TECHNIQUE
46. Uniformity
Having been raised in India, where uniforms were
a fact of life in public school, Sheena Matheiken
had no problem pledging to wear the same dress
for 365 days (seven identical dresses, one for
each day of the week). The challenge lay in styl
ing and restyling the dress so that no two days
were the same. The whole project was developed
as a fundraiser for Akanksha Foundation. The
concept is a testament to putting a new face on
how much we can do to express ourselves, even
within the constraints of a unif orm, simultane
ously speaking to issues such as sustainability,
while supporting a great cause.
In the arena of more traditional uniforms, these
garments become symbols associated with the
military, law enforcement, protection, rescue,
and the service industry. Uniform design has
its limits and may not have the glamour of
trend-based designs, but the challenge comes
in the form of professional standards of quality,
comfort, durability, safety, and any of the specific
requirements of the job.
98 Fashion Design Essentials
Right: Beyond the practical
there is the pageantry. Due
to the historic and heroic
nature of many of those who
wear a uniform, there are
often formal ceremonies that
require a little more grandeur.
This might be done gently
with ribbons and/o r with a
great deal more impact, as
in the case of the Scottish
military tattoo where long
standing tradition dictates
the flourish of details.
Below: Blauer police uniform
details
