An Adventurous Identity Crisis

During these past two years in the Master’s program, I have been heavily invested in designing clothes that deliver empathy, as well as embrace diversity in relation to cultures and body shapes, leading to more inclusivity and sustainability. 

This thesis - An Adventurous Identity Crisis - is an example and my personal answer to how one designer can raise awareness about the complexities of transnational experiences, while celebrating individuals with cross-cultural backgrounds and their feelings of being a misfit in society through design. As a ‘misfit’ myself, having both a Danish and American heritage, I have embraced my own sense of disconnection and acceptance of my own cross-cultural identity through this project. To embrace, welcome and celebrate diverse cross-cultural identities, I have utilized the distorted mirror to destroy the normative thinking of one’s identity and to celebrate and underline the beauty of being different. Since the normal mirrors play a significant role in shaping identity, particularly in societies that emphasize physical appearance, they also create a false perception of oneself and influence one’s sense of self and identity. 

This project proposes the use of a distorted mirror concept in clothing design to challenge societal expectations of beauty and promote diversity. By incorporating playful and unconventional perspectives, the clothing aims to create a more comfortable and confident space for women with cross-cultural backgrounds. 

The mirror does not reflect the emotional and psychological impact that clothing has on the individual and their sense of self. Therefore, relying solely on the mirror’s reflection as a means of understanding one’s identity may lead to a distorted view of oneself.