“More than a woman" -trance gender jewelry collection- by Hanae Iwamoto
(MA1, Applied Art & Design, School of Design, TAIK)

Concept:
“More than a woman” is derived from an iconological song’s title in the movie “Saturday night Fever” as you know, but it is title of the trance gender jewelry collection of mine.

Where my theme came up from?
“Paradise garage”, “Gallery”, “Flamingo”, “Saint”, these remarkable disco clubs of 60’sNY were originally private communities of trance genders as like gay people.
These communities were formed in mainly social outsider; black people, Hispanic and gay people. Disco clubs were special place for developing their own identity of sexuality, music, and art.

Today’s club music is based on these gay clubs in 60’s NY.
Disco culture was infected in worldwide, include in my home country Japan.
Disco culture is copied and digested in different cultures, and it is very interested in research about these differences between original and other. Effects of movies makes young people crazy to Disco, especially American music could have a major impact on night life in Japan.

In 70-80, just after decades of defeat, Japanese young people were sensitive and quite open to receive American underground cultures.
Movie was quite effective to promote American cultures and many young women felt to fall in love with John T or Michael J, therefore recordable media of music and movie.

But only few people could go to original Disco in NY then, and almost all people consumed disco music and fashion through reproduction “image”.
As you know, seeing is believing, but feeling is seeing real.
Besides, reproduction quality was not so perfect as nowadays in 70’ 80’.
After few years, in 80’s, American disco culture was developing to Japanese own Disco style then, you could see strange cultural habit in Disco club.
For example, Good liking floor stuffs invited you gently and serve you cocktails, were making up and dressing up to formal fancy clothes.
And, dance floor was full with girls dressed up with DC bland, mainly “Lope”, “Pinky & Dian”, “ELMES”, and sometimes, many girls wear micro mini skirt and danced on the up stage.

Disco culture was not for social minority in Japan, but this cultural development was always focus to dress code and music than gender. In this point, you can see most different point between original and reproduction meaning.
Beautiful boys were making up as like beautiful dolls, this is also one of effective attraction for women, but it’s still common trend making up on men’s face and make men more beauty than woman.

On the women’s side in 80’, it was going to be trendy to wear Body Conscious Style for women; wide manly shoulder, reverse triangle form, tight line emphasis on body shape. These characters were shown women more strongly and also elegant as independent woman. In Disco, fashion was trance border between man and women.

Why I chose this material?
I focus to “dress code” of Disco and transgender in my jewelry. This jewelry collection is made by necktie. Necktie is symbolic item of men’s costume in long history, and also important dress code to show you in formal situation.

Disco was dance stage, but also quite free stage as well, then men’s costumes were like middle stile of sporty and formal. As you can see, many men’s in “Saturday night fever,” they wear fancy jacket and pants with open necked shirt and thin tie, sometimes without tie in the dance floor.

You couldn't enter in famous disco club with dirty jeans and T-shirt as you wear in today’s club house, because of strict dress code.

Why I make Jewelry from Necktie?
If necktie is men’s icon, jewelry is women’s icon. You can change your daily dress formal to wear jewelry, and this item has been mostly charmed with women.
Then my jewelry is not necktie but also necklace. Not men’s fashion but also women’s fashion tradition. In 60’ NY, you could meet with similar positioned people in Disco club. They are not men but also women, but they are indispensable for underground art and culture.

I want to explain transgender in 60’s Disco culture in this collection.
I collected some old fancy neckties in second hand shops, look not trendy for today’s men’s fashion but still beautiful as textile material, and make up to necklaces.