Sakura Competition

Sakura Collection is one of the competitions that I need to follow in this term. The competition held by Japan, same as the name the theme of this collection is also Japan. This competition more interesting because of the prize.The Grand Prix winner will win an all paid trip to Japan in March 2018 and will get golden opportunity to stay and trial study in Bunka Fashion Gakuen University.

For this Competition, we need to submit a soft data of designs sketches, mood board and fabrication board in A3 size, together with application form filled incorrect details. Here some photo of my work.

( The picture above is my moodboard of Ikebana)

I took a Japanese flower arrangement called Ikebana for my concept. Here some explanation for my concept. In Japan is a way that they arrange a flower and kept the flower still alive. Ikebana is the name of the Japanese art of flower arrangement. It’s not only simply putting a flower in vase or container. This is a disciplined art form, which the arrangement is a living thing where nature and humanity are brought together.

Ikebana is creative expression within a certain rule of construction. The materials for this art are leaves, grasses, branches, and blossoms. The main thing of this art is the beauty resulting from colour combinations graceful lines, and the meaning latent in the total form of the arrangement.

(This is my colour story and the explanation)

The name of Ikebana comes from the Japanese ike, meaning alive or arrange and bana meaning flower. The practice of using flowers as offerings in temples originated in the 7th century when Buddhism was introduced to Japan from China and Korea. The formalized version of Ikebana begins in 15th (Muromachi period). These arrangements have become more popular, which displayed as art forms in people’s house. Ikebana is not only a decorative flower. It’s a spiritual process that helps people to feel more closely with nature, and merge the indoor and outdoors.

Creating an arrangement is supposed to be done in silence to allow the designer to observe and meditate on the beauty of nature and gain inner peace. The new person who learns this technique will realize that silence is not the only things that important, but also space. It’s not meant to be filled, but created and preserved through the arrangements.

The arrangement tends to use several types of plants in one setting, and put some interesting branches. Sometimes people also only use one type of flower, but it still shows the implication as a symbol of nature.

(Fabric manipulation 1)

(Photo of fabric manipulation 2)

For this competition I made 5 illustration. Here some of my illustration:

It's an embroidery top with 3D flower applicated on the top. The peplum use a see-through fabric so it's shown the 3D flower

The second illustration is an asymetric top with high- waist short and a flare skirt at the outside.

Honestly, I hoping that I can be chosen for 13 finalists. Sadly I not be chosen to become 13 of the finalist. When I back to see my collection I realize that my design does not really represent ikebana, it shows a flower but not a Japanese arrangement. So if next time if I can joint the other competition, I will design it more carefully.

Sources :

https://www.japan-zone.com/culture/ikebana.shtml

https://www.ftd.com/blog/design/ikebana

http://www.ikebanahq.org/whatis.php

http://www.ikenobo.jp/english/about/style.html