Dragon dress: inspiration

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At school, we started off a new semester after Yule with an extensive design project. We were to make a dress inspired by an insect or a reptile. Even though my teacher doesn't think dragons exist, she graciously allowed me to use Smaug from the Hobbit.

I research by gathering everything remotely interesting, which I sift through when I have enough. What catches my attention goes into the inspiration/sketch book and this is seriously the best part of any project, starting something new and it's fresh and exciting - and I get to make collages at school, it's amazing.

Instead of linking to a source for each picture, I'm linking to the Pinterest board for the project. 

Sharing a few shots of my inspiration/sketch book.

In addition to Smaug, some other dragon related things came up. I made a few swatches with the dragonscale smocking used on the costume of Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones, and used hot glue and paint to sort of recreate the organic golden armour she wears in Qarth.

Nothing exists in a vacuum. I have worked with beetle wings before, and they're easily re-imagined as scales.

Somehow a character strode forth: the woman who would wear the dress, a dragon in human shape. I could go on forever about empowering clothes and clothing as armour, but to keep it short, I'll quote Alexander McQueen:

I design clothes because I don't want women to look all innocent and naive. I want women to look stronger. I don't like women to be taken advantage of. I don't like men whistling at women in the street. I think they deserve more respect. I like men to keep their distance from women, I like men to be stunned by an entrance. I've seen a woman get nearly beaten to death by her husband. I know what misogyny is. I want people to be afraid of the women I dress.