LOTTE PLUMB

This project project titled “Potato Potato”, is an extensive but not exhausted exploration of potato.

 

I began this project by delving into unconventional materials used in the fashion industry and came across the works of Aniela Hoitink who worked mycelium and Susanne Lee who worked kombucha. I was interested the ways in which these practitioners had combined science and fashion. It was one image however that sparked rest of my project- an image of a mycelium bodice that I initially mistook for being made out of potatoes.

 

Much like the practitioners that had inspired my work I adopted a scientific approach into the exploration of potato. I drafted up a set formula which I then based the rest of my experimentation on. It included any pre-existing background information surrounding what I was testing, the variables, the aim, the materials, the method, the observations and any other comments or questions the test spurred. It seemed every test sparked a new idea. I worked though each idea in a methodical way, gradually building up an index of information. I then began categorise each sample into;

- Preserving, which aimed to prevent the potato from spoiling and included using melted bees wax, covering in salt, soaking in vinegar, coating caramelised sugar, pressing, drying, dehydrating, oiling as well as a combination of these.

- Structuring: which consisted of manipulating the physical structure of the potato and included shredding, blending, moulding, sewing and weaving.

- Decorating: which involved embellishing the appearance of the potato and included processes such as dying, drawing onto of and cutting out of.

- Utilising: which involved using the potato as a mechanism for design which included making potato starch, potato flakes and potato paint, mould printing on fabric, compression printing on paper, stamping and creating bioplastics.

 

At the conclusion of this experimentation I had devised a method that I felt I could use to create wearable garments. I started by preserving the thin slices of potato by submerging and soaking them in a brine solution. I followed this by laying them over a pre-made silhouette I had created using sculpting mesh wrapped in plastic wrap- the wrap acting to create a level of surface tension that prevented slices from shrinking and separating. I then covered the surface of the slices in salt to stop them from discolouring and used a heat gun to fuse the overlapping edges of the slices together. Finally I collapsed the internal structure I had created and removed the potato garment.  

 

If I were to continue developing this project I would look into how I could use other organic resources. Instead of using fresh produce however, I would look into utilising material bi-products and methods of to re-instil value. I would look into practitioners in other disciplines such as product designers and architects to seek inspiration into how their techniques could be transferred into garment making. In the future I will remind myself to be patient with failed tests and stay open to accepting that my vision may not come to fruition.