Works by Gabriela Chiquito
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My design aesthetic is to create garments that are romantic and playful while incorporating meticulous and fine details
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Table of Contents
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(4-5) Personal Statement and Resume
(6-13) Senior Collection: Mother of Dragon
(14-15) Versatility in Fabrication
(16-19) Ordinary Women in Fashion: A Photographic Essay
(20-21) Historical Costume Reproduction
About My name is Gabriela Chiquito and I am residing in Chicago, Illinois. Currently, I am a student at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois studying Photography and Apparel Design. I was first introduced into fashion through family growing up. I was inspired by how my grandmother took the time of day to make a simple outfit for myself. My passion for design grew once I began course at Dominican University. When it came to designing I incorporate costume features in the design I created. I did so by incorporating other aesthetics other than fabrics to my works such as metals, thermoplastics, textile manipulations, and surface design. This has helped me a lot since I want to be able to produce costumes for theater or film. In addition to designing, I have also connected my knowledge of fashion into photography. I mainly focus on fashion street photography throughout the city of Chicago. For three years I have been creating free lance work in photography and costume, mainly for conventions held over the city.
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Gabriela Chiquito gabriela.chiquito@gmail.com Objective To obtain a full time position as a seamstress or costume designer for theater or film. Education Dominican University, River Forest, IL
May 2015
Bachelor of Arts Major: Photography Minor: Apparel Design Experience Dominican University Advancement, River Forest, IL
2011– Present
Phonathon Student Caller -Photographed alumni events -Photographed students for thank you notes -Designed posters and thank you notes -Solicited funding for the university -Built rapport for potential donors Forever 21, Oakbrook, IL & North Riverside, IL
May 23—Present
Sales Associate/ Cashier -Provided excellent customer service to ensure company sales -Assisted in merchandising window displays and floor sets
-Good teamwork ethics by participating in store meetings Professional Development in Costume Convention Productions Anime Central Comic Book and Entertainment Expo
May 2013,2014, 2015 April 2015
-Designed and created costumes based on comic book characters -Built props and accessories incorporating metal, wood, foam, paint, and thermoplastic Professional Development in Photography Photographed and published events for Dominican University -Fashion photography, portraits, landscape, and still life
2011-Present
Sewing Skills Sewing Tools: Home sewing machine, home serger Sewing Techniques: Smocking, dyeing, embroidery, and beading Language Skills English, Spanish Computer Skills Adobe: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign Miscrosoft Office: Word, Excel, Power Point, and Publisher Community Service Commuter Student Association 5
-President and Publicity chair
2012-2015
Designing a Collection “Mother of Dragons” My collection focuses more as a costume collection inspired by the character Daenerys Targaryen from HBO’S TV series Game of Thrones. I chose to create a costume based collection because I was intrigued with idea of the theatricality of costume marrying high fashion. In the series she is portrayed as a leader who is trying to take back the royal throne, which was rightfully hers. The collection is to depict what Daenerys would look like as a queen with a touch of edginess since her character is developing within the show from an exiled princess towards a queen. It was also inspired by the elegant drapery of the Grecian goddess gowns to emphasize the grace she has when she walks, as well as to show the fluidity of the garments in her graceful walk. Conceptual art pieces were incorporated in the collection to help establish her status as queen by using thermoplastics, dragon scales made from aluminum and alumnum ring links. The thermoplastics were used to create different forms of body jewelry in the color gold to represent her high status. I use the dragon scales and links to create scale mail pieces that look like armor to represent the warrior aspect of her character. Daenerys Targaryen in original costume 6
Inspiration Daenerys Targaryen: “Throughout the seasons
she’s had an insane transformation from someone who barely even spoke and timidly did everything her brother said into a mother of dragons and a queen of armies and a killer of slave masters “ -Emilia Clarke
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Viserion
Sketches Each garment is named after one of the three dragons Daenerys owns. I wanted to incorporate different aesthetics in order to emphasize her status as a queen as well as a warrior.
Drogon
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Rhaegal
Color Story & Fabrics Symbolism: Blue: It can be strong and steadfast or light and friendly as well as to symbolize piety and sincerity in heraldry. In world beliefs, brings peace, such as in the series, she frees the slaves. Gold: It is to represent her high status of queen. It embodies the sense of strength and power. Wearing gold in everyday life increases personal power, and promotes courage, confidence and willpower. Gold chains worn around the neck preserve health.
White: It embodies purity. It also emphasizes as the energy of light, which to many slaves, is what Daenerys represents.
Fabrics: -Silk Chiffon
-Pleated Chiffon
-Taffeta
-Vinyl
-Satin 9
Techniques Dragon Scale Smocking: Inspired by dragons, I designed and fabricated a garment that focuses on the smocking technique. Constructed with a precise 1/4� inch grid and hand sewn with gold vinyl.
