We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Zhulin Shi about their original and creative Costume design work. Zhulin Shi is an award-winning fashion designer, that makes our world a better place with their original costume works.
Zhulin Shi ("ZS") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Sense Move Costume. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
ZS : A common thread was found in my research, which is costumes can make a connection between movement, imagination and emotion. I attempted to design costumes that serves the bi-lateral relationship between Poetic Design and the Pattern Language of Dance.
ZS : Design thinking - "how can costume further link emotional experience to our mind?" and "how can audiences be more involved in the performance?"
ZS : Further expand it to other fashion accessories that can light up people's life.
ZS : 6 months.
ZS : It is started from industrial design thesis at Pratt. It is related from my experience in dancing and choreography. I love dancing. I started dancing from 5 years old. The costumes like Cinderella’s dress gave me confidence on the stage. In 2011, I studied contact improvisation in UC Davis with famous choreographer Nita Little.
ZS : In 2018, “Sense Move” Costume has been applied in a multimedia opera – Semulacrum in New York.
ZS : Interdisciplinary background, integrating Industrial design, fashion design, design engineering, Choreography.
ZS : I did a lot research online. I feel many costume designers' works inspired me, such as issay miyaka's designs.
ZS : An multimedia opera.
ZS : “Sense Move” Costume communicates emotionally through the body movements of the dancers. It not only presents dynamic forms like a Kinetic 3D Sculpture, but also creates new geometric space for the dancers. The concept combing with expression form and material is very unique and experimental.
ZS : The costume can sense the people and move with them.
ZS : prototyping, sketching, draping, cutting sewing, sewing, soldering and programming
ZS : The concept.
ZS : Yin Mei, whose wise words “I can create an architecture space using my joints, which is already telling a story” sparked my inspiration. My initial concept is about geometrical folding following along with the kinetic movement of the body. In the beginning, I did some explorations with straws creating structures in different scales and connections. Finally, I was so excited to discover that the connected parallelogram can create unpredictable geometric forms with my body movement. I did tests on myself firstly. It not only changes with the body movement, but also creates new geometric space for the dancers. I put led light in it and tested it on Yinmei. She told me, “Holding it, I feel like I am getting some power, the dance movement is changed by it.”
ZS : Programing. I used installed pressure sensors connected with the led light and used audio to program.
ZS : I was struggled with different artistic transformable forms and constructions. I am excited to found out this smart form at end.
ZS : I want to share the design with more people. And I want people to hear my voice. The design presents me. It is one of my significant designs.
ZS : More exploration, more mock-up, more testing, and more efforts to connect and communicate with people.
ZS : I really appreciate everybody involved in this project who has given helps for me.
