fine motor tells a story of development and discovery, centered around themes of love and individuality. It follows the story of a young girl, Harper, who is targeted by her peers and longs for something bigger. She dreams of finding love, but can’t find it. This changes when she moves to a busy city, where she discovers her love for Solomon. Her presence balances Harper’s, and the two become a strong pair. 

As I was thinking of a title for this piece, fine motor struck me as a phrase which could be extrapolated to encompass cooperating meanings and imagery. The term fine motor is most commonly used to describe movement; in contrast with gross motor, it is the next stage in development as one gains control of detailed movement. In this way, the phrase seemed to evoke a sense of growth, and a growth into nuance and detail. This is mirrored in the story as well as the movement, as I often use small twitching movements to create a sense of otherworldliness. Further, the word fine can also be used to describe important objects, like fine china. In this case, this fine motor, the body of our main character, should feel precious and delicate, needing to be valued and protected. 

As I begun designing the costumes for this piece, I was heavily inspired by the aesthetics of the 1990s. Both the score and environment of this story feel suspended between technology and humanity, and the 90s feel like the perfect midpoint between these two. I was inspired by designers like Ann Demeulemeester, Alexander McQueen, and Martin Margiela for their subversive yet streamlined design choices. 

I was also struck by Margiela’s 2024 Artisanal Collection, which felt opulent and decaying all at once. The off-kilter, corseted look of this show exhibited beauty at the wearer’s expense, and I wanted the city section of fine motor to feel imposing, slightly grotesque and intimidating to a naive Harper. I leaned into asymmetry, movement, and suspension as I created these urban designs. I wanted to create a sense of individualism and difference between each pedestrian in this city. Some of these costumes feel posh, some casual, some extravagant and unusual. They should reflect the different faces of the city, while remaining unified by their membership to the city itself. 

I began working on it in 2024, and have poured countless hours