The evocation of female heroism
Photographer: Antonella Pappadia
-
In the weaving of history, female heroism emerges as an often overlooked thread, interwoven with courage, resilience and determination. Many are the women who have challenged the social conventions of their times and emerged victorious. This project aims to explore the iconography of Joan of Arc, analysing how her figure has been idealised and reinterpreted over the centuries, influencing the perception of female heroism and the figure of women. The collection, Scarlet Armor, aims to fuse history, art and contemporaneity in a sartorial experience that expresses the oppression and at the same time the strength of women. Everything is presented through the use of modern materials, such as leather, an extremely strong fabric that has always accompanied sensual femininity, manipulated by creating ropes that constrain the body and proposing my idea of the iconic armour using many small hand-carved scales that joined together create a structure that brings the imagination back to a shield. The dominant colours range from black to red, symbol of fire and passion, to white, which recalls purity and rebirth. Each garment becomes a hymn to freedom and transformation. Scarlet red, a symbol of blood spilled in battle and fire, evokes both sacrifice and vital power. Armour, on the other hand, is not only a sign of physical protection, but also an emblem of emotional and identity defence, a shell that preserves the female essence in historically male-dominated contexts: hence ‘Scarlet Armor’. This collection is not only a reflection on history, but an invitation to reinterpret the idea of female power in the present, with a conscious look to the future.
-
Fashion Designer: Noemi Toscano
Photographer: Antonella Pappadia