Madelyn Forster

Clonard College, VCE Art Making and Exhibiting

Her ruin, her reign 2025
linen, silk, satin, ribbon, beading, lace, boning, eyelets, tulle, assorted recycled materials, eyeshadow

Artist statement:

Her ruin, her reign reimagines Marie Antoinette as a resurrected ‘queen of the apocalypse’: headless, powerful, and draped in a gown of both elegance and ruin. The silhouette—layered lace, bows, and exaggerated volume—is influenced by Rococo grandeur, while tea-stained fabrics mimic dirt and age. Scraps of second-hand materials such as bedsheets, tablecloths, and curtains symbolise decay and rebirth.

Pearls and red beads layered across the corset represent exposed ribs, while blood-red accents cut through the delicacy of the lace. The garment references Vivienne Westwood’s rebellious responses to history, Galliano’s theatrical storytelling and Dior’s opulent romanticism.

This dress challenges ideals of femininity and fashion. It is a statement about women reclaiming strength in the aftermath of destruction, about elegance surviving ruin, and about how fashion can be recycled, reshaped and reborn.