Grace short digital portfolio

RECONSTRUCTED YOUTH Clothes we wore. Now updated.

The average customer for Urban Outfitters was born in the 90’s and this is what led our research into looking back at our childhood. For inspiration we looked at growing up with the clothes we wore from dungarees with patched up knees, to baggy cardigans, jumpers and denim items often passed down from the older sibling.

Programmes such as the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Full House also reminded us of these times. We are part of a generation that is stuck in-between child and adulthood, where some of us, even today, wear clothes from our past but we are wearing them in a new ‘reworked’ way.

Our concept is based upon using our past and u pdating this into something new that suits us today. The Reconstructed Youth collection focuses largely on oversized silhouettes and details relating back to the idea of clothes that you would eventually grow in to. Dropped shoulders and long sleeves are key details to be seen within the collection giving the large silhouette combined with the childlike image of the 90’s.

This is Reconstructed Youth- the clothes we wore. Now updated.

Group concept board

RECONSTRUCTED YOUTH

Clothes we wore. Now updated.

MOTIVATED CREATIVE CONFIDENT

ADVENTUROUS

ORIGINAL Mens customer profile

MENSWEAR- Shop Report Levi's 511 Nightwash Navy Corduroy Slim Fit Trousers £70

Stussy White Reflective Pullover Jacket £130

‘here at URBN, we are taking steps to be environmentally conscious now.’

‘...a lifestyle retailer dedicated to inspiring customers through a unique combination of product, creativity and cultural understanding.’ et e Jack

Blu Patch Loom £69

Shore Leave by Urban Outfitters Navy Waffle Gregory Shirt £49 - Sale £34.30

‘maintaining a layered history, but infusing a new, fresh atmosphere.’

(own photo) Urban Outfitters, Newcastle

fitters n Out a b r U by irt Leave versh Shore haki Zip O K Blake Bestseller) ( 5 £5

‘One of our favourite new season picks has to be the parka, a wardrobe essential for chilly mornings and breezy afternoons. A versatile piece, the parka works for any scenario. Whether you chuck it on over your basic jeans and tee combo or wear styled over a shirt, it’s a failsafe for your AW capsule.’

Urban Outfitters are an American fashion retailer selling clothing, accessories, and home ware products. Their target market is primarily aged between 18-28 and revolves around the idea of free and urban lifestyles with a mix of bohemian and retro with their clothes occasionally known to contain controversial designs.

The layout and interiors of each store are designed to reflect the lifestyle being promoted throughout the brand. Wood and exposed concrete can be seen in the majority of it’s stores giving an industrial feel to reflect the urban quality that the brand depends on.

When visiting the Newcastle and York stores, there was a clear colour story running throughout the menswear with the main colours consisting of khaki green, a range of blues, navy, black and white.

This will be due to the time of year being around Autumn/Winter.

The sstores that I visited featured mostly in-house brands but also stocked other brands alongside such as Calvin Klein, Farah, and Adidas. Particularly in the York store, I noticed that the main items for menswear throughout the store were tops including shirts and sweatshirts followed by outerwear.

My overall impression was that the stores reflected the brand very notably and you instantly get an impression of the lifestyle that you are investing in with this brand. The interiors gave a sense of sustainable resources mixed with an industrial feel which gives across its urban appearance.

r re-invest n e r w re-interpret w o r k

"The Rework collection is a starting point to bring back "freedom of design" to the high street in a responsible and exciting way."

Vintage pieces are also stocked with the brand now introducing a new label known as ‘rework’. This focuses around the idea of creating sustainable clothing without compromising on style. This label will be available online and at their flagship store with prices ranging from £40-£120 and will launch up to 3 times per year.

Sportswear

Retro stripes

Longer sleeves

Dropped shoulder

Oversized silhoutte

Trend research board

RECONSTRUCTED YOUTH Clothes we wore. Now updated.

Childhood

Accent colours

Oversized

90’s

Core colours

Key colours Concept board

Core colours

Colour and Fabric board

Core colours

Colour and Fabric board

Initial research

Garment Research

stripe/top stitch

exposed zip

Pin tucks sample

pocket panels

types of pockets

observational garment drawing

Detail research

Silhouette board

Dungaree development

Jeans development

Ob

awing ment dr r a g l a on servati

Jacket development

Hoodie development

Final garment illustration

Spec drawing

Final garment

Range Plan

Final Line up

Look 1: T-shirt with contrast stripe running down the centre front with another contrast stripe running horizontally across the front and back.

