Creative Design: Professional

Bound Between Fingers: A Maternal Narrative in Collaborative Creative Practice

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Abstract

This collaborative wearable art piece explores the emotional and physical journey of motherhood through pregnancy, postpartum, and child rearing using symbolic motifs and digital embroidery. Developed remotely by two designers, the garment integrates traced hand shapes of mothers and children, heart, and womb motifs to represent love, sacrifice, and resilience. Embroidered on sheer silk organza and chiffon, the placement of motifs reflects the protective and enduring maternal bond. Red thread details in the womb motif acknowledge the experience of miscarriage, adding emotional depth. This design demonstrates how remote collaboration can yield innovative hands-on garment creation, offering a rare case study in digital co-creation within apparel design. By merging personal narrative, advanced textile techniques, and visual storytelling, this work exemplifies how creative scholarship in fashion can embody lived experience and foster empathetic engagement with its audience.

Keywords: Collaborative design, Digital embroidery, Motherhood, Wearable art

How to Cite:

Zhang, L. & Hwang, C., (2025) “Bound Between Fingers: A Maternal Narrative in Collaborative Creative Practice”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 82(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.21626