These two paper dolls are based on who I am today and how my ancestors have had an influence on my traditions. Because I have grown up under the influence of two different cultures, I decided to illustrate two different paper dolls. My clothing range is called Gingerbread as it is the English translation of the traditional German biscuit, Lebkuchen.
My mother is German, and although her family has lived in South Africa for a few generations, they are still very traditional. To represent this part of my history, and in turn, of myself, I have decided to represent the German side of my family with the traditional Dirndl Kleider. The word Dirndl, is equivalent to young woman and the word Kleid means dress. It’s a woman's dress with a full gathered skirt and fitted bodice; originating from Tyrolean peasant wear. From this, I've illustrated a German paper doll by the name of Heidi.
My father grew up in the British colony of Rhodesia. I tried to represent this by making use of 18th Century English attire (as I felt it had the most similarities to the Dirndl.) I attempted to use their everyday attire as inspiration. During much of the eighteenth century, women's skirts were long and flowy. They were then gathered and synched in at the waist, forming pleats. The outfits were, most importantly, designed to be modest. From this information, I've illustrated the English paper doll named Jane. (2014)
