Design Development

Here is some more design development and the initial shape ideas that informed them.

Design Development

After testing out a short tube in my 3D latex technique I was keen to incorporate some latex garments into the collection as it is a material commonly associated with fetishism I wanted to use the fabric in a way which would remove this association by the way I used it itself and the way in which it was used with other more commonly used materials.

In the above drawings I have tried to think of as many silhouettes that could be generated from the 3D tube the champagne bottle produced. I also looked at ideas of using varying deniers, the seam lines of the initial fabric tube, exposing the write and wrong side of the fabric as one is shiny and one is matt. Also combining latex and conventional fabrics such as having a latex top with silk pockets and cotton straps.

Construction

A few of my initial ideas en-corpororated my theme 'Trapped' into the construction itself

Here is a pair of trousers and a top which have rectangular pieces of fabric trapped in the seams these pieces of fabric also have ties coming off them allowing the the wearer to do it up in multiple ways creating different looks. The pieces of fabric could also conceal inseam pockets, be made with sheer fabrics to create varying degrees of transparency, and tone or colour.

My other idea was the evolution of a fabric I was working with last semester where I was trapping tights in latex. I started to work with this technique in 3D. First I found a suitable 3D smooth plastic and fairly durable object which in this case turned out to be a 6" inflatable champagne bottle. Big enough to fit around a person, and most importantly, able to create a funnel neck shape, one of Wang's signatures.

Colour and Fabric.

This module is about couture and ready to wear, and personally the thing that interests me most about couture is innovation in technology and materials as well as strong original concepts. Whereas I believe ready to wear is mainly about quality exclusive fabrics, the designs should still be well considered and have a uniqueness to them but they do have to be wearable...and one way to do this is by making the fabric a design feature. This is something Alexander Wang does And something I am particularly interested in. 

I have made two fabric boards one which is mainly about colour and the second which is mainly about texture...there are also fabrics with different structure, drape and weights across both boards as you need a mixture to create a well rounded collection ranging from casuals, floating dress's to heavily structured pieces. 

Design Process

 After thinking about other things to research to help with silhouette development I decided to look at prisms. I thought that the prisms would compliment and contrast the sleeves I had designed as-well as being in keeping with my 'trapped' theme.

Here are some of the prisms I looked at and some of my initial silhouette ideas 

Design Process

I stared off designing sleeves as I realised all of the research I had done at this point about shape were shapes that I wanted for sleeves. This made me realise I had to do more research before I had enough to inform all aspects of a collection.

Here are the best of my sleeve ideas...here you can see softened triangular shapes, weight being elongated down the sleeve. knots and ties and multiple arm holes give a functional feel.

Silhouette

Although I had lots of ideas about what I wanted to make in terms to fabrics and detailing my ideas about silhouette were still quite vague I made this research page with just some pictures that I liked and I noticed that there were lots of elongated triangle shapes with softened corners.

Most of the images are of garments that are either influenced or come from the east. This is because I personally like this aesthetic and I think that Alexander Wang uses it in his work as well, But with more of a utility feel to urbanise it. I have also tried to explore that a little here.

I like this page although my own drawings don't really add anything too it and aren't very good.

Draping sleeves

Here is some draping I did in class, I was trying out softened triangular shapes that were also elongated with most of the weight at the bottom

I used photoshop to create mirror images of each of the shapes I draped.

The top one is my favourite because the lines are cleaner. I think i would like it even more if it was even more elongated so that it finished below to hips as I think that would be more flattering and would allow more space for the arms.

Scaffold Sheeting

I saw this on our campus as there was building work being done, I really liked it so cut a bit off for my fabric board. Its a plastic fabric with white string trapped in a grid structure between two layers. Its got a matt side and shiny side but I prefer the matt and after a bit of research I found that It's called scaffold sheeting and sold my a company called 'Monaflex'. I really like it because it incorporates my trapped theme, looks nice when light passes through it as its translucent and I think that it would hold structure well.

My Concept

Trapped

I choose to explore ideas behind the word 'trapped'. This is my concept board.

I like the idea of trapped and refracted light, and achieving the effect by the layering of translucent fabrics. Also of things encased in material and how they can push at and alter the structure (water in the bag and people in tights). I think that my 'trapped' theme is broad so wont constrain me to certain things it's also a theme which could be reflected in a literal or abstract way allowing me quite a lot of freedom.

Alexander Wang

The designer I got given to create a capsule collection for was Alexander Wang. I was happy to get him as I already knew a bit about his stuff and like what he dose and think I can incorporate my interests into a collection in keeping with his brand. 

Here are some slides from my presentation about his work.

The main things that I'm looking forward to about designing a collection for Alexander Wang is the way he uses materials and juxtaposes them with the garment. I really like it when fashion has a playfulness to it, which i think his work dose. Wang plays with materials, light deconstruction and tongue in cheek 'cool' and 'sexy'. His stuff is also heavily influenced by sportswear which gives it a playful feel.

Creative Pattern Cutting

Here are some different ways of pattern cutting that we were also taught about.

Spiral Cutting

Spiral-cut is a technique normally used for evening dresses when cutting on the bias, this is because the whole pattern is shifted 45 degrees including the darts. This means that when making up your bias cut garment it is less likely to distort and is also a creative way of eliminating darts by replacing them with a winding seam line.

Missoni - Spiral-Cut One Shoulder Fringed Dress

Cutting On The Flat

Cutting on the flat is a technique used for adding volume and gathers, the reason it is a good method for this is that it is more intuitive and immediate....you can see straight away how its going to look as you're already working in 3D. 

You use a piece of facing that is fine enough to see the original pattern piece through then simply create the shape you are after and mark it out with a pen when you are happy with it. 

Subtraction Cutting

Subtraction Cutting is a technique developed by a man called Julian Roberts that I herd about from my brother. I looked on the internet for some more information about it. Here is an interview with Julian Roberts talking about it and a stop motion video of the process.

Julian Roberts Interview

subtraction Cutting Stop Motion

The technique seems really interesting but perhaps limited in that garments I have seen created in this way all have quite a similar aesthetic.

Hand-Outs

Pattern Cutting Revision

Before starting off on our new project we revised some pattern cutting techniques such as manipulating darts, adding gathers, creating raglan sleeves and yolks.

This sketch shows the basic principles of dart manipulation, which i followed to get each of the designs below.

Below are a couple that also incorporate gathers, using the cut and slash technique.

Below is a photograph of my raglan sleeve.