Creative Design: Undergraduate

I am the Leading Man

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Abstract

I Am the Leading Man is a performance-driven design that combines punk aesthetics, cultural storytelling, and technical innovation. Created as part of a Senior Studio capstone, the garment draws inspiration from powerful female performers who challenged gender norms in rock and punk music (Reddington, 2016). The look features custom digitally designed plaids printed on lightweight cotton to deliver both visual authenticity and stage-ready comfort. A transformative ballgown skirt unfastens into a fringed-edge dress, engineered through snap tape installation, pleating, boning, and bias construction. These techniques demonstrate advanced problem-solving, precision, and iterative prototyping. Visually, the red, white, and blue palette references the Union Jack, while distressed edges and asymmetry evoke the rebellious spirit of 1970s British punk (Clarke & Holt, 2009). Cohesion is reinforced by directional lacing, layered plaids, and deliberate raw finishes. This design advances performance fashion by blending transformation, custom textiles, and cultural symbolism into a dynamic, narrative-driven garment.

Keywords: Transformation, Cultural Symbolism, Custom Textiles

How to Cite:

Manion, V. & Moretz, C. A., (2025) “I am the Leading Man”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 82(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.21959