Lorna Connolly

Barbie as the princess and the pauper by Mattel 

The first of my graduate projects is a magical redesign of Mattel's ‘Barbie as the princess and the pauper’. My adaptation of this beloved children’s animation aims to spark joy and appeal to ones inner child. It could be argued that many people have avoided the colour pink be­cause of certain stigma surrounding it. Amidst a pink resurgence, my project embraces hy­per-femininity unashamedly. Through fun designs, I hope to encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to fall in love with pink again and reembrace all things typically ‘girly’. My designs take inspiration from Barbie doll clothing, classic fairytales, and historical French Rococo style. 

Princess Annelise 

My final costume for Princess Annelise is an explosion of pink delight. One of the two titular roles played by 'Barbie', her design most strongly embraces hyper-femininity, childhood playfulness, and all things Barbie. The costume combines historical 18th Century court dress with contemporary materials including glitter organza and pink plastic beads/ bows (which I associate with my own childhood). 

Moulin Rouge! by Baz Luhrmann 

In my second project, I reimagine Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Moulin Rouge!’ in an intimate 1920s smoky club setting. Cabarets provided a space for the expression of taboos and forbidden desires, and in this redesign, I expose the dark realities hidden behind fabricated glamour. Set in the heart of the Montmartre district in Paris, the show is an ode to the bohemian revolutionaries who resided there. My designs take inspiration from the artwork they created, specifically, the expressive paintings of Toulouse-Lautrec, who’s messy and energetic brushstrokes can be seen painted across the characters clothing, as if his artwork has come to life.

Satine (The sparkling Diamond)

My final costume for Satine, famed courtesan of the Moulin Rouge, is worn in her opening performance where she performs a rendition of ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’/ ‘Material girl’ to an audience of eager patrons. Her style emulates the garçonne look of the twenties, connecting her own doomed fate to that of tragic starlets such as Clara Bow. In a sort of 1920’s striptease, she taunts the adoring crowd with her luxurious Cocoon coat before dropping it to reveal a risqué chiffon dress below which is painted with silver Lautrec-inspired brushstrokes. Dressed head-to-toe in rhinestones and sparkles, she is the glittering star of the Moulin Rouge.