Watson and her fellow runners up, Cynthia Brault, and Mayumi Imura all have nothing but great things to say about the charitable event, which this year benefitted the Lukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. Imura, who came in third place, says that the competition appealed to her in large part because of the charitable element. “I could not only showcase my work and gain new exposure,” she says of her decision to enter “but do so in a context where I am contributing to a larger cause.”
The event is themed, and as such the designers must find ways to incorporate that theme into their work. The 2013 theme - which was temperamental fashion – was interpreted in very different ways by all three artists. Where Watson took it literally to mean temperature based inspiration, Imura saw it in terms of temperament and designed accordingly. Brault wanted her piece to be outside the box and so viewed the theme as an opportunity to take a unique approach to the material, using only found and recycled elements.
Watson’s winning design, named White Reef, is a spectacular dress made from paper, a medium she says she has always specialized in. For her, paper provided a perfect way to represent her object of inspiration: the bleaching of coral reef caused by rising water temperatures. “Bleached coral reef is caused by rising temperatures and acid levels in the water,” she says, explaining the idea behind her intricate work “The result looks literally like a ghost of what was once there. It’s both beautiful and tragic.” Using paper to create a scaled mini dress with long sleeves and an open back, Watson hoped to create a sculptural piece that was at once strong and fragile, reflecting the nature of the environment she was hoping to mimic. “My goal was to use the paper scales to build up a coral-like armor. I wanted the dress to look strong but represent a fragility found in the environment.”
Brault also jumped onto the idea of climate change, but for her the idea was manifest in the actual fabrication of her dress. Her design, an amazing piece made from a wide variety of materials including plastic, metal and wood, was entirely recycled. “Above all I wanted to make a recycled project,” she says, “so it was all based on my materials.” The skirt of her dress was an old shower curtain, and the wood portions were fallen branches she found on the street. She created a cage-like structure for the top, to give her dress a near-painful look. “At base it was a bit like the crucifixion of nature; what we’ve done and the sacrifices endured by nature.” And yet, the dress, like Watson’s, gives the overall impression of being armored like that of a warrior. As Brault says “nature is strong, so I wanted my piece to look strong.”
Imura, on the other hand, interpreted temperamental fashion to refer to the “unpredictability of nature,” something she hoped she could link to fashion through her piece. The immense influence of nature, she says, reminded her of calligraphy and its influences and changes throughout history. “I used "sumi" calligraphy ink that was unevenly applied to illustrate the inconsistency of nature and how it behaves,” she says, adding that she was proud to have pulled off such a challenging parallel. “I mean, who would link calligraphy, a concept from the 17th century, to global warming - from (the) 20/21st?”
All three artists were extremely touched to have been recognized by the competition through their prizes. “I think more then anything it’s validating as an artist to have won,” says Watson, a sentiment shared by the other two, who also feel grateful to have been recognized. “It gives you the knowledge that yes, you have your place and yes, you can perform and that what you make people are capable of appreciating,” says Brault of receiving second prize, and she laughs as she relives the pay-off from all the hard work. “It wasn’t just you designing in your little world!”
Watson is taking her newfound success to Toronto to continue working on her papercut projects, while Imura hopes to build a collection based on an interest in monochromatic works. Brault will continue her work into eco-fashion, noting that there should be more of an emphasis on recycled materials rather than newer, so-called ‘eco-fabrics’ made from substances such as bamboo. “It’s toxic nonetheless,” she says of these efforts “and ultimately not any better.”
Regardless of where they go from here, these remarkable artists can take pride that they got their start with such a phenomenal organization as Heels and HeART. The organization itself will only grow stronger as time goes on. “With next year marking our 5th anniversary of the show, we are gearing up to make it the best one yet!” says Kristina McGill, founder of Heels and HeART. With so much strength behind them, there is no doubt that the Wearable Art fashion show and its designers are headed straight to the top.
