Fragmented Armor is a machine sewn patch work leather jacket and trousers displayed on a full body, life-size, adjustable, articulating fabric mannequin measured exactly to the artists body.
The act of healing is unclear, it is merely pieces of a journey that once was, and will never be again. Fragmented Armor represents the strength an individual gains from healing and the experience learned from their past. Leather patchwork demonstrates a strict discipline required for the repair and assembly of a mind and body. Each leather scrap is individually cut, measured, and re-sewn together. To feature the clothing an articulated mannequin was patterned, sewn, welded, and assembled in order to dynamically express the emotions of the wearer of fragmented armor.
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PROCESS
Creation of this piece took several months of design and patterning of the body
The mannequin body started as duct tape wrapped around the artists body. The duct tape parts were then cut off and measured to account for darts, seam allowance, and final realistic shape. The torso had the most reworking in order to accomplish the perfect shape, having gone through 4 iterations. Meanwhile the calves were patterned acceptably on the first mock up.
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After mock up of sewing patterns the limbs were shortened to account for locking ball and socket joints screwed into TIG welded stainless steel rod. Each thread end was welded on to the rod in order for it to remain smooth and untangled when mixed with the stuffing. After the metal skeleton was attached the body was assembled together and hand sewn shut.
The leather garments were designed to compliment the body of the mannequin. Leather scrap was cobbled together piece by piece to create a triangular design of fragmented pieces.
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The pieces were cut and sized to compliment each other then laid out along the garment pattern and then cut to the pattern and sewn together.
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Exotic woods were cut, shaped, sanded, finished, and adhered to the collar of the jacket as embellishments.
