WINGSPAN

DESIGNER / FABRICATOR

For DragFest 2024, I wanted to combine my love of sewing with my studies in mechanical engineering. Inspired by the show’s theme of “Heatwave”, I created a set of articulating wings and a matching overbust corset.

This project was not just a single effort, but rather a collection of “sub-projects”, each requiring a different set of skills.

• I prototyped the linkage first on the laser cutter, then in wood, then finally milled the final pieces out of 6061 aluminum.

• I used what I had learned in my theatermaking classes to stack and curl the accompanying wig.

• To avoid fabric snagging on the joints, I 3D printed press-fit PLA caps that allowed the fabric and feathers to smoothly glide over them.

• I patterned the corset from scratched and reinforced it with spiral steel and spring steel boning.

• I dyed gloves with synthetic dyes to achieve the color I wanted.

• I spent many, many hours placing thousands of rhinestones on the wings, gloves, wig, and corset.