GRADUATION
COLLECTION
HGK BASEL
2025
Collection Title:
Rebirth. Botanical Convergence
Designer: Vann Berger (Vanessa Janya Berger)
Graduation: 01.02.2025
Concept Statement
Rebirth. Botanical Convergence is a elegant collection that connect the natural world with the human spirit, reflecting the essence of renewal and growth.
This collection explores the intersection of cultural influences, Impressionist art, and elegance, culminating in a contemporary yet timeless aesthetic.
Each piece is a sculptural tribute to nature, blending structure, movement and craftsmanship.
A Journey Through the Garden of my Soul which merges the cultural heritage of Thailand and the ethereal beauty of gardens. This collection is a renewal narrative, reflecting my journey of self-discovery and creative evolution.
Through "Rebirth", I aim to create a conversation between these worlds a harmonious blend of the exotic and the familiar, the ancient and the futuristic, the beautiful and the painful, all wrapped in layers of cultural and emotional resonance.
Thai Fashion History
Thailand’s rich cultural heritage is deeply reflected in its traditional fashion, which is a blend of intricate craftsmanship, spiritual significance, and regional diversity. Traditional Thai fashion has evolved over centuries, influenced by religion, monarchy, and regional customs.
The Origins of Traditional Thai Clothing
Siamese Court Fashion:
- Traditional Thai clothing dates back to the Ayutthaya Kingdom (1351–1767). The royals wore elaborate garments, often made from silk and adorned with gold and silver thread, reflecting wealth and status.
- Women wore the *sabai* (a shawl-like garment draped over the shoulder) and *pha nung* (a long wrap skirt), which became staples of Thai fashion.
Everyday Wear:
- The common people wore simpler versions of these garments, made from cotton or basic silk. Clothing styles varied by region, often influenced by the climate and local materials.
Regional Textiles
Thailand is renowned for its textiles, with each region contributing unique styles and techniques:
Northern Thailand (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai):
- Known for teen chok skirts and intricate handwoven patterns.
The Hmong and Karen ethnic groups in the North are famous for their bold geometric designs and use of natural dyes.
Southern Thailand:
- The South is famous for its batik textiles, featuring tropical motifs like flowers and sea creatures.
- Rich brocades with metallic threads are also prevalent, reflecting influences from Malaysia and Indonesia.
Isaan (Northeastern Thailand):
- The home of mudmee silk, a unique tie-dye weaving technique that creates intricate, colorful patterns.
Central Thailand:
- The region is famous for Benjarong patterns, inspired by Chinese porcelain designs, and Dok Mai Lai motifs, often seen in royal attire.
Thai Shadow Puppetry
- The intricacies of Nang Talung (Southern Thailand) and Nang Yai (Central Thailand) puppets have inspired textile patterns and embroidery techniques.
- Shadow puppets, often depicting gods, demons, and animals, are carved with meticulous detail, influencing motifs in Thai fashion.
Thai Theater and Its Influence on Fashion
Thai theater has had a profound impact on traditional fashion, especially in the context of elaborate costumes.
Khon Costumes:
- Khon, the traditional masked dance-drama, features costumes heavily embroidered with gold and silver threads, gemstones, and mirror pieces.
- The intricate shoulder structures, high collars, and tiered skirts seen in Khon costumes symbolize power and divinity.
- These designs have influenced contemporary Thai fashion, where elements like ornate embroidery and structured shoulders are incorporated into modern designs.
-Lakhon Costumes:
- More fluid and elegant, these costumes use flowing fabrics to emphasize the dancers' graceful movements. The use of vibrant colors and intricate patterns reflects Thailand’s rich textile traditions.
LOOK 1:
Rama's Shadow
Concept
The first look in this collection draws from the mythological and theatrical traditions of Rama’s Shadow Puppet Theater, blending ancient Thai artistry with modern avant-garde fashion. Rama, riding the protective Naga, symbolizes safeguarding what is sacred and precious. This piece is a metaphor for guarding the inner garden a sanctuary of emotions, memories, and identity—against external forces.
