A guest blog written by Arts University Bournemouth BA (Hons) Costume and Performance Design, Kaitlin Toft
It may surprise you to know that fashion, the arts and insects are deeply intertwined; with insects having played, and indeed still playing, a significant role in the fashion and arts industries.
From sustainable fashions to innovative designs, insects are celebrated and have been utilised in a variety of different ways; from muse to materials, entomology has inspired.
We are three second-year BA (Hons) Costume and Performance Design students at Arts University Bournemouth and our project was developed as part of our work towards BAFTA Albert graduate accreditation. BAFTA Albert is an environmental organisation that promotes more sustainable practices across film and television production, and throughout our course we have been learning the skills and methods needed to embed sustainability into creative practice.
The brief
Our brief was to design and create a costume for an “Ambassador of Tomorrowland.” The concept was open to interpretation but had to respond to Liam Young’s artwork ‘Planet City’ and exist within the context of a 365-day carnival.
As a group, we quickly found ourselves drawn to themes of protecting and preserving nature. Through mind maps and group discussions, we discovered Buglife and were immediately inspired by B-Lines; a series of ‘insect pathways’ running through our countryside and towns, along which wildflower-rich habitat stepping stones are being restored and created.
We were excited by the clarity and optimism of the B-Lines map and knew instantly that it would form the foundation of our design.
The exploration
Our research process began by exploring the wildflowers that make up the B-Lines and the diverse pollinators they support. We were surprised to learn how many insects contribute to pollination beyond bees; there are more than 4,000 insect species which pollinate plants in the UK alone!
This research informed our colour palette and design choices, with the aim of creating a costume that felt like a living guide to nature, a walking personification of the B-Lines.
Following feedback from our lecturers, we expanded our research to include traditional British folk costume and customs, reflecting how the B-Lines network spans across the British Isles.
The ‘arisaid’ – a large, draped piece of fabric – became a central part of the design
The headpiece drew inspiration from folk costume traditions
Calico was used for the trousers, dyed using food waste scraps
While exploring bold and expressive silhouettes, we discovered the arisaid, a traditional Scottish garment characterised by a large, draped piece of fabric. This element became central to our design.
As the making process evolved, the scale and extravagance of the costume grew, transforming the drape into a canvas on which to display the B-Lines map.
The response
The making of the piece was a collaborative team effort, with sustainability at the heart of our decisions. For the trousers, we sourced calico scraps from the university studios and dyed them using food waste such as onion skins, avocado stones, and red cabbage. These were then patchworked together in a honeycomb pattern, referencing pollination and insect habitats.
The headpiece was also inspired by folk costume traditions. Drawing from May Day flower crowns and maypole dancers, we incorporated flowers and flowing ribbons to celebrate seasonal ritual, movement, and connection to the natural world.
Alongside sustainability, we aimed to use costume as a tool for communication and advocacy.
By choosing B-Lines as our central theme, our intention was to highlight the vital role they play in supporting pollinators and to encourage others to appreciate, protect, and get involved in caring for nature.
What happens next?
Currently, our costume is on display in the university’s Costume Department alongside the work of the rest of our class. Our next step is to take it down the catwalk at Sustainable Fashion Week Bournemouth this September.
Sustainable Fashion Week is a community project that showcases the possibilities of sustainable fashion within our local area, bringing together people who are passionate about sustainability, creativity, and the arts.
We hope to continue exhibiting our costume to raise awareness of the positive action being taken to promote sustainability, particularly in addressing the challenges facing our vital pollinators.
Author bio
We, Kaitlin Toft, Abby Denslow, and Eva Brazil, collaborated on this project and are all excited to be heading into our third year at Arts University Bournemouth. We look forward to working on graduate films, theatre productions, and our own personal creative projects. If you’d like to see more of our work and follow our journey, be sure to check out our social media channels.
Instagram: @Kaitlintoft.designs | @abbydenslowdesigns | @evabrazildesign