Repairing with gold...
I recently met an interesting woman on TikTok named Chan Plante. Chan went through a very public and grueling illness with her eye that ultimately resulted in her needing to have it removed. She has a really unique and positive perspective that I find inspiring. Instead of dwelling on what is damaged or loss, she chose to move forward and beautify and embellish what is. She wears fancy eyepatch and jewel-like prosthetics, and often creates detailed sparkling makeup looks to coordinate. In short, she still finds joy in life despite her battles. Chan’s way of being reminds me of the Japanese philosophy of Kintsugi (or repairing with gold). Or even Frida Kahlo painting her cast.
Inspired by her worldview, I created two couture eyepatches for Chan. One is hyperfeminine in pink silk satin, French lace, and is beaded with Swarovski crystals and genuine pearls. You can how she styled it here: Pink Couture Eyepatch
Model/MUA – Tomi
Photographer – Renee Needham, Fan the Flame
Beauty in Wartime
For the second eyepatch, I used Ukrainian embroidery as my inspiration. I have been thinking a lot about the war and the *many* genocides currently happening in our world and especially about the people whose spirits and bodies are forever altered as a result. I noticed that some of the female Ukrainian soldiers wore makeup and had painted nails, despite the circumstances. Eyepatches are often very clinical, masculine, and functional looking. And so I made this second patch thinking about beautifying this sometimes necessary accessory and making it more worthy of these brave and beautiful women.
Ukrainian embroidery is highly symbolic, different designs carry specific meanings. Most of it is intended for protection and apotropaic purposes too. The rose means “love, mercy, renewal, and the rebirth of life”.
I created this eyepatch for Chan in white leather and glass seed beads embroidered into a cross-stitch pattern. You see her styling of the eyepatch here: Ukrainian Rose Eyepatch.
Models: Natasha Zare, Chan Plante
Photographer: Renee Needham, Fan the Flame