Woven Bodice: Individual 1 1/2� strips of fabric were placed on top of one another and hand sewn to give an effect of a braid.
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Aesthetics Scales Aluminum gold scales and ring links were used to create body jewelry and armor. They also resemble the idea of how she is known as the mother of dragons. A dragon spine was given to each to depict the mythical creature as a part of her.
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Aesthetics Thermoplastics The thermoplastics, known as worbla, was used to create more efficient body jewelry, similar to the ones she wore in an elaborate city known as Qarth.
Neck piece template
A template was traced onto the plastic Each negative space was cut out using an exacto knife The thermoplastic was placed on a dress form to contour the shape desired A heat gun was used to heat the plastic which allowed for the formation to occur
Cutting the plastic
After it was shaped and cooled, it was painted gold with gold ring that tied to the back
Final neck piece 12
Completed Collection A photo shoot was conducted to professionally document my completed collection. It was also displayed in an annual student fashion show.
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Versatility in Fabrication When is comes to designing a garment, I always intend to add some type of textile design or fabric manipulation. These techniques range from fabric manipulation to surface design. They vary from different dyeing and silk painting to various smocking techniques and beadwork. My work mainly emphasizes on the little details that make the garments appear elegant as well as creative. They were manipulated in ways that catches attention and distinguishes the versatility in fabrication.
Silk Painting
Floral Silk Painting: Inspired by a rose garden, I designed and fabricated a garment that focuses on the silk painting technique. Using gouda resist, I hand outlined the roses on individual panels. The color was then applied to the silk. Once the gouda was dry, it was rinsed out and steam pressed dry.
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Smocking Dragon Scale Smocking: Inspired by dragons, I designed and fabricated a garment that focuses on the smocking technique. Constructed with a precise 1/4” inch grid and hand sewn with gold vinyl.
Honeycomb Smocking: Inspired by circus fashion and colors, I designed and fabricated a garment that focuses on the smocking technique. Constructed with a precise 1” inch grid and hand sewn with a pearl detail.
Lattice Smocking: Inspired by texture, I designed and fabricated a garment that focuses on two smocking techniques which was lattice and the inverted of honeycomb. Constructed with a precise 1” inch grid and hand sewn .
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A Photographic Essay Ordinary Women in Fashion
Ordinary Women in Fashion is a series of photographs that have been collected over four years. It is a series that focuses on ordinary women who may not be considered your stereotypical women perceived on the covers of editorial magazines. The women in this series are of different heights under 5’8, they have curves, and are of ethnic backgrounds. The purpose of this series was to give women back a sense of identity to assist them in realizing that every form of body is beautiful, and that they do not have to change their appearance in any way to fit the standards of society. These women were also chosen to be photographed based on how they allow their inner fashion to be expressed by what thy wear. The project continues to grow all over areas in Chicago because many use resources to style themselves. As the series continues to grow, it would be intriguing to branch out to other cities, which continues to focus on street fashion as well. 16
The Rural A rural location may suggest softer and warmer colors. These ladies will demonstrate how to the environment is a key resource. Each girl was instructed to choose a location they enjoyed to visit a lot or would pass by on a regular basis. Each was then instructed by me to pose in a way that would allow them to stand out from their surroundings. Photoshop:
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Worked with s-curves to produce ambient lighting.
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Saturated the colors to appear vibrant
The Neighborhood
Take notice of what your neighbors are wearing; it can be eye catching. Each of the girls were instructed by me to pose in a familiar location in their neighborhoods. They were also instructed to come up with an outfit that would best reflect the way they would feel when they would be in these places.
Photoshop:
Worked with s-curves to produce ambient lighting.
Saturated the colors to appear vibrant
Softened the light with auto adjustments
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The City
Downtown Chicago can become such a rush and a better way to display that is with a pop in color! Color-blocking is always catching attention. These girls were instructed to walk as if they were on a runway. The purpose was to demonstrate the fast pace of the city life. Photoshop:
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Worked with s-curves to produce ambient lighting.
Saturated the colors to appear vibrant
Softened the light with auto adjustments
Blurred backgrounds to capture movement
Sharpened the person to make them the focus
Historical Costume Reproduction Costume Design for Theater
1776 Musical
A play or musical was picked by choice and then it was to be analyzed on the process of costume designing. Research was conducted based on the time period of the setting. Colonial clothing was dissected based of construction and fabrication. Three characters, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and his wife, were chosen to have a garment designed from scratch. One was then created out of muslin and another was created out of actual fabric.
Inspiration
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Production
Fabrics Wool
Gabardine
Brocade
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Thank You
Contact Info: 22
gabriela.chiquito@gmail.com - (773) 971-6817