Fashion For The Recently Deceased

About The Project

This 4 piece mini-collection was created for a student art showcase at Castleton University in April 2022. The concept of the collection was taking the gothic palette of Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice and translating it into different styles, as if each model was recently deceased. Styles included ‘40s day dress, ‘50s prom dress, androgynous glamour, and “modern vintage” menswear.

The ‘40s Dress

This dress was inspired directly by a sewing pattern itself (M-6724 by Lady Marlowe Studio). The overlapping and pleating features of the dress helped to create what I envisioned to be the twisted garment a 1940s Hollywood starlet would adorn in the afterlife.

Dress designed and sewn by Daniel Jackson
Hat, glasses, and belt provided by Castleton University
Shoes provided by the model, Kathryn Osburn

’50s Prom Dress

While the original sketch featured a much more punk, painted design, time and budget constraints altered the concept. To keep a similar silhouette in the collection, the narrative shifted towards a rebellious teenager who met her untimely end on prom night.

Dress designed and sewn by Daniel Jackson
Glasses provided by Castleton University
Jackets, boots, & accessories provided by the model, Aris Sherwood

“Modern Vintage” Menswear

Originally, the design was going to be a classic 1940s men’s casual piece with high-waisted pants, but time and budget reconfigured the concept to be inspired by the “modern vintage” trend in fashion.

Shirt designed by Daniel Jackson, sewn by AJ Grant
Glasses provided by Caslteton University
All other accessories and clothing provided by the model, David Roy

Androgynous Glamour

The showstopper piece in the collection is a direct homage to both Burton’s original film and William Ivey Long’s work in Beetlejuice: The Musical. I wanted the suit to look decayed and earthy, being constantly repaired from centuries of wear and tear and rotting in a coffin. The androgynous angle was chosen to create a larger than “after-life” presence, with the intent to eventually upgrade the piece into a full drag costume.

The boots shown in this piece are reproductions of the boots worn by the character of Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice: The Musical, originally designed by William Ivey Long.