By Maria Puntus. Maria is an international student from Moscow, Russia. She is a currently junior graphic design student at SCAD minoring in user experience, but she’s taken a special interest in fashion journalism as well.
This article was submitted by a contributing writer. To have an article published with The Connector, email editor@scadconnector.com.
Today, the fashion industry faces a prevalent back-to-vintage movement, but also a reflection on ideas that have no age, with one main concept being Greek Mythology.
SCAD alumni are keeping up with the trend, offering their own interpretation of legends and myths. Anh Dao, a fashion designer originally from Vietnam, graduated this summer with a senior collection devoted to Venus. He proves that even classical topics can be seen through the prism of modernity and technological advances and have no limitations to further elaboration.
What is the objective of your senior Venus collection?
Dao: My collection is all about classical ideal theory upgraded into a more diverse direction. I use a lot of images from Renaissance Art and modern architecture, and I like to fuse images that don’t usually seem like they would go together.
How did you come up with this reimagination idea?
Dao: When I was growing up, I was very interested in mythical stories that told fairytales about goddesses. They were so different from what I was experiencing as a child. I’ve also always been interested in going to the museum and seeing all that ancient history. And I was inspired by that mythical energy.
What part of the development process do you enjoy the most?
Dao: I enjoy the research in the beginning as well as making collages and drawing. I also love looking for ideas in vintage garments. I like going to the thrift store and picking out different kinds of things that people seem to throw away. It’s detailed vintage, which helps add the pepper to my design.
Which creators or designers inspire you?
Dao: I love the work of Alexander McQueen. He was always the one that inspired me the most as an artist and as a designer. He always tried to push the limit in finding different ways to renew ideas that we’d already seen. Some like it, some do not, but [McQueen] was always trying to reinvent existing designs.
Is there anything that you hope to prove with your art?
Dao: I want to stand for diversity. The new standards of beauty now are all about that. You know, size zero is water. We’re told to be thin, and we’re also seeing that kind of standard in classical awkward goddesses’ beauty — a certain symmetrical, proportionate face. Those are speaking to a very limited audience. But I want my brand to branch out and reach different kinds of women, different kinds of people from different races. Different backgrounds. I also want to be represented as a new idea of duty.
Anh Dao represents a young generation that is inspired to challenge the creative world and global society. His gowns are tender yet confident; they speak color and structure through volume, layers and contrasts. Blue merges with magenta — blue and grey are never pure colors — but they’re fractioned into shades and tones. His designs are bold and playful, and they give a sense of movement — of coming and going. Those ways, according to legend, gave birth to Venus.
Personally, as I look at the collection, I can see how the vision of the modern woman and her essence merge into one in Dao’s pieces. His collection perfectly showcases the balance between elegance and power. His dresses are comfortable, yet chic. It’s every woman’s dream, right?