Belle Benyasarn

My journay to Japan, seeing TODS omotesando building by Toyo Ito, and Yokohama port by FOA lead me to consider architectural structure in a new and intriguing way. As the “Structural Skin” brings the surface and the structure of the design together. They become one thing allowing architectures to ingenious construct unusual scuptural volumes. Can surface and structure be reconciled in textiles?

I am creating a collection of woven textiles, representing the ideas of exoskeleton by playing with the technique of float in weave in order to amplify volume when sculp around the body. I inspired from various natural fossil including Fungia coral. Multiple layers of its bone reveals the delicacy and tactility of its structure. These qualities encourage me to use silk warp, mixing with high range of materials from soft to hard and from conventional to unconventional, some of which are leather and metal. I wish to reserve the hand work quality by elaborating not just hand weaving but finishing techniques such as heat pressing, streaming and hand cutting to create luxury and sensuality to the collection.