s[ub]missive

The theme behind my final collection ' s[ub]iren ' is my own interpretation of the dominant and submissive nature of people. Focusing more on submission, I have decided to visually explore this concept and the psychological exchange of innocence, trust and devotion. My own personal fascination into this subculture is the willingness of both participants. There is an intangible satisfaction from this exchange, one that transcends written explanation,  that can only fully be apprehended between the two participants and their connection; which is essentially what I am trying to emulate in my own collection. 

  For many the idea of BDSM calls on imagery of a a heroin in a tight latex suit in a very light and comical context, however there is more to the subculture than heightened sexuality and fantasies.  Submission isn’t necessarily about being told what to do, but is about divulging in your own decisions and desires. You are not simply being told what to do, but  are allowing yourself to submit  at your own will; whether this be a personal desire or an exchange of trust. My interpretation of Submission has translated into a deeper meaning of women owning their bodies and taking control of what society has placed on the role of women. We are expected to do this and do that. Decade upon decade women have been placed into different moulds with society dictating whether or not we could tighten our corsets or begin to wear pants or don our aprons or even flaunt our power suits. For decades women have only felt liberated when society has allowed us to, and oppressed when society has made us be so.  Society has engineered women to live in fear, live by rules and live in shame and this is where the subculture of BDSM has enabled lots of individuals and couples to break free from these constrictions. The subculture itself is free from society, with it's bounds belonging to no one other than the participants them self. 

 

  In true Zabrena fashion, my concept would not be complete without some sort of contrast. When thinking of this theme, I wanted to make it abundantly clear that this is not solely a BDSM inspired range. I suppose you could describe my design aesthetic as one big hybrid of what is inspiring me, as there are always many different inspirations occupying my brain. 

 

My aim is to present the subculture non-traditionally as a contrast from how it is regularly portrayed, using inspiration from the 1968 Russian film, The Little Mermaid. Rather than create a range based on the standard idea of submission popular in the late 1960s, I have fused these two concepts to convey my perception of the submissive nature of man and why. Instantly drawn to the 1968 version of The Little Mermaid, based more on the original and gruesome Hans Christian Andersen fairytale than of it's Disney counterpart, I wanted to delve more into the submissive nature of the heroine, who sacrifices her voice and willingly endures the pain of walking to be with her prince. My interpretation of the film and its heroine is the fascination in which she submits her whole former life to be with her prince and why. Ultimately the price she pays is her life and family, which she is more than willing to do. Personally, this resonated with my own interpretation of submission, in the way that active participants willingly consent to different forms of pain at the hand of their dominant counterpart. Their desire for complete honesty and devotion through this exchange of trust and care is a side that many fail to understand in regards to submission, which is personally what I would like to create visually through my final range.