We present what the examination board unanimously declared the best project submitted during the last final examination session for the WOMEN’S WEAR PATTERN MAKING MASTER course. THE DEATH OF NESTLING, the collection by Xiatong, amazed everyone with its originality, creativity, and above all, its technical expertise and craftsmanship quality.

 For her research project, Xiatong drew inspiration from the images of Polish photographer Laura Makabresku in the work “The Phases of Life.”

The Death of Nestling is divided into three groups. The first outfits presented recall egg shapes, the ultimate symbol of the birth of life. The shoulders are broad and raised by internal shoulder pads, which are covered and well-padded. The choice of raglan and kimono sleeves helps to accentuate curved and sloping shapes. Almost all the hemlines of the dresses and skirts taper in, highlighting the curves of the hips.

In the second group, the garments focus on draping. The use of gathers on full circles and flares that open towards the bottom, revealing wide and wavy hems, signal that something is changing. The garments become longer to represent growth. The fluidity of the fabrics, along with their transparency, is a clear reference to the fragility of life.

In the final part of the collection, the dresses become very sinuous. Long, narrow sleeves wrap the arms, mock-neck collars rise to caress the neck, and floor-length gowns almost entirely cover the body. In the final look, the “cape”—represented by a circle inserted into the cut above the bust—completely envelops the wearer, and the train expands across the entire circumference, symbolizing a return to the earth. The nascent life has disappeared.