Humpback Whale Song: Conceptual Fashion Design Inspired by Nature

Unveiling the Beauty of Humpback Whales Through Fashion

The Humpback Whale Song collection draws inspiration from the complex acoustic vocalizations, incredible social institutions, and language abilities of humpback whales. These sea creatures have the potential to communicate over vast distances, using low-frequency sound waves. The collection particularly focuses on the songs they sing during their 68,500-kilometer migration, where sounds form patterns and repetition creates themes and songs.

What sets this collection apart is the rich and conceptually dazzling pattern of the fabric. Each garment carries a part of the main sound waves, resembling the echoes of the humpback whale song in the oceans during migration. The designer aims to acknowledge the importance of these whales in our ecosystem, highlighting their inspiring characteristics.

The fabric for the collection is handmade using the traditional weaving method of ikat. To ensure authenticity, Yazdanpanah traveled to the city of Yazd in Iran, where she collaborated with a master of the ikat craft. The process involves applying the designed pattern on bundles of yarns, dying the yarns, warping threads, and weaving the fabric. The final result is a cubic and pixelated pattern that captures the essence of the humpback whale song.

The Humpback Whale Song collection consists of twelve looks, including oversized coats and jackets, pleated trousers, summer shorts, a short-sleeve sun dress, a long-sleeve jumpsuit, genderless shirts, and a long-sleeve shirt. The fabric used is a handmade traditional ikat of Iran, embellished with the pattern of the humpback whale song.

Not only does this collection showcase the designer's creativity and craftsmanship, but it also prioritizes ethical fashion. The fabric is made using animal cruelty-free materials, and the pieces can be worn from day to night, thanks to their statement design characteristics. The neutral shades of colors used in the collection make it easy to mix and match with other pieces, while the lightweight fabric provides a relaxed sensation, reminiscent of the calming flow of water.

The Humpback Whale Song collection was a challenging project, especially considering the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the restrictions and risks involved, Yazdanpanah and her team traveled to the desert city of Yazd to weave the fabric in a warehouse with poor air conditioning. The implementation of the pattern on the 50-meter long woven fabric presented its own set of challenges.

This unique collection, born out of the designer's personal journey and fascination with humpback whales, has garnered recognition in the design world. The Humpback Whale Song collection was awarded the Bronze A' Design Award in the Fashion, Apparel, and Garment Design category in 2022. This prestigious award celebrates designs that exhibit technical and creative skills, contributing to quality of life improvements and making the world a better place.

Through the Humpback Whale Song collection, Maryam Yazdanpanah invites us to appreciate the beauty of nature and the wonders of the animal kingdom, while showcasing the potential of fashion as a medium for storytelling and raising awareness about environmental issues.