Young Dawesville designer tells stories through fashion

At just 17-years-old, Dawesville resident Madison Dorotich is among the outstanding creative talents joining this year’s Wearable Art Mandurah competition.

Madison created ‘Dress of Stories’ to represent the stories embedded in what we wear and how personal style can represent someone’s character. 

From a distance this garment may look like every other dress, but on closer inspection it reveals that it is made entirely of hundreds of second-hand book pages, meticulously folded by and attached by hand. 

When Madison first created this garment, she was entered into the Paper category.

She rose to the challenge of making a garment made of 90 per cent paper materials, with only glue and tape to hold it 
together.

Knowing that her construction was strong enough to be worn in performance, she opted to enter the Youth 13-18 category so that it might have a chance of being included in the Showcase.

“My garment represents that fashion isn't just what we wear but the stories we choose to show others,” said Madison. 

“It presents the idea that personal style can represent someone’s character and tell a story. The garment is made entirely of book pages, every inch of the dress covered in words and stories to show the literal meaning of a story told through what we wear. 

“It brings another meaning to fashion, showing that fashion isn’t just what we wear but the stories we choose to show others. From far away it looks like every other dress, but if you look close enough there is a story being told.”

Wearable Art Mandurah is Australia’s premier wearable art competition offering a year-long professional development program that encourages designers from within Mandurah, WA, interstate and international locations.

The competition is described as extravagant, revolutionary, provocative works of art on the body and crosses many disciplines including textile art, sculpture, and construction and involves many skill levels.

This year attracted a record number of entries from emerging and professional designers with 64 garments accepted to the Judging event in July.

Thirty-nine garments have been selected to perform onstage at the Wearable Art Mandurah Showcase, where the winners for each category will be announced. 

Taking place October 15-16, the Wearable Art Mandurah Showcase will be a theatrical spectacle combining dance, design and audio-visual elements while highlighting the skill and ingenuity of the local, national and international designers behind the garments.

Tickets are now available for the unique Showcase events.

To purchase tickets and for more information about the competition go to wearableartmandurah.com

Those who love theatre experiences but have trouble hearing or seeing, can enjoy Sunday's matinee performance.

It will offer accessible audio descriptions, tactile experience and social story sent to all attendees before the performance.