Laser Paper

Fashion156’s latest Winter issue jogged my memory as without even looking at the end credits, I recognised the crafted gigantic paper flower hair pieces instantly, which are featured in both the fashion and the hair and beauty stories.  Then I had to slap my forehead and go ‘Doh!’ berating myself for not talking about the beautiful work of Zoe Bradley on this blog before.  In my latest obsession with delving into the art shops and raiding the paper sections, the person that I should be getting inspiration from is Bradley!  You might have seen her work in editorials in Vogue, Surface etc but it’s her window installation work that caught my eye…

Zoe Bradley was an early collaborator with Alexander McQueen after graduating from Middlesex and from that experience she was destined to create ‘spectacular sillhouettes’.  Using traditional tailoring techniques, she applies them to a variety of luxury appers or even more unconventional materials like plastic bags, as seen in her latest display at Canary Wharf.

When I first saw her work in the Selfridges (July 2006), even though they were static installations, in my head, it looked animated because of the way each dress, set and headpiece is constructed in multiple, intricate layers that look like they could be flying into place, in Hollywood-special effects style. 

Harvey Nichols (Dec 2006)

The pieces I like best are the ones that look like shards of paper have been assembled together.  It’s like a much more impressive, physical incarnation of the Photoshop filters that you play with.  The dress for Michiko Koshino AW05 is particularly breathtaking.  If I’m to take anything from Bradley’s work (there is no way in the world that I could even attempt to make something of Bradley’s proportions) in my own paper projects, it’s the ultra-fine precision that she applies to her projects.   

Lane Crawford, Hong Kong (Nov 2006)

Donna Karan, London (Sept 2007)

13 comments

  1. the first three pics and the last three pics, WOAHHHH i love them!!!
    i love this paper effect! i love how sharp and structured they all look!

  2. The Lane Crawford one is amazing, like the residue of a fire log; you touch it and it disintegrates and turns into fine shapeless ash.
    Thematically, this could be a bit disturbing if the simile is extended even farther.
    Thanks for posting these! Otherwise, we’d (or I’d)not have seen them.

  3. i just love these. her works look like a big explosion, paper splashes if you want. and i can’t get enough of how she uses the colors, mixing it with the shapes – it gives unbelievable effect of volume.

  4. beautiful! this is one of the reasons why i love origami so much. just love the sharpness and volume it creates (:

  6. WOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! these installations are breathtaking. I find the Donna Karan one and the green one particularly impressing.

  7. Wow I never knew about any of this. This article was good and I think I will come back to your site again definetly.

  11. omg i love youuu! I’m in the middle of doing a project on t-shirt design in relation to the given brief which is “sequences” and my chosen material is paper and i’ve been to a local paper cuts exhibition where they had a huge hanging basket made entirely out of paper flowers which led me into creating a peter jensen (s/s2007)/chanel circa s/s 2006 inspired tshirt using hand made paper flowers. I’ve also got to produce a tonne of journal work to go with final creation and your laser paper post is perfect material for me to use as a specific secondary source. Eee just perfect :D! I’m going to london next feb to a st martins openday and we’re staying right by canary warf so im def going to make a point of spying on the installation.xx

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