Friday 24 September 2010
Bizarre Bra busts into Wearable Art Awards
New Zealand mother Frances McInnes has proven that with plenty
of "crafty ingenuity", a vivid imagination and a collection of baby
formula scoops, it's possible to turn out a plastic bra so unique,
it features in the Montana World of Wearable Art's - Bizarre Bra
section.
Aptly titled the "maMADONNA nursing bra", this is a bold
work-of-art which
gains attention and shouts "independence and confidence" while
being ironic. Mother-of-two McInnes says this is a
"tongue-in-cheek" dig at the changing status of breastfeeding in
New Zealand.
McInnes spent many hours crafting the art piece, which is made
from an ambitious two year collection of baby formula scoops (the
free scoops that come in formula tins), thread onto a hand woven
wire frame, lined in felt, and painted red.
McInnes, who six years ago founded online maternity store
Breastmates.co.nz explains: "I'm an advocate of happy mum equals
happy baby. Whichever way mothers choose to feed their baby, they
should be supported as they begin motherhood, and that's what we
advocate". It was with the help of some of her
Breastmates customers that Frances was able to collect enough
formula scoops to make the costume (and several trial runs).
"Maybe this nursing bra will spark a little controversy, or just
make people laugh!" says McInnes, who also qualified to enter the
Sustainability category with her bra commendably being made
from over 85% recycled materials. The bra was also entered in the
First Time Entrants category.
Though normally hidden, the bra has shown itself in past Montana
World of Wearable Arts Awards to have enormous potential for
highly creative and witty reinvention in the Bizarre Bra
Section.
Above: Frances McInnes, with her creation