Often seen as a figure of children’s entertainment, the hallmark of joy, playfulness and a bag full of tricks; clowns have been present through centuries lighting up every room they enter. Having a remarkable impact in films, literature and art across the globe, the frozen mask of a happy clown has painted across performer’s faces for decades. However this supposedly harmless, entertaining act is rather self depreciating and possibly punishing for a performer to enact regardless of their state of being. The ‘Sad Clown Paradox’ is a contradiction that exists between spreading happiness at the cost of one’s own despair. I aim to delve deeper into the suggestions of the sad clown paradox through paintings and films while analysing the way in which a generic clown uniform has evolved over centuries.

Often seen as a figure of children’s entertainment clowns have been present through centuries lighting up every room they enter. The frozen mask of a happy clown has painted performer’s faces for decades. However, this supposedly harmless, yet entertaining act is rather self-depreciating and possibly punishing for a performer to enact regardless of their state of being. Inspired by the ‘Sad Clown Paradox’, the Smeraldina top takes inspiration from exaggerated tailored tartan blazers and neck-ties worn by clowns along with the movement created by clothing as a performer performs their act.