Oxburgh pays homage to the acclaimed prison embroidery made by Mary Queen of Scots during her years in captivity, works that epitomize resilience and introspection under duress, and in some historians’ lenses, seen as the metaphor-filled, for the sake of political propaganda. Floral motives are largely sourced from Botticelli's Birth of Venus, and are complementary placed along with symbols from other depictions of Venus emerging from the clamshell, adding to the conversation on rebirth, and the cage-like narrative of purity and womanhood.
The embroidery, with detailing in silk threads and zari shade in the spaces within the design, the setting’s metallic sheen amplifies the visual dialogue being had between garment and viewer. This interplay is mirrored in the sartorial construction of the stylized sweetheart neckline, where the fluid contours of blue satin piping evoke the liminal boundary between water and sky, a recurring motif in Botticelli’s visual lexicon.
The pièce de résistance is the hand-embroidered panel, which intricately portrays the rhythmic temper of ocean waves and the celestial phases of the moon, which echo the push & pull dynamics in Botticelli’s masterpiece, symbolising the thread that links natural forced & emotional depth.and metaphysical symbolism embedded within Botticelli’s masterpiece.
Colourway: Porcelain with pacific blue and antique gold accents
Fit: Fitted till waist. Straight Fit from waist down. Ankle-Length.
Fabric Composition:
Vicose Velvet
100% Silk Organza
Bemberg Satin
dry clean only
