Twisthat

Year: 2025

Material: ​hat made of sinamay, spiral hair ornament made of twists (synthetic hair), hook fastening

Following the acquisition of the “Braidhat” by the Center for Costume, Dress and Fashion, this two-piece ensemble was created – a sinamay hat with a matching spiral hair ornament. While referencing historical silhouettes, the piece is reinterpreted through its material: twisted strands of synthetic hair.

The spiral structure of the twists invites sculptural shaping. Their lightness allows for airy, voluminous forms that appear both architectural and organic. Spiral motifs are among the most ancient design elements across cultures – found in Hallstatt fibulae, Minoan pottery, Chinese bronzes, Indian temples, and pre-Columbian wall paintings. Hairstyles from diverse traditions around the world also incorporate spiral patterns – as symbols of vitality, identity, belonging, or protection.

At the same time, the work evokes the long tradition of jewelry made from real hair – once worn as mourning ornaments, love tokens, or vessels of remembrance. In this ensemble, synthetic hair becomes a proxy for intimate connection, symbolic charge, and textile expression.

What unfolds is a dialogue of cultural inscriptions, textile gestures, and historical entanglements – beyond fixed attributions. The piece approaches its subject not through appropriation, but through reformulation: as a reflection on form, origin, and transformation.