I decided to take inspiration from events this year, espcially those involving Tim Peake. The functional side of the spacesuits really interests me and I love the idea of the different graphics and patches, as well as all the different textures and functional aspects the suits have.
Images I took from the Cosmonauts exhibition at the Science Museum and and observational drawings. I looked in detail at the harnesses and detailing used within the functional garments.
After looking at the harnesses used in the Cosmonauts exhibition, I found some really interesting strap detailing in modern collections from different designers that could also be used as inspiration. I also added some military inspiration as especially within Rick Owens work you can see clear influences and comparisons.
Funtional Griffin adjustable jacket with strap detailing and velcro fastening.
More recent example of the Sleeping Bag Coat by Griffin.
Inspired by their military archive, one of Griffin’s most iconic pieces is the sleeping bag coat. This functional garment zips into a sleeping bag as well as a jacket, and there have been many adaptions of this design since they started such as the larger bellow pockets and longer length.
Archive vintage firefighters and their uniform and current examples of the technical and functional clasps that have been used in the closure of modern garments. I’ve still been carrying on the theme of functional garments that are involved in saving or improving the chances of someones life, like the life jacket and the space suit.
New York Fire Department Firefighter’s jacket: This jacket has an outer shell and an inner, removable liner which includes a closure and has multiple layers of material to provide the right thermal protection. I like the pocket details, inside and external, and the clasp closure, as well as the overall silhouette and quality of the garment.
WGSN forecasts showed a trend in sustainable fashion and thinking about the future. After completing my internship with a brand that focuses on sustainability, I found researching into sustainable brands and methods really interesting, and looking how we can reuse and repair our clothes, linking to a utility theme. Techniques like patchwork could revamp and repair old clothes as apposed to fast fashion that our society has become used to.
Exhibition in the Design Museum, London.
Katie Jones doesn’t like to waste anything and she goes out of her way to use up ends of runs of wool, and second-hand clothes which she cuts up to remake into her own designs with hole punching, hand embroidery, hand dyeing and knitting. “You pick a couple of battles when working with sustainability and decide what you want to target,” she says. “The one we tend to focus on is reusing all waste – how you can make something new but without having to use any new fabrics.” “When people talk about us and sustainability, they say it’s because we hand weave and we don’t use electricity. For me it’s more promoting the idea of making clothes that take a long time and that you keep a long time. Our overconsumption is the worst thing that’s happening on the planet right now.” Steinmetz does not claim to produce a sustainable fashion brand, although it is a long-term goal.
Examples of patchwork and repairs made, mainly on and with denim but also with alternative materials like leather, suede and corduroy.
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Inspired by patchwork and repair, I looked at textile artists and how they use stitch to create artwork as I feel this could be translated into garments. I also became interested in rust dyeing and how this is a natural way of dyeing fabrics in beautiful earth colours and creating patterns and print onto fabric.