapts to a concept by producing moments of organic explosion that are then counteracted by areas of angular construction. The eye is on a continuous path from one area to the next, highlighting the importance of creating connections between the body and its story.
Approaching fashion from the perspective of a performative second skin, my silhouettes embody a sense of whimsy that reflect both my unique design aesthetic and romantic subject matter.
Born in 1998 in a small town in Wisconsin, my feelings of childhood restlessness were amplified through my continual ingestion of novels that spun tales of adventure and travel. I became involved in garment creation due to its ability to transcend a physical location, allowing the viewer to be swept into a world only existing through the garments. I am inspired by visual works such as the Wizard of Oz and puppetry, which influence my approach to costume through a sculptural lense . I am intrigued by the malleability that fabric holds, and its transformative qualities that allow exaggerated shapes to be formed. My work utilizes the manipulation of non-traditional fabrics such as spandex, pattern and fabric curation to facilitate my ideas on intimacy and storytelling. These concepts are approached through a humorous combination of large bulbous shapes at unexpected locations and explosions of patterns.
Felauer is a recent graduate from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where she earned a 2020 BFA in Fashion Design. Currently based in Chicago, she has been involved in a number of fashion exhibitions through SAIC as well as a garment display at the St Jane Hotel on Michigan Avenue. Felauer’s fashion practice includes utilization of interdisciplinary techniques ranging from foundry, fabric dying and print design.
