Condemned to Repeat x Shrimps

‘Condemned to Repeat’ is a print collection responding to the current threat of nuclear war which is spoken about so callously.

Yves Klein’s Anthropometries series, shown at Bozar museum in Belgium, depict the body prints of women performing like human paintbrushes in the 1950s. Whilst the prints make inspiring visual art, the dark undertones of the cold war are transmitted through Klein’s work, reminiscing the incinerated body prints left after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Today, there is a newfound relevance to Klein’s work, with the current political threats between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump.

In collaboration with womenswear designer ‘Shrimps’, the collection for spring/summer 19/20 tackles a mid-level market of young, fashion-conscious and politically engaged customers. Prints are designed using the designer’s own body, enforcing a modern twist onto Klein’s work through acrylic nails, nipple piercings and bold colours, in keeping with the Shrimps aesthetic. Hot pink and dusty blue faux furs meet playful prints in yellow, forming textural collisions conveying the chaos of the political ignorance. Embroidered patches shadow the illustrated embroidery used by Shrimps, whilst ridiculing and alienating President Trump.  Designs are kept forward thinking, contemporary and commercial. Sheers are interplayed with furs to ensure modesty where needed, and detachable pinafore straps create options and interplay of garments. Three different prints are clashed and interlude, conforming to the playful and lighthearted ethos of the brand.