Student designs David Bowie-inspired outfit made out of 15,000 plastic straws

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The dress Saffron Bramley-Astle designed inspired by David Bowie

A student has designed an outfit out of 15,000 plastic straws inspired by the late British singer David Bowie.

Saffron Bramley-Astle, studying Costume Design and Making at Nottingham Trent University, individually attached each drinks straw one by one and hand-cut them into shape for her final degree show.

She designed the outfit shortly after the death of David Bowie and it took three months to complete.

The iconic music star had been suffering from cancer and died in January 2016.

Saffron said: “I was inspired by the great legacy that David Bowie had left, not only on the world of music but also through his iconic looks particularly that of his Ziggy Stardust character.

“Costume was a vital element of his performance; bold, eccentric styles mirroring his equally bold movement and quirky vocals.

“I wanted to create a costume that would echo this eccentric style and interesting use of silhouette.”

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It’s made out of 15,000 straws (Picture: Sydnie Reynolds)

Saffron, from Derby, decided to make the outfit out of straws after becoming intrigued by costumes made out of unconventional materials.

She said: “I started to find out how I could develop the idea of using straws further and use them to create interesting movement and texture in a costume.

“To me, the creation of a Ziggy Stardust costume was the perfect use of this interesting technique as Bowie championed unique design throughout his career.”

Senior lecturer and module leader for Saffron’s course, Karen Bartlett, said: “Like David Bowie in life, this costume is both innovative and ground-breaking.

“Saffron’s eye-catching outfit has already drawn interest from visitors and members of the public who puzzle over its construction and functionality.”

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