This look tells the story of duality protection and vulnerability, individuality and unity, past and present. The Rama-inspired motif and Naga symbolism guard the sacredness of identity, while the soft, flowing elements celebrate the beauty of emotion and connection. The twins wearing the connected dresses embody the harmony of being separate yet intrinsically linked.
PROCESS
The Corset
Design: Laser-cut metal intricately etched with patterns inspired by traditional shadow puppetry depicts Rama riding the Naga.
- Symbolism:
The Naga, a revered serpent-like guardian in Thai mythology, symbolizes protection, spirituality, and balance. In this collection, it embodies the safeguarding of the inner garden a sanctuary of emotions and identity—while reflecting the harmony between strength and vulnerability.
The metal corset represents strength and resilience, bending and shaping to shield the "inner garden" while maintaining elegance. The Naga signifies guardianship, spiritual protection, and transformation.
- Craftsmanship: The corset was bent and hand-shaped to fit seamlessly, merging the hard industrial material with soft, protective intentions.
The Body
- Material: A bodysuit of delicate mesh adorned with hand-sewn blue flowers.
- Symbolism: The blue flowers represent calmness, wisdom, and emotional balance. Blue often symbolizes serenity, evoking the tranquility of a protected sanctuary. Their delicate nature reflects vulnerability within the protection.
The Dresses
- Design: Two mirrored maxi dresses, connected at the hemline, worn by the twins.
- Symbolism: The connected dresses embody individuality and unity. They represent two halves of a whole distinct personalities bound by shared roots and mutual understanding. The mirroring effect alludes to self-reflection, balance, and the interconnectedness of all things within the "garden."
- Details: The fabric flows with pleats reminiscent of Naga scales, creating dynamic movement that echoes water and life.
Beneath the shadow of Rama’s hand,
A Naga coils, guarding the soul.
Metal bends, yet hearts stay strong,
A garden within where we belong.
Wisdom flows in every vine.
Two souls tethered, yet free to be,
Mirrored halves of eternity.
The serpent whispers, "You are whole,
Protect the garden, heart, and soul."
In flowing scales and shadows deep,
A story told, a promise to keep.
-VANNBERGER
LOOK 2
The Crimson Garden
.
Concept and Inspiration
The second look in the collection evokes the essence of autumn’s fleeting beauty, tinged with the vivid drama of nature in transformation. The design embodies the balance of decay and renewal, inspired by nature impressionism and the lotus flower, reinterpreted with a palette unique to your inner garden. The crimson tones suggest blood, life, and sacrifice, while the autumnal hues reflect the cycle of change and rebirth.
This look tells a story of metamorphosis and strength in vulnerability. The red and black color palette creates an intense emotional resonance, while the adaptable design features encourage personal storytelling through how the dress is worn. The pleated details on the tie bring a tactile, organic quality that ties the piece to its natural inspiration, grounding the bold visual statement in serenity.
LOOK 2
The Crimson Garden
Concept and Inspiration
The second look in the collection evokes the essence of autumn’s fleeting beauty, tinged with the vivid drama of nature in transformation. The design embodies the balance of decay and renewal, inspired by nature impressionism and the lotus flower, reinterpreted with a palette unique to your inner garden. The crimson tones suggest blood, life, and sacrifice, while the autumnal hues reflect the cycle of change and rebirth.
This look tells a story of metamorphosis and strength in vulnerability. The red and black color palette creates an intense emotional resonance, while the adaptable design features encourage personal storytelling through how the dress is worn. The pleated details on the tie bring a tactile, organic quality that ties the piece to its natural inspiration, grounding the bold visual statement in serenity.
Process
The Red Dress
- Design: A striking red dress with a base of black mesh that splits dramatically in half at the hemline.
- Symbolism: The split hem represents duality and the idea of choice, allowing the wearer to reveal or conceal as desired. The black mesh base adds depth, acting as a grounding element amid the bold crimson, symbolizing the unseen layers of identity.
- Details: A thick black hem frames the dress, running along the sides, offering structure and a visual anchor for the vibrant red fabric.