Oversized cropped Jeans with large turn-ups featuring oversized front pockets with a patch of contrast fabric coming out from the front pockets. Back pockets feature a wave of topstitch in the centre. A stripe of contrast fabric runs centrally through the waistband.

Fabrics used: White cotton poplin, water proof cotton, denim, twill and check shirting.

Look 1

Look 2: Large fitting jumper with extended length sleeves and a ribbed neckline.

Oversized long length dungarees with large turn-ups featuring contrast stripes running across the front and back with patches of check fabric. Back pockets feature a wave of topstitch and a strip check fabric coming out from the top of the pockets.

Fabrics used: Two tone jersey, denim chambray shirting, denim, white cotton poplin and window pane check shirting.

Look 2

Look 3: Large fitting hoodie with extended overall length, extended sleeve length, and an overlay of fabric around the waist featuring a large fitting hood, multiple drawstrings, and a closed ended zip. Large front pocket includes a patch of pin tuck detailing and contrasting stripes are across the front and back of the garment.

Cropped knee length jeans with frayed hems feature a side bellow pocket alongside a contrasting patch on the other leg. The back features a small vertical stripe and small stripes running through the centre of the back pockets. (outfit styled with black leggings worn under the jeans) Fabrics used: Wool twill, teddy, fine melton, two colour twill (zig zag pattern), and stripe shirting.

Look 3

Look 4: Oversized jacket with dropped shoulders and a chunky open ended zip. Hood features a central stripe alongside another stripe running horizontally through the garment. Bellow pockets with contrasting colour pocket walls are the main feature of this garment with two small ones mounted onto patches on each sleeve and two larger ones featuring a central pin tuck detailing on the front of the jacket.

Over the knee, cropped length jeans with frayed hems feature stripes and patches on both the legs and back pockets with a small square of check fabric coming out from the top front pockets.

Fabrics used: Heavy melton, fine melton, denim, white cotton poplin and check shirting.

Look 4

Look 5: Large fitting hoodie with extended overall length and extended sleeve length. This garment features a large fitting hood with drawstrings, a full length open ended zip, large front pocket, stripes, and pin tuck detailing on both the elbow patches and cuffs.

Ankle length oversized jeans with frayed hems featuring very large front patch pockets with a small patch of fabric coming out from the top of the pocket.

Back pockets include a decorative wave of topstitching and another fabric coming out from the top of the pockets again.

Fabrics used: Teddy, twill, white cotton poplin, stripe shirting, window pane check shirting, and denim.

Look 5

Look 6: Long length baggy t-shirt with contrasting fabric stripes running down the centre front and back and across each sleeve.

Cropped length oversized dungarees with large turn-ups featuring a central patch pocket, side pockets, a stripe running down the side of the legs, and a contrasting lining for the top half of the garment.

Fabrics used: White cotton poplin, heavy multi check shirting, fine melton, denim shirting, denim, and twill.

Look 6

Final evaluation Overall, I think I have created a successful final outcome from this project. I have learnt more about time management due to it being a live brief and how quickly each section of work needs to be completed.

Researching the brand has helped me to understand the customer profile and this has helped with my design skills through my design development due to it being for a specific target market and particular brand.

The manufacturing process was difficult for me at first but this has expanded my pattern cutting and sewing knowledge due to making mistakes through toiling and being able to learn from these and correct them for my final garment. I feel as though I could have created more samples in order to learn more about how the real fabrics would sew together compared to sewing the calico toile as I encountered a few minor issues with the thickness of the main fabric which was a heavy Melton when making the pockets. I am happy with my final garment outcome overall, however I could have possibly added more detailing to the back of the garment and maybe explored my design development more within my final product.

Throughout this project, I have found that my strongest skills are within the designing process and creating technical spec drawings for my line up. I would like to improve more on the manufacturing side of the process however I think I can become better at this over time with the more practice I have through any upcoming projects. The digital sessions from DEO902 have been extremely helpful to me throughout this project as it has meant that I have improved largely on illustrating my final line up compared to my last project and it has taught me skills that will be beneficial to me for any future projects.