Through her art, Forzani tells stories of diversity, acceptance and radical celebration, and strives to normalise and empower all bodies. One of her most striking designs, a wedding dress, is a powerful symbol of empowerment for trans women.
Yamuna Forzani: An Ode to Femme Queens
As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Yamuna Forzani, winner of the 2022 Dutch Design Awards, describes her work as a love letter to her community and to everyone who identifies with her ideals.
She explores themes such as identity, the body and femininity. Her visual language is playful, daring and has a psychedelic-sensual style. Textiles form the basis of Forzani’s work, and she often explores this medium in collaboration with other designers, artists, social initiatives and performance artists.
In the photo: Yamuna Forzani
Meaning
In conversation with Yamuna, she explains that this dress holds special significance for her. She designed it for a dear friend, a femme queen—that is, a trans woman.
'“Camp, extravagant and theatrical”'
This design was the grand finale of Yamuna’s 2019 spring/summer fashion show. She drew inspiration from the fashion collections of the 1990s, where shows often ended with a wedding dress—a tradition she found camp, extravagant and theatrical. But what fascinated her most was that the bride always stood alone. She didn’t need a partner by her side.