The Backside and Buttons
- Feature: Buttons along the thick hem allow the back of the dress to split and adapt, creating a customizable silhouette.
- Symbolism: The buttons embody flexibility and personal expression, mirroring the natural unpredictability of autumn’s shifting landscapes. The split highlights the interplay between concealment and exposure.
The Tie with Plissé Flowers and Mushrooms
- Design: A tie adorned with pleated flowers and mushrooms, reminiscent of lotus forms but painted with the bloody and fiery hues of autumn.
- Symbolism: The flowers and mushrooms represent the dual forces of life and decay, central to the collection’s theme. The lotus, traditionally a symbol of purity, is reimagined in deeper, richer tones to reflect the rawness and passion of your creative garden.
A lotus blooms in crimson light,
Autumn whispers, day turns night.
Hemlines split, a choice revealed,
A garden’s truth, no longer concealed.
Mushrooms rise in shadow’s glow,
Life from decay begins to grow.
Threads of blood and autumn’s fire,
Guard the heart, ignite desire.
In buttons and blooms, the tale unfolds,
A season’s story, in fabric told.
Split and whole, a balance kept,
A crimson garden where memories are swept.
-VANN BERGER-
Look 3: The Lotus
Concept
The third look draws its essence from the lotus flower, reinterpreted into striking, layered forms reminiscent of a 3D cactus, merging organic softness with structured design. This look celebrates harmony, utilizing a bamboo-patterned fabric sourced from Southern Thailand, where tradition meets modernity. The icy dark tones and silvery accents evoke the stillness and reflective beauty of winter in Europe, a season of quiet transformation and introspection.
Service Name
Service Name
Service Name
Process
The Dress
- Outer Dress: Layers inspired by lotus petals create a sculptural effect, resembling a 3D cactus in silhouette.
Materials: Black recycled cotton fabric
- Inner Corset Dress: A beige mini corset dress sits beneath, symbolizing the grounded purity of the lotus root beneath the water.
- Symbolism: The layering represents resilience and adaptability, like the cactus thriving in harsh environments, while the icy tones bring a sense of renewal and peace.
Styling Elements
- Arm Accessories: Made from metallic fabric, gloves, and leg pieces extend the look into a futuristic elegance.
- Symbolism: The metallic elements add a frozen, shimmering quality, reminiscent of frost on a winter morning, tying the theme to the season of dormancy and preparation for growth.
Process
Styling Elements
- Arm Accessories: Made from metallic fabric, gloves, and leg pieces extend the look into a futuristic elegance.
- Symbolism: The metallic elements add a frozen, shimmering quality, reminiscent of frost on a winter morning, tying the theme to the season of dormancy and preparation for growth.
In the still of icy air,
A lotus blooms, serene and rare.
Silver threads and bamboo’s grace,
A frozen beauty holds its place.
Petals layered, a cactus spine,
Strength in softness intertwine.
Winter whispers, calm and deep,
Dreams of spring beneath the sleep.
Gloves of frost and legs of steel,
A garden’s armor, strength revealed.
In snow and silence, life takes root,
A season’s promise, absolute.
-VANN BERGER-
LOOK 4
The Scales of the Naga
Concept
The fourth look in the collection channels the majestic essence of the Naga, the mythical serpent guardian from Thai mythology. The design incorporates textured scales, curling spikes, and vibrant accents, symbolizing protection, strength, and the rebirth of spring. This look is deeply rooted in the cultural aesthetics of Khon, Thailand’s classical masked theater, known for its elaborate costumes and dramatic flair.
This look serves as both armor and art, embodying the protection and grace of the Naga as a guardian of life and growth. The curling spikes, reminiscent of traditional Khon theater, add a regal, divine presence, while the spring-inspired fur accents bring a sense of renewal and vitality. Together, they create a piece that bridges the mythical and the earthly, the protective and the flourishing.
Process
Process
Textured Scales
- Material: A textured faux-leather fabric purchased during your journey to Milan, designed to mimic the intricate scales of the Naga.
