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.

Julia Lumsdens Masters: A garment for the upper body with a collar and sleeves and buttons down the front

Juila Lumdens masters on the challenge of zero waste via a shirt is truly inspiring. Because the concept is relatively new in modern fashion, reading something that makes sense and connects with my own thinking is quite exciting. These are some notes I made from the report:

- Creating garments with creating fabric waste: Research into modern practices and cutting techniques has shown that on average 15% of the fabric used to create garments is wasted. Approx 50% of the cost of producing a garment comes from fabric so getting a high yield out of that fabric is of great benefit to the manufacturer. For Juila, her love and expertise in pattern making are cohesive with her interest in zero waste as she finds it easier/more beneficial to plan a pattern that will represent a design rather than a sketch. The desire to make garments without waste is not new. The square cut Kimono or Sari are just a couple of examples where zero waste have been used in history.
- Julia prefers to work on the fold as this gives the garment a more symmetrical appearance and aesthetic. Even when she didn't work on the fold she found her patterns were more of less symmetrical so through working on the fold it makes the whole concept more accurate and tidy. "By conceding to the design process I found that through construction, the patterns could work with corresponding seams of different lengths if I were flexible about the way the garments were constructed and finished... Where possible, I endeavored to keep the same seam lengths but also attempted to forgo the perceived notions of pattern making for the purpose of experiment.
- "The design process continued into the finishing of the jackets, where essentially the whole outside edges of the jackets were bound and then the front edges were folded back and stitched in various ways to create facings and lapels that highlighted the different style elements of the jackets."

(Lumsden, 2010)

Lumsden, J. (2010). A garment for the upper body with a collar . Wellington : Massey University .

Toms Movement

Apart from the fact that I really like Toms shoes, I believe they have similar/ really cool philosophies that would look amazing along side my collection. 

This is the toms story:

In 2006, American traveler Blake Mycoskie befriended children in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS Shoes, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One. Blake returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends and staff later that year with 10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by TOMS customers.

Why Shoes?

Many children in developing countries grow up barefoot. Whether at play, doing chores or going to school, these children are at risk:

•A leading cause of disease in developing countries is soil-transmitted diseases, which can penetrate the skin through bare feet. Wearing shoes can help prevent these diseases, and the long-term physical and cognitive harm they cause.

•Wearing shoes also prevents feet from getting cuts and sores. Not only are these injuries painful, they also are dangerous when wounds become infected.

•Many times children can't attend school barefoot because shoes are a required part of their uniform. If they don't have shoes, they don't go to school. If they don't receive an education, they don't have the opportunity to realize their potential.

I believe that in order for zero waste to work it would have to have a mantra like toms and a deeper STORY. This encourages people to have more of a connection with items of clothing which prolongs the wearing time reducing mass consumption etc.

Their website is really positive and engages with the customer in a big way encouraging you to get involved. Alain needs to have this open relationship between consumer and retailer.