Gallery: An exposition of Beatrice Beetleby Marchioness du Locks
Beatrice Beetleby: Marchioness du Locks
Conceived, designed, and constructed by Chani Hubbell
Beatrice Beetleby, Marchioness du Locks is a creature of the shadows in the natural world. To some she is a queen, to others a friend, to still others a tyrant. She rules those beings who live in the undergrowth, who have never known a lock, who have never needed a key. For that reason, she herself has grown an obsession with keys, and has quite the collection. She gloats, using them as decoration, for what need has she of keys who holds sway over the little creatures creeping paths unseen.
The jewel beetle wings across the ballgown unite the disparate elements and simulate the chitin of the beetles they came from.
The jewel beetle wings were a joy to work with. I used nearly my entire store of five hundred wings on this dress, saving only a small stash to use for my claws when I wear it for special occasions. They are real wings from real beetles. The jewel beetles, metallic wood-boring beetles, or Buprestidae are a protein-rich food source in the Thai culture and the wings are a by-product of that food industry, where the beetles are collected at the end of their life cycle on the forest floor. Beetle-wing embroidery (or simply beetlewing) is a traditional Thai artform, and art made with these wings has become a business of its own (look up Jan Fabre, who has become known for his beetle-wing art, even commissioned to do a ceiling by the Queen of Belgium!).
The lichen appliqued to Beatrice Beetleby’s wing-capes was hand dyed in purples and greens in a tie-dye style to create a meandering lavender and light sage color scheme which pairs well with the loose stringy texture. I’ve always loved lichen, and am quite pleased with how the textures came together for this aspect.
The headdress is made from strands of thermoplastic nested and woven and adhered together into a lightweight crown in a glamourous widow’s peak style. Then after being painted black, feathers were woven into the nestlike strands and individually set. The brow was then set with glimmering stones and jewels, and the crown was given long graceful antennae with some of Beatrice’s shiniest keys from her collection. It is also one of only a few elements to have light effects. The ends of the antennae light up for night events, along with the wing-capes and the cage of the skirt, which fades and glows like the combined heartbeat of fireflies.
The lichen appliqued to Beatrice Beetleby’s wing-capes was hand dyed in purples and greens in a tie-dye style to create a meandering lavender and light sage color scheme which pairs well with the loose stringy texture. I’ve always loved lichen, and am quite pleased with how the textures came together for this aspect.
The wings of the Marchioness du Locks are not meant for flying, but for grandeur. They sweep around her as she speaks, allowing her to make grand gestures. She adorns them with the delicate textures found in the higher branches she does not deign to reach: the lichen mosses which cling to the wood high above and sometimes crashes down into her domain.
As I make things for faires and for The Adventurer's Emporium I like to make things that are easy to care for and machine washable and easy to wear, and this idea was clearly incompatible with my aspirations for using this incredible taxidermy material. I wanted to build something incredible for the adventure seekers who find us in The Hut, but couldn't bring myself to make something for sale that wouldn't hold up over time. I eventually settled on leather as a backdrop, as leather can't be thrown in a washing machine anyway, so I decided I should lean into the impermanent luxury of the designer fashion world.
The sleeves have nearly 100 wings each, sewn individually onto skin-tone nylon in a pattern inspired by the historical beetlewing on the 1850's evening dresses which drew me to try my hand at this niche skill.
The keys are the personal collection of The Marchioness, on display to show her power. She is very proud of her abilities and nobility and lords is over others. Yet, insects and forest creatures unite together for collective power, and so she is loved for her status. The brass moths show this by settling on her, and she shows her might against those who would challenge her by counting their teeth among her collection. In a way, to her, the teeth are keys as well. Keys to a future for herself and those she calls her own.
I found this cache of keys on a shelf on a dusty shop and never took the time to count them as I sewed them on. There are at least 30 in the bustle alone, and though I put them everywhere I thought was proper, I still had dozens left over for another project. I knew the main inspiration for this character and design was the jewel beetle wings, and didn't want to detract from that.
To be embroidered the wings must first have holes poked in them, and while they are made of chitin, they are still delicate and can be easily broken in this process. They can be boiled to make them softer and easier to poke holes in, however they lose some stability and shift to a gold/yellow reflective coloring this process. Those of my wings which received this treatment were mixed into the general population for a natural variety of color.
In the bodice, the lines of smooth wings flash against the leather background and show off the keys set among them, as well as other oddities. Here and there a large tooth, and adorning the shoulder on a metal floret, a lacey and intricate bronze moth. The shoulders extend into deep blue lace overhanging drooping lines of chains and jewels. More found objects appropriated for her own brilliant usage.
Often distracted by the music of the passing breeze picking through the fallen leaves and pine needles, The Marchioness has been known to stop mid-conversation and dance alone
Beatrice finds many little intricate bits among the forest underbrush. People drop all sorts of things. Especially when encouraged. Necklaces. Beads. Bracelets. Thin chains. Jewels. Teeth.
