Headpiece ideas

As this was our final project, I wanted to go all out and create a headpiece that I could incorporate a hairstyle into. I explored different African tribes and discovered that the people often create their own headpieces to scare off enemy tribes and to wear during special rituals/ceremonies. These headpieces are made of various natural materials such as flowers, feathers, shells etc and compliment the beautiful body art that decorates the tribes people.

 

To get my ideas flowing, I decided to research the head pieces created by African tribes people as well as tribal inspired headpieces that had previously been used in fashion shoots.

As you can see from my mood board, there are an array of different designs that incorporate the tribal theme. The tribal theme is easily identified in all of the images due to the natural materials used in the head piece. One common feature of all of the headpieces is the feathers that are used. Feathers are an organic material that would be easily accessible to tribes people. The feathers symbolise nature and birds and how the different tribes people live in such close proximity to these things.

 

The above image is one that really inspired me. The tribal theme of this look is easily identifiable with the feathered head piece, metal earrings and war paint inspired makeup. The hairstyle underneath the hair piece is simple, yet effective with just a few braids in the hair which are braided away from the face into the rest of the hair. The headpiece is not overpowering and draws the attention of the audience. The simplicity of the makeup works really well with the white colour on the face and is complimented with the white colouring in the feathers. I love the nude lips and natural eyebrows in this look as it allows the headpiece and makeup to be the main focal point. The natural brow look was a big trend in the SS15 fashion weeks with brands such as Dior and Gucci choosing to opt for more natural, groomed eyebrows.

 

 

Alexandra McQueen: Savage Beauty at the V&A

 

 

 

I found further inspiration for my head piece at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The college arranged for us to see the late Alexander McQueen's fashion exhibition 'Savage Beauty' and I can honestly say it was one of the most breathtaking and inspiring exhibitions I have ever been to. Each room had a completely different atmosphere and I felt overwhelmed with how beautiful each piece was.

 

Work by Alexander McQueen

 

Work by Alexander McQueen

Work by Alexander McQueen

 

The above work by Alexander McQueen can be interpreted as Tribal themed due to its animal and natural themes. The dark colours in the pieces convey the look of realistic, natural materials which is something that tribes people use to create their own clothing.

 

The use of feathers in headpieces can also be seen in Alexander's work above, like the previous tribal headpieces I researched. What I love about Alexander's pieces is how the feathers are shaped into wings and also how they sit off the head as if they could fly away at any moment. I really love the suggested movement in the design and am considering incorporating this clever notion into my headpiece. The piece with the nest and the eggs is very suggestive and effective and I love the different textures in the piece.