This project focused on designing and creating a character from ‘Dr. Faustus’. For my interpretation of the story, I focused on a feminist viewpoint. Creating the motivation for Mephistopheles targeting Faust as revenge for harm he has done against women. I left the concept of ‘Hell’ open to create ambiguity and had each member of ‘Hell’ loosely inspired by different old forgotten Gods of the underworld.
Each of the seven deadly sins was also tied to traits specifically viewed as unwanted in women. It is often seen as worse for a woman to be lustful, or proud, or any of the other sins. The design of the sins focused on blending old gods of the underworld with the sins steeped in femininity to comment on how Faust sees the traits within woman as unforgivable.
Mephistopheles (the final costume) focused on two stages of self within the story. Starting with the version Faust first meets when he believes he is in control of the situation. Mephistopheles looks weak, vulnerable and meek. She wears a light, skin toned dress with burn and worn marks to show the vulnerability. But also to show a long history of being used and undermined.
As she drains Faust and takes back her own power she starts to create armour around herself. Wrapping herself in protection. The armour is made from resin poured over fake leather to create a fluidity trapped in time. The leather is moulded to enhance the female form as she takes on her full self.