- Symbolism: The scales signify the Naga’s fluidity and power, protecting the wearer and evoking a sense of mythical grandeur.
Curling Spikes
- Placement: Five curled spikes adorn the back, with additional spikes on the shoulders, neck, and sides.
- Inspiration: These elements are influenced by the Khon costumes, specifically the "Kho Nuea" (โขนเนื้อ) or "Hua Khon" (หัวโขน) details, which are iconic in Thai theater for portraying celestial beings and mythical creatures.
Symbolism: The curled spikes amplify the Naga's dramatic presence, blending tradition with a modern avant-garde twist.
Lining and Fur Accents
- Lining: An olive-green interior adds a soft, earthy contrast to the bold exterior, symbolizing nature and grounding energy.
- Fur: Fresh grass-like fur attached to the garment evokes the vitality of spring, representing the renewal of life and the vibrancy of a blooming garden.
Silhouette and Structure
- Design: The structured form, enhanced by the curling spikes, echoes the serpentine movements of the Naga while paying homage to the ornate drama of Thai Khon theater.
Lining and Fur Accents
- Lining: An olive-green interior adds a soft, earthy contrast to the bold exterior, symbolizing nature and grounding energy.
- Fur: Fresh grass-like fur attached to the garment evokes the vitality of spring, representing the renewal of life and the vibrancy of a blooming garden.
Silhouette and Structure
- Design: The structured form, enhanced by the curling spikes, echoes the serpentine movements of the Naga while paying homage to the ornate drama of Thai Khon theater.
Scales that shimmer, a serpent’s shield,
A garden’s heart, the truth revealed.
Curled spikes rise, a story told,
Of Naga’s strength, both fierce and bold.
Olive tones and fur so green,
Fresh grass grows where life has been.
Through Khon’s grace, tradition flows,
A theater’s spirit, a garden grows.
Spring awakens, whispers sing,
Naga guards the bloom of spring.
A myth reborn in form and line,
Strength and beauty intertwine.
-VANN BERGER-
LOOK 5 The Apsara
The Apsara dance, deeply rooted in Southeast Asian traditions, is a classical art form that originates from the ancient Khmer and Thai civilizations. Thailand draws inspiration from Hindu and Buddhist mythology, particularly the celestial nymphs or "Apsaras," which are considered symbols of beauty, grace, and divine elegance. These figures are often depicted in temple carvings, literature, and performances as heavenly beings who embody the harmony of nature and spirituality.
Apsara Costume
The Apsara dancer’s costume will merge traditional Thai aesthetics with contemporary elements that harmonize with the collection. The design will reflect the intricate craftsmanship of the garments while incorporating motifs and materials that enhance the overall visual narrative.
Headdress (Chada or Mukut):
- A Thai crown, featuring upward curling spires resembling flames, will form the centerpiece of the dancer’s costume.
- The design has a laser-cut to echo the Kanok flame motifs used in the jewelry and accessories of the collection.
- Fresh flowers or metallic floral accents are added to the headdress to tie it to the installation's organic themes.
Upper Garment:
- The top will be a traditional tube top.
Lower Garment (Pha Nung):
- The sarong-like skirt will feature a draping, - Patterns from the fabrics used in the collection are from the south of Thailand.
Accessories:
- The dancer will wear bracelets, arm cuffs, and anklets designed with laser-cut Thai flame motifs, filled with flowers to tie into the collection's organic themes.
Feet:
- The dancer will perform barefoot, as is traditional, with the possibility of adorning her ankles with delicate bells or metal accents to create subtle, rhythmic sounds that enhance the performance.
Process
Grace flows like water, soft and strong,
an eternal dance where spirits belong.
Layers of silk, a story unfolds,
ancient whispers in shimmering folds.
Born of heavens, yet bound to earth,
each step is a testament to beauty’s rebirth.
The lotus blooms where shadows fall,
a quiet strength embracing all.
In golden light, her essence glows,
a timeless figure, the garden knows.
Apsara, guardian of the unseen,
a bridge between worlds, serene.
-VANN BERGER-
GALLERY