The back of the bodice is a different style of beetlewing chaining. The delicate chitinous wings overlap in corded vines or branches up the spine and spread into blooming flowers of numerous keys, drooping like fruits to be picked.
Those who cross the Marchioness du Locks may find themselves wandering bewildered and alone, beret of all their belongings, on one of many far and branching distant forest paths, to seek their own destruction in the wilds beyond civilization. One must always mark one’s manners when approaching nobility for favors.
The skirts are made of mesmerizing layers of dizzying fabrics and trims as well, looped and flounced and sewn with beetlewing flowers, trios, and patterns, as well as keys. They are shaped over a tiered hoop structure to give the skirt more fullness and an otherworldly demeanor, which along with efforts to preserve such a delicate construction to be ruined through mere walking, often combines to create an ethereal floating effect. The paisley rainbow geometric pattern only partially conceals the vibrant neon peacock feather eyes of the interior later, and the long dark green frilled trim calls attention to the green of the jewel beetle wings and back into the bodice where they are so striking against the black leather.
Though she rules with an iron will when necessary, Beatrice Beetleby is a faelike creature beset with curiosity. She will often take moments or hours to wonder at the play of sunbeams trough the canopy and the dappling of the colors among the forest floor.
Beatrice Beetleby Is an original creation, born entirely from the need for the most extra aesthetic as possible and a long-awaited wish to work with jewel beetle wings. I was inspired by historical beetle wing embroidery on white evening dresses from the 1850's.
The claws are my own creation, I am thrilled with them. They are sharp and fearsome, extremely delicate, and rarely survive the use, but the feeling of power and composure is thoroughly worth it. They are jewel beetle wings themselves, individually rounded out and hollowed to fit comfortably on fingers. They did not have to be sharpened, as the ends of jewel beetle wings are sharp enough without further attention.
The nylon sleeves are unobtrusive, making it seem as though the wings are set into my own skin, and are attached via tiny hooks to the chains draping down from the shoulders of the vest. This serves to keep the sleeves from riding down through gravity or use or time. It’s always important to me that my costumes are as ease-of-use friendly as possible. This was an element that turned out to be key later, as use of my hands is impossible fully decked out with my claws. Though they are rigid, the wings do have a slight flex and keep a full range of movement even when overlapping as I’ve done in the upper sleeve, again letting my movements remain natural and unhindered.
Several brass moths and other details can be seen here, among the fantastical keys, old keys, new keys, key rusty and shiny and big and small. Beatrice’s penchant for over-dramatics pairs with her choice of elaborate finger accessories. Is her golden claw for aesthetic, or necessity? Those who dare to ask are rarely heard from again.
The teeth are hand-molded from clay
As a creator I prefer to work with natural materials as much as possible, and while that doesn't fully show in this character, I spent a number of weeks sifting through antique stores, found item bins, and my own collection of oddities for finishing bits as my design marinated, taking shape in my mind's eye. The keys however came from another inspiration. Years ago I made designed a character in a play who was the keeper of a kind of storage business for memories. She was adorned with a large sash bedecked with rings of jangling keys. I always liked that character, perching on her stool like a watchful toad, caring for and guarding these lost, kept, stored, and abandoned memories. Though a minor character, she made a bigger impact than perhaps was anticipated.
More traditional beetlewing trio patterns are spotted throughout the skirt and bustle, some paired with keys to continue the theme. Keys are also draped from thin chains meandering across the front of the skirt for another depth of detail, and the number of keys placed throughout the lace and tulle layered bustle interspersed with the glittering jewel beetle wings gives it an intriguing sound as I move.
The bronze and gold of the keys is mirrored going down into the bustle and skirt with a shiny sequin fabric that caps the bustle and draped down the sides, weighted down with keys and glinting with more jewel beetle wings. The sequined gold and the front skirt are trimmed with a wide band of zig-zagging black dripping opalescent purple sequin petals, which tie in another factor to the greater look, the long flowing wing-capes that hang from the lacy metal florets attaching them to the shoulders.
The vibrant purple of the wing-capes sets off the main greens in the jewel beetle wings and skirt and pairs naturally with the blacks of the bodice and trim, especially as textural elements are incorporated into them fulfilling the same level of detail across the rest of the garment. Though the wing-capes lack adornment of the jewel beetle wings, the natural inspiration is present both in the lichen-like netting appliqued onto them, and in the black netting that is pieced in to resemble moth-eaten fabrics, or caterpillar-nibbled leaves. The pleating at the shoulders allows the wings to drape naturally down the back so they stay out of the way, but that is offset by thin chains attached to their ends which clip to the wrists via tiny hooks and let me take more control over their movements.
Some who wander may even lose their will to return, and spend their days dancing among the sunbeams. Perhaps our lady of the underbrush could have related to that before she became Beatrice Beetleby Marchioness du Locks.
