Don John (Much Ado About Nothing) Final Costume

This is my made-to-measure costume for my interpretation of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, for the character Don John. I really wanted the costume to have large, sinister silhouette, seen my design (see Developed Don John Designs post) due to Don John's evil, calculating character. The for the jacket base I decided to look into 'breast-plate' designs, as I didn't want to interrupt the front of the garment. (The jacket fastens at the back with hooks and bars. The central spike is sewn to one side of the jacket and is attached using press stud on the other side, covering part of the fastening line.)
I wanted to use leather as it fits really well into my characterisation of Don John, as leather gives a feel of rebellion and anti-establishment to the costume. I engraved my leather with the geometric pattern seen throughout my design work for Don John, using a laser cutter set to 'engrave'. The engraved geometric lines give a really interesting sculptural effect, particularly on the sleeves, as the leather creases down the lines of the engraved pattern.
The spikes were constructed using a frame work of ridgeoline and wire encased between layers of embroidery. After a lot of experimentation, these spikes were attached in pocket like pieces created in the jacket, hidden underneath the leather.
I used a combination of embroidery techniques, a different one for each spike. The embroidery includes square smocking, couching-both hand and machine, zip-foot-pleating, hand stitch embellishment, quilting, beading and reverse applique. In many of the spikes I incorporated the geometric pattern seen on the leather.