Spring / Summer 2013
Letter
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Mædate is a respectable and recognisable brand, both for it’s hand crafted purity and the concept. The designer, Sally Dewhirst has strong ideas on how her label is reflected and as her Graphic Designer, we have been able to work together to create the identity suitable to elevate Mædate to professional levels. Every garment is crafted with care and has a beautiful finish and aura to each individual piece.
As the pages are turned, more garments will be revealed and the
story of both Mædate and that of macramé will unfold. It has been a pleasure working with such a dedicated designer to her craft and to be a part of something so delicate yet substantial.
Hazel Gage
Contributors
Fashion Designer - Sally Dewhirst www.maedate.co.uk Graphic Designer - Hazel Gage www.hazelgage.co.uk Photographer - Anthony O’Hanlon www.arkidstudios.com Makeup Artist - Laura Pye Model - Lauren Richards
About Mædate
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The Mædate brand is a creation developed through the inspiration of the delicate detailing on Japanese warriors body armour. This delicate detailing is what led to the use of the crafts macramé and knit to knot threads, making this the focus on each product created. With the inspiration coming from Japanese samurais, Mædate felt the need to show the two sides of the harshness you would expect from a warrior and mix it with the delicateness that the armour shows, within it’s brand.
With the word ‘mædate’ being used to describe
a form of Japanese body Armour and also a type of knot used in the macramé process, it seems that it is the perfect name given to this brand. This form of ruggedness is shown in the products through the use of suede threading, and throughout its strong imagery. This is what gives you the image of the samurai warrior, as it gives a rugged edge and feel to the Mædate collection. When mixing this thought with the idea of it meaning a form of macramé knot and combining it with the soft alpaca wool brings back the realisation of the delicateness meant by the individually hand crafted pieces.
The skill of macramé dates back to the thirteenth
century. It is thought that is derived from Arabic origins and from this it eventually made it’s through to Europe and has recently become a skill that many desire to learn. Macramé isn’t usually a craft that you would associate with fashion garments, however recently
it has become very popular within the fashion industry
Knit is used from season to season in all forms of
in creating garment’s and accessories. Many designers
garments, jumpers, vests, and cardigans and even in
found the hype of using this craft in fashion, Gucci has
accessories. With this in mind, Mædate has but a twist
to be most effective in their Spring 2011 collection,
to make the original idea of knit and combine it with
the macramé is used in a striking way that it really
the macramé to create unique products. These two
captures the beauty of the craft making it look as
techniques fit so well together creating a wearable
though it should never been out of fashion.
art piece that it desirable to many.
Fashion is never far away from a knitted garment.
Mæmi £90 Michi £205
Mædate has designed a collection of 6 products for its Spring / Summer 2013.
This collection is a mix of accessories