Image by: Daisy May
Meet the bizarre ‘family’ created by a fashion designer using a series of grotesque ‘flesh suits.’
Textile artist Daisy May Collingridge, 29, used her skills to make five striking characters – Burt, Hilary, Clive, Dave and Lippy – out of stuffed fabrics.
The characters – which she refers to as her family – have exaggerated anatomical features which give them an unsettling effect.
Drooping layers of hand-dyed fabric in pink and purple are stuffed with wadding and bean bags to exaggerate the human anatomy.
Gaping eyeholes are cut from the headpieces of the bespoke suits which each take around three months to create.
Image by: Daisy May
Image by: Daisy May
Image by: Daisy May
Image by: Daisy May
One is loosely based on her father Dave, but the others she says are ‘imaginery.’
Daisy says she created them to show there is no such thing as an “ideal” body type.
Daisy, who lives in Leicester, said: “They neither promote nor demote one body type, The idea that there even is an “ideal” body is ridiculous.
“They are creations that are reflective of the human form but with fantasy elements and I really designed them to bring a bit of joy into the world.
“They, just like people, have their own individual characters and, just like people, some people will be repelled by them whilst others will adore them.”
Daisy graduated from Central St Martins, University of Arts in Kings Cross, London, in 2014.
And since then has been developing her favourite form of design – free machine quilting.
Image by: Daisy May
Image by: Daisy May
Image by: Daisy May
Image by: Daisy May
Image by: Daisy May
The technique sees Daisy hand-quilting three layers of hand-dyed jersey fabric and cotton, filling it out with wadding, beanbag beans and even sand, to form a soft, “blobby” skin suit.
The sculptures can be displayed as static items or can be worn for a more lifelike performance.
She said: “It’s just become something else now. It’s become these figures. They move so well – they’re stretchy, and they bounce a little.
“All the outfits are made up of separate components to make them more wearable – so often it’s a stuffed vest top, or the quilted material stitched over dungarees to slip on.
“And there’s gloves and a mask to cover the hands and head. It’s all based on normal outfits.”
Daisy added: “It’s artwork, more than anything. I want to do more photoshoots with them, and I definitely want to do more exhibiting and performance work.”
Video by: Gabriella Petty
