Starting specification drawings

Starting some specification drawings and making notes of aspects I need to change or reconsider. These are not mirrored so garments are not yet the same on each side. I intend to do this on photoshop. I wanted to see pieces together (of outfits). 

Drafted line ups

Some drafted line ups. I am really happy with color combinations and the models. I think there is the perfect amount of print. It makes the collection a little more dynamic and youthful and draws on other brands in the market place like lonely hearts. (Lonely hearts has always had small prints that from far away don't look like much but from close up they look really effective). I think the print is leaning more toward a masculine side therefore drawing on the ideas that girls can wear boys clothes. 

More shading. I have taken this to the printers and was once again really happy with the results. 

Women's line up. Really happy again all though a few things to fix. 

Made browns darker which works much nicer as it allows the khaki to come forward a bit more. 

IDEAS FOR ILLUSTRATION:

I have spoken to the printers about printing on canvas paper as I think this would produce a really nice grainy effect that would bring across the idea of being natural and sustainable well. Saying this, I did not want the line up to have this whole effect therefore I thought that printing on a clear plastic and sewing it to the canvas could bring together all of these ideas. This would also bring forward the concept of layering that is explored throughout my past collection and this one. I also used layering in my last illustrations with stitching, paper and collage. After speaking to Holly she said I should try sewing down the shape of my zero wast pattern on the canvas (behind line up) to bring forward the ideas of zero waste. I really like this idea and I am working on finalizing this pattern. The zero waste garments would also have green top stitching to show the consumer that they are the zero waste pieces. American Apparel has a similar concept when they use sustainable fabrics in their garments. 

Photoshopping people and pattern into drawings

This post looks at an example of how I am putting people and pattern into my garments. I picked the people off the internet because no one I knew in real life really suited my market. They are both supposed to reassemble a professional model therefore around 20-25 in age. I wanted them both to look attractive and stylish. I came across the man's head on style.com. I liked the cheese cutter hat and thought it showed how a guy could put his own difference into my clothing. For the girl, I needed her hair to be up high so it did not interfere with the clothing necklines. It also portrays the busy lifestyle of my market, i.e. putting your hair up in a bun and throwing on some effortless Alain clothing! 

Putting in a pattern to sleeves and attempting shading. Using techniques learnt in class to achieve this. Working on drafted line up. 

Adding color to line front drawings

I have edited out one of the outfits (the one with vest and jacket connected and large pocket pleated pants). I did this because it looked to similar to the other outfit with quilted vest and for a collection I really want to show different concepts instead of saying the same thing in a different way. I have also decided to do the line up in a men's and women's (not just styled) as I believe they wear it in such different ways so it is worth it to show this versatility. 

Blank sections would be the gun print, i.e. the long sleeved tee and t-shirt under jacket. This brown needs to be darker. 

Backs and fabric samples

Putting together outfits - line drawings

This jacket is a zero waste piece that I have been developing. It can be worn three ways. Firstly, open as the man is wearing it in this picture. Secondly it can be tied as the women is wearing it. Lastly it can be fastened (on woman) with a flap that comes from inside. Working on a zero waste t-shirt. I have styled the figures slightly differently to show how people can wear the clothes their own way. 

Crossover jacket that woman wears closed most likely but has a series of fastenings so cross over flap can be tighter or loose. Bringing through the idea of a tapered trouser at the ankle for the woman with an elastic tie that is sold in addition to pants. Shirt is zero waste, working on pattern now. 

One of my favorite outfits. Jacket on man is possibly specific (have not quite decided) and is intended to enhance the idea of protective padding. T-shirt would have gun print. 

Machine quilted panels would line the sides of these drop crotch trousers. Would be in a warm grey merino. Can imagine someone from a younger market really loving these. For example they would be worn to uni, on the weekend etc. Jumper has loose turtle neck shape. Possibly needs more detail. 

Overcoming the issues with mens vs women's armhole here by having a vest that leans more toward women's arm hole shape (higher on shoulder line) then having a loose jacket that man wears over the top. These corduroy pants would fasten with belt. NEED POCKETS. 

One of my least favorite garments as I think this one is too similar to the one above. I like the large pleated pocket pants however. 

Vest that is women's specific and is worn over the top of loose jumper. I really like this tailored shape, I think it contradicts effectively with the looseness of the rest of the outfit. The pants once again follow the idea of being tapered around the ankle, this belt can then be tied around hips for man. Shop assistant would also suggest tying a belt that you have at home around these areas to promote the different/unusual ways you can wear the clothing, without buying more. 

Following through the corduroy pants with this contrast jacket. sleeves and collar would be in this thick corduroy fabric. Bringing through the machine quilting in pockets. 

I wanted to include something that was not pants in my collection so I made this jumpsuit that a man wears either without arm section up or with a t-shirt over the top. (It they are daring enough, I would love to see the jumpsuit worn as an everyday piece for a man). Gun print on long sleeved top.

Patterned t-shirts and pants

Some t-shirts that I put together on photoshop using a t-shirt template. The bottom t-shirt has machine quilting inspired by the 'protective' element of the Margareta collection. Apart from my dodgy photoshop skills I like the way these tee's turned out, especially the bottom one! I think they are unisex (girls could wear them as a dress) and would appeal to my market as they are a great layering leather and easy to throw on.



These are some pants that I also put together on photo shop. I used the gun print that I developed already. I think they look really great on pants. They remind me of ksubi pants or something of this market which fits right in to the type of clothing audience that I want to create. The padded pants could go with padded tee! I should pad pocket areas, both front and back of pants.

Zero waste Shirt and Jacket for Alain

After Holly's tutorial I was inspired to start my Zero Waste shirt. These are the steps that I followed to make the shirt. It is a combination of all of Julia Lumsdens techniques, evolved into something of my own. 

STEP 1: Drape on mannequin to get pattern blocks. I drape because I find it easier to get a better fit and understand what I am designing. For this shirt I wanted my concrete elements to be:

1. Look like a shirt (I wanted to prove that something that was zero waste did not have to be lose and distorted).

2. Grain line down centre front

3. Be cohesive with Alain collection. 

STEP 2: Transferring to Pattern. After Holly's tutorial I decided to combine the jacket and shirt together in one pattern as fabric was very wide and I couldn't get the length of the jacket without combining it with other patterns. I pieced the draped blocks together like a puzzle to make the pattern. 

STEP 3: Transferring to card. I make pleat lines straighter and simplify shapes, merging areas with outlines from blocks. 

STEP FOUR: Toile time! Because I have changed so much of the shape, I need to toile before using the actual fabric. This is the toile for the shirt. I stupidly sewed the back to front i.e. pleats are supposed to be at the back. I also forgot about a button wrap so need to add this to the pattern and re- toile.

Patterns

Playing with th 'protective' theme that comes from the Margareta collection, I wanted to creat a modern print that emphsized this. I came up with the idea of guns and targets so below are two of the prints that I made and then some further developments photo shopped on t shirts. 

This was the first one I did, I can deffinately imagine it on a men's tailored shirt in really small symbols. They re intened to give a basic geometric shape from afar and then you see the atual guns up close. I could play with grey on grey color combintions to make the pattern a little more suttle. 

I then outlined the gun shape and patterned it to create a similar asthetic as the pattern above but a little more suttle and therefore possibly more feminine. Even though guns are always asociated with men, I believe women/girls would deffinately wear a print like this. 

 

Here I am putting some prints on t-shirts. I think some of them are really effective. I need to change the color combinations to fit my collection but apart from that I think they could add a really fun element that would be popular in the market place.