Emma Von Behren

Light in the Tempest Light in the Tempest explores the creation of mood as strategy; a study in how vision, symbolism, and form can converge to express an idea that feels both artful and embodied.

The project uses elemental symbolism and experiential design to build a conceptual world grounded in philosophical ideas of protection, surrender, and renewal. 

Through language, visual composition, and mood boarding, I sought to show how an atmosphere can be constructed with the same rigor as a brand and how abstraction can still feel tangible and emotionally legible.

This piece reflects my ability to translate thought into feeling, to fuse conceptual frameworks with sensory storytelling, and demonstrates how I approach creative direction as both an act of imagination and synthesis.

Overview
An immersive event concept exploring protection, guidance, and expansion through light, layering, and natural forces.

A runway show meets art installation, blending light, movement, and organic materials to create an evolving sensory landscape.


Core Themes

Lanterns as a Guiding Force – A structure that both shields and illuminates, serving as a protective force but also as an expanding presence.

The Sea as a Duality – Harsh and formless, vast yet structured; the only thing that can be both a rigid line and an undefined expanse.

 Organic vs. Structural – Garments and accessories made of raw materials (wood, bone, stems) juxtaposed with ethereal, delicate fabrics (muslin, silk, sheer goat hide).


Cultural Hook:

   

 - In a time of overwhelming noise, this concept argues for illumination as protection: a reminder that guidance and resilience often reveal themselves through surrender.



Moodboard


FASHION / GARMENT DIRECTION


Silhouttes:

The collection blends structured armor-like forms with fluid, elemental pieces, reflecting the tension between protection and surrender. 

Materials:

       Materials are chosen for their ability to interact with the environment: reflective silks, sheer muslins, absorbent organic fibers, and rigid elements like bone, wood, and shell.


Palette:

  The color story moves through sheer whites, earthy browns, ocean blues, and bone hues - a palette rooted in natural forces. 


Accessories:

Accessories are woven directly into the garments - lanterns, nets, and ropes become extensions of the clothing rather than separate adornments.



VISUAL & ATMOSPHERIC DIRECTION


Runway Setting: The Sea

  • A reflective, water-like surface that mimics the shifting tide.
  • Mist rolling through the space, veiling and unveiling the scene in waves.

Lighting: Expanding & Contained Light

  • Soft, diffused glow from the lanterns, symbolizing the duality of guidance and limitation.
  • Pulsing lights that shift in intensity, growing stronger as models move forward.
  • Models beginning dimly lit, their presence emerging as they move through the space.

Sound Design

  • Opening: Distant waves, low drones, faint chimes.
  • Build: Storm winds + strings + pulsing bass (heartbeat).
  • Climax: Industrial techno, metallic percussion, distorted waves.
  • Resolution: Strip to soft pads, water sounds, birdsong.


CHOREOGRAPHY & MOVEMENT 

Movement is performative rather than conventional, emphasizing interaction between models. 

Early passages are tentative, with hidden gestures and hesitant pacing. 

As the storm builds, models become more fluid, their movements released and interwoven. By the end, the walk grows strong and confident, a transition from uncertainty to resilience.

Models do not interact directly with the audience, but their gestures of guidance and illumination echo outward, suggesting a collective journey.



Symbols: The Tension of Strength and Surrender






Umbrella Lanterns: Handcrafted by local artisans, representing strength found through protection through both shielding and illuminating

Materials draw from organic fabrics, textures and objects, symbolizing a balance of harshness and softness, wisdom and strength.

Netting, ropes and braids symbolize and physically embody a binding, interweaving strength and tenderness .

Wind, sea, and the forces of nature demonstrate ultimate powerlessness in the face of challenge, forcing surrender amongst both fear and faith






Index

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