Handmade Theatre
University Speculative Project 

Experimental Materials Project

​

This dress was created as part of The Handmade Theory, a project focused on exploring unconventional materials in fashion. I chose to design and construct a full wedding gown using only different types of paper, including tissue, card, tracing paper, and newsprint. The concept was to challenge perceptions of value and beauty—showing how something as iconic and emotionally significant as a wedding dress could be crafted from something as everyday and fragile as paper.

​

Throughout the process, I experimented with layering, pleating, folding, and sculpting techniques to give the dress form and movement while maintaining structural integrity. The project pushed me to think differently about texture, weight, and silhouette—skills that continue to influence my work in fabric-based design.

​

This experience taught me that strong, cohesive design can come from the most unexpected materials. It encouraged me to be more resourceful and imaginative, and deepened my appreciation for how storytelling and symbolism can be embedded in material choices.