Otello

The opera of Otello is a story of betrayal, anger, love, and drama. What stood out to me was the mention of heaven and hell, this was highlighted through the wording of the opera. Fire, destruction, and a demonic presence were seen in both the atmosphere and the characters. Contrasting that, was elements that were “heavenly” (love and bliss). This is mostly present through Desdemona and the love people have for her. Taking this concept of a fight between Heaven and Hell, the world is heavily influenced by the Catholic religion and the feeling of gothic art. As for the costumes, I pulled a lot of inspiration from the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church and well-known catholic figures. There was also a mixture of elements from the Middle Ages and modern runway high fashion to help portray the class system within the opera. 

The main focus of this project was to create a strong design concept for the world of Otello and have that portrayed through the costumes.