Design development

I have started developing some of my original designs into more wearable pieces, created out of sustainable fabrics. I have taken what I see as the core design elements and incorporated them into my new designs, in which I have to tried to look at outerwear, kints, and tailored pieces, although the line gets somewhat blurred at times.

In these designs I have scaled up the triangle pattern and kept it three dimensional as it was originally. It may cause some construction issues as far as mass manufacture is concerned, but I feel like if it was kept minimal, to a few investment pieces it would be worthwhile. I really like the silhouette created by the jutting out triangular points, something I think references my concept well.

In these designed I focused on tailored jackets, looking at in the top line, the sort of connection of the stairs and the lines they create. I really like the sort of 'crack' the opening creates, maybe revealing something contrasting underneath? In the bottom line I focused on adapting the jacket on the far right, which was made out of many detailed panels and pipping. In the new designs I was trying to think of more production friendly techniques such as printing or machine embroidery. I have been investigating sustainable printing so this might be something that I could look more into as a design element.

In these designs I start to look at layering pieces, I was think mainly using organic merino, but I am going to continue researching into other sustainable fabrics that have a similar drape. I keep coming back to the same jacket I designed in my original line up, and I think this may serve as a nice anchor to my collection, as seen in the capelette to the left. In some of my previous designs (not included in my finals) I explored using this translucent effect, with the actual illustration of the stairs printed on. I think this may translate nicely into this collection, maybe its some thing I should come back to.

In this set of designs I am looking at the structure of the stairs themselves, using heavily fused fabrics to create the 3D effect. Im not sure how practical these are for mass manufacture and consumption, the practicality and wearability is questionable. I may look at transferring some of these designs into a print.

In my original collection I had a couple of pieces made out of the looped wool fabric sample I made, using a mesh underlay and a thick acrylic yarn. I really loved the textural quality of this, and it made a nice alternative to fur or faux fur which is very prominent at the moment (e.g) I was thinking of using organic wool, and naturally dying it or perhaps finding a fabric that embodies this aesthetic, or though finding one that is sustainable would be difficult.