Charlotte
I handstitched this mask for Montell Fish. This black lace mask, embellished with a variety of faux pearls and glass crystal beads represents anger, depression, and the acceptance of fame.
Backstory
On some random Saturday this past August, I got a phone call from my friend Shayna with the invitation to go to a concert. She told me this artist had approached her at Sweetgreen based on her outfit (which is why you should always leave the house dressed to impress..) with the invitation to his concert in Williamsburg that night.
During this performance, I observed how Montell came out onto the stage with a white lace mask tied around his face. I instantly thought back to when I was experimenting with using different fabrics and designs on balaclavas.
After his show, we went up to him and I showed him my balaclava article with the offer to make him a balaclava.
Balacava: Montell Fish https://whenthexufits.com/?p=147: Montell FishAfter we got in touch, a prominent theme and project were decided and I immediately got to work.
Inspiration
I was directed to create this piece with a focus on the emotions of anger, sadness, and an embrace of fame.
I looked at images online for inspiration to develop a face that would represent these elements. I looked at pictures of the “devil” and decided to follow this down-turned almond eye shape as well as a wide frown.
I went to a bead store and purchased several strings of silver and gray and red fire-polished beads and anything else that caught my eye, shopping with the intention of finding colors and textures that would portray the vision I had in mind.
When we look at our emotions and compare them to colors, I find that red is a very passionate color. It can represent love but also a fit of firey passionate anger. The emotion of anger is actually unacknowledged sadness.
The acceptance of fame is highlighted through the variety of glimmering beads used.
I used a variety of different beads: small fire-polished beads, crystal beads, and faux pearls.
I chose to use black lace as the base for this mask because it incorporates elements of Montell’s interpretations of himself in his music.
Montell told me that he grew up in a dominantly female household, with his many sisters and mom. The fragility and dainty characteristics of lace may represent the embracement of his feminity.
Process
The Eyes
I started with red eyes.
To create a pattern, I first measured the diameter between each point. I then folded my paper over to create an even cut to ensure that both eyes would be the same size.
I began to sew red Preciosa beads onto the pieces of cut-out polyester fabrics. Preciosa beads are hexagonal-shaped beads. I used these because how the pointed ends create a sharper finish.
I liked how lightweight but durable this fabric was, the small indents in the fabric helped me map out the placement of the beads.
After looking at my work, I decided the red Preciosa cut beaded eyes were too plain once laid out with the blueprint of the mouthpiece.
I looked at “devil eyes” on google images for inspiration and found that this upturned iris style was ideal for the particular eye shape I was following.
I wanted to incorporate the same gray shards outlining the mouthpiece in the eyes and found that it was most appealing if fashioned to mock a retina.
I then sewed about seven smaller gray fire-polished beads closest to the retina piece before sewing on the red beads to make up an iris, which helps create a gradient look.
To help the eyes melt into the fragility of the lace base, I then sewed a few red beads under each eye directly onto the mask to mock tears. The deep and dark red hues of these crystal beads represent anger.
Mouth
I had debated if the mouthpiece should be a smile rather than a frown, which would connotate a more malicious embrace of fame, however, I preferred the frown being that it also incorporates a sense of sadness.
I began to individually stitch a border or gray fire-polished beads closest to the edges. Following that, smaller red fire-polished beads.
Following this border of red, silver, and gray came placement for the “teeth”. I then sewed on pearl beads that would mock the idea of “teeth”. The use of pearls among other luxurious materials portrays a glamorous muse.
Montell came up with the idea for a silver pearl. To embody this idea of being rich enough to afford a silver tooth, I exchanged an ivory pearl for a silver one.
I also used a metal encrusted pearl button and a polished diamond shard.
I then sewed red pearls around the mouthpiece to allow this pearl theme to be carried out into the rest of the mask smoothly.
After I went over each stitch several times, I backed this beaded layer of leather with felt. I then sewed the gray shards outlining the mouth onto the felt, overlapping the red pearl beads. Once this piece was done, I put e6000 glue on my seams and gave it time to dry.
Once it was dry, I sewed this piece onto the lace mask.
I claimed my contentedness with the placement of the mask by stitching around the border. This also gave me the opportunity to tighten up any loose beads.
To give this piece something to cling onto, I took a piece of felt and sewed it onto the inner panel of the mask, lining it up with the mouthpiece. I then took a small piece of black cotton and sewed this over the felt, creating a soft bed.
I then followed the same process with the eyes.
This gives the interior part of the mask a cleaner finish as well as a more comfortable fit.
This mouth teethed with precious metals and pearls harshly protruding out from the soft elegant lace base, in an unearthing fashion, capturing this sense of twisted embrace of fame.
Challenges
The biggest challenge wasn’t fighting the clock with all the tedious stitching but making sure the pieces would stay on the lace mask base I made.
I doubled the black lace fabric over to give the lightweight lace base more substance before cutting out my pattern and sewing.
My sewing machine had broke as I was prepping for my most recent vending event at Ludlow with Naomi. So I really had to be sure that my stitches would stay. I went over the balaclava pattern a solid 4 times and my stitches stayed after I washed the piece (although I am aware of the fact you should really wash the fabric before you start sewing).
To ensure that the eyes and mouth would stay fitted, I decided to put in a zipper.
I lastly sewed in a zipper. Following where the pattern starts to straighten out, I cut a 24′ zipper down to around 7 inches. I then sewed seam binding over the zipper for a cleaner look.
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One response to “Montell Fish”
love this!