ELFEE DUQUETTE
COSTUME DESIGNER AND STYLIST ELFEE DUQUETTE HAS BEEN WORKING WITHIN THEATRE, OPERA, FILM, TV AND FASHION SHOOTS IN OVER 10 YEARS.
THIS TIME SHE’S LETTING HER MAGIC SHINE ON PLAYFUL’S SHOOT TOGETHER WITH PATRICK MASON.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I was born in Seattle, Washington. I have a twin brother, (Michael Walrond), and he’s my best friend and an amazing photographer. I studied at L’accademia di Costume e Di Moda in Rome for Costume Design.
How did you end up in Berlin?
It just felt like the right time to be here. So I just decided to pack my belongings and bought a one way ticket.
What got you into costume design?
The reason why costume design has so captured my interests is that there is something intrinsically immersive about the transformation an actor, actress, or model undergoes once they are put into a costume.
An opulent costume or a period piece completes the talent’s ability to assume a role. It allows them to distill some more referential material from the apparel they don. I love nothing more than to be a part of that catalytic process. Clothing can become inseparable from one’s identity as well as the character portrayed, whether perceived or inherent to their nature. What one does and what one wears has always been a topic of interest to me as the power of another’s gaze transforms us in numerous ways.
Who’s your top 3 favourite designers?
Christian Lacroix, Alexander McQueen and Elsa Schiaparelli.
What’s your favourite thing about working as a costume designer in Berlin?
In Berlin I have the ability to be as weird as I wanna be.
What do you do in Berlin to feel inspired when/ if feeling uninspired?
Go to art openings, listen to David Bowie, read romantic poems, read fashion magazines or talk to my mentor.
What’s your favourite thing about this city? Appreciation for artists and the quality of life!
Meet the intersectional creatives disrupting Berlin tech
Factory Berlin and Sónar+D’s Artist in Residence program supports artists exploring new lines of inquiry, intersecting technology & society. With support from Beats by Dr. Dre, the program aims to discover how creativity in technology and exploratory art can work together.
This autumn the program is launching its second edition, with hundreds of applications from artists all around the world. The multidisciplinary designer, AR filter creator and creative technologist Tabitha Swanson was one of the participants.
– I joined with 11 creatives from a collective I’m a part of, Digi-Gxl. We all came from slightly different creative backgrounds, myself coming from multi-disciplinary design and creative tech backgrounds. I work in art direction, UX/UI, and XR, but have a background in marketing, design, and fashion as well. So many of the other creatives are also multi-disciplinary and I think that allowed us to look at things from many different angles.
The main project Tabitha Swanson and her fellow colleagues worked on during the residency was a collaborative VR gallery where they all showcased pieces of the work in a surreal fantastical space that the user could walk around and experience.
Today she is very grateful for the opportunity to participate in the program.
– It meant a lot in different ways, honestly. The Factory Berlin team is incredible, with a special shoutout to Sandira Blas (Curator & Researcher, Artist Residencies) who’s the backbone of this program. I appreciated having a safe and open space to work on and talk about ideas that were sometimes very outside of common practices. I think it’s what naturally happens when you put a bunch of creative people who are very passionate about what they do in enclosed quarters for a long time – the ideas just start flowing and don’t stop. Factory Berlin has taken up a very solid part of my life in terms of community and the people I worked with in the program have not only become peers to work on projects with, but dear friends.
Another participant was Caroline Barrueco, experienced in 3D printing and experimental tech, who was also involved in the VR gallery. During the residency she took the opportunity to collaborate with several fellow residents and finalized many creative projects. With residents Yifan Pu and Jutta Babak she developed a facial recognition blocker mask and with Reep100 she 3D printed a vocal sculpture, giving a physical shape to his voice.
– I learned a lot about how to brand my art. This connection of artists and entrepreneurs is truly needed by both parts, and the Factory Berlin residency was good in bridging such conversations.