Wooden Dress
"Bustier de Bois"
A collaborative fashion project by Paul Schürch and Wesly Villaseñor
This project was conceived many years ago around a dinner table with several woodworkers, engineers, artists and creative designers, attempting to envision new ways to express beauty through art, and I, being the craftsman that is addicted to big challenges, said ‘How about high end, fashionable wooden clothing? ‘ When this statement was greeted with surprised silence and interested quizzical looks, I knew that there was something special about this idea. So began our research into the styles and materials that dictate the confusing world of fashion, what looks and feels good, building different prototypes, and learning more about veneer by pushing the limits, yet again. There are few examples of wood being used in fashion since 1929, (see photos), and has been seldom explored in the world of wearable art.
I proceeded to develop the first of several designs, shaped wood milled brass, and Wesly doing cut and sew, in time for the first runway showing of the Zebrawood ‘Bustier de Bois’ in March 2011.
This outfit is made with Zebrawood veneer fitted with custom hardware made from brass and recycled rosewood. The lining, skirt and laces are made from Silk-Hemp cloth. Shoes and skirt pleats are laminated with Zebrawood veneer, and a turned bead of Zebrawood with brass accents secures the silk/hemp dress lace. The whole dress weighs less than 2.5 lb, including the shoes and hardware. This was well received.
This wearable art piece is surprisingly flexible and comfortable, fits well on a variety of body sizes, and the veneer bends easily for putting the dress on and taking it off. The closure system of brass ‘fairleads’ and silk/hemp lace is engineered for maximum movement of the torso, self-adjusting as the body moves walks or sits.
I believe this dress is quite unique and may be the beginning of something that may leave its mark in the world of fashion. Wood has a warm feel and appealing familiarity that is foreign to this world of wearable art. To achieve the perfect fit, a wooden dress would best be custom fit the client, but as you can see here, the ‘Sassy Zebra’ seems to fit Sarah, Maya and Jai quite well…......
