Tales from the Hinterland
Costume Design for the Short Story:
Hansa the Traveler
Hansa is a girl who runs away from home after being called by her grandmother, the moon. She takes a coat and boots from her father, a ship captain.
For her traveling outfit, I wanted to make it seem like she made the best of what she had around her, tying up parts of the coat to make it fit her better.
At a certain point in the story when the ship she is on starts sinking, she hides a tear gifted to her by the moon in her mouth. This transforms her into a creature that is able to navigate underwater. The creature isn't fully described, but is said to have an enlarged rib cage, and a stinging tail.
My final interpretation of this was a jellyfish-like transformation, with her dress and hair becming stinging tails, and her translucent skin showing the internal anatomical transformation
I explored various other transformations, A and C being the most traditionally mermaid-like,
B has a more greusome look with rocky growths over her face and ribs. E is reminicent of a narwhal and other aquatic mammals.
F had lots of flowing parts like D, but was more themed around kelp
Throughout Hansa's journey, she encounters other creatures, including three brothers, the ocean's tides.
The first tide is supposed to be the oldest and least engaged with the brothers' constant fighting. Hansa meets him before the ship she is on sinks.
Without much description of the tide, I went for a being that looks like has isolated itself, letting other creatures of the sea grow upon it. Having met Hansa near a crag of rocks, this tide takes a less watery appearance and instead a more sturdy, reliable one
Tide Concepts
As it turns out, Hansa's grandmother, the moon, takes advantage of Hansa's wish to see her mother again. She gifts hansa the tear, knowing it would ruin her human body, and sends her through a forest that ages her up tens of years.
When Hansa finally meets her mother, a star, it turns out she does not remember her at all, a cruel fact the moon hides from her.
I explored garnments that would evoke a sort of moon-like feeling. She wears an iridescent veil over her dress, she wears the moon phases as accessories hanging from her waist, and crescent bracers/arm rings. She also has other glistening elements such as the battern near her waist, and the necklace made of moonstones
Moon Concepts
Concept A was more traditionally royal looking, with elements pulling from nightshade plants, symboilzing her actual actions.
Concept B was meant to evoke a more modern royal look, going sleveless, and adding moon imagery over her.
Concept C came from the folktales of animals being associated with the moon, specifically rabbits. She would wear a large rabbit skull as a headpiece, and wear more work-like garnments. Her hands would be stained, evoking the craters on the moon, but also symbolizing her dirty actions (such as tricking Hansa into doing her bidding)