Noelle m.

The growth of a woman as resembling the seasons.

A debutante is, in Philippines, a young woman who turns 18. Inspired by The Four Seasons by Alphonse Mucha, this project reflects her growth into womanhood through a personification of spring, summer, autumn and winter.

With time as a major factor in growth, this project depicts how the character becomes more refined as we gain wisdom. Of course in real life, this growth process isn’t linear and there is often an obstacle and a reversal of progress which isn’t as straightforward as the seasons, so through the added concept of the internal state associated with these seasons, the project is addressing the change of self more holistically.

Spring may be perceived as innocent, naïve, fragile, demure and the list goes on, but it’s actually more of a state of joy and bliss one finds themselves in when all is well. The character is in a place emotionally where ideas are flowing easily and the future seems as bright as it can be.

Summer is usually seen as the most adventurous and free-spirited season – the season where everyone is out with their friends and family because the weather is hot, and this brings forth energy. Instead, I focused on it as the wet season though rain is occasional and not the normal summer weather. This is because in the period of intense happiness, there may also be a dip into sadness and melancholy. Suddenly, it starts to rain with the intense sunshine that we find ourselves in, and eventually we learn not to cover ourselves from the rain but soak it in and dance in it.

Fall is that in-between season where the leaves are orange and brown, dying in preparation for winter. It’s the season the environment looks dry and is dry. It may be perceived as a season of apathy, loss of emotion or a lessened ability to be in touch with oneself, and though these are all relatable, it carries another meaning. Fall or autumn represents a shift in how we see things. After a period of no rain in our life, all of a sudden, we are too preoccupied with the joy that’s happening around us that we forget to look inwards. It’s the season where we realize this lack of solitude, awareness and direction and gain transformative insights that shift our perspective towards what is good for us. From trusting on ourselves, we trust more on the divine and entrust our will to His, which is like the trees losing their leaves to survive.

Lastly, winter is the season of intense cold. The character may look domineering, dominant, prideful, arrogant and so forth with the knowledge they have gained and the person they have become, but it’s more so about being radiant outwardly in a way that, having been through all the seasons, there is a knowing and trusting of our experiences to guide us towards living our authentic purpose.

Behind-the-scenes

Thanks to Jaycee for being our hairstylist and Sophia for creating amazing calligraphy.