This film was created as an opportunity to introduce myself alongside my completed project, Reconnecting…. In the video, I outline the aims, concepts, and research that informed the development of the work, while also revealing the creative process and technical nuances behind its making. Through explanation and visual demonstration, I present the key stages of design development, documented and mounted on A2 sheets, to offer insight into how the project evolved from concept to final outcome.

Through this project, I examined how living and studying in the UK has influenced my relationship with my Russian heritage. This investigation was carried out through the exploration of Eastern and Western European mythology and craft traditions. The research initially focused on medieval objects and textile artefacts; however, late nineteenth-century and contemporary references were also incorporated. This broader scope allowed me to trace aesthetic parallels that have emerged across both regions over time. These cultural associations were later translated into a narrative centred on two autobiographical female characters. The final costume was designed to amalgamate these figures into a single entity, using the silhouette of a fifteenth-century Russian dress as the foundation for merging Eastern and Western European medieval symbols. The aim of this piece was to initiate a dialogue with the public about the visual traditions of the cultures explored, with a particular emphasis on their shared aesthetic language.

The selected portfolio pages for the Reconnecting… project present key stages of the design process, including initial primary and secondary research, process paintings and colour palette tests, embroidery and screen-printed fabric samples, the development of print placement and silhouette through toiling, and finally the construction of the final garment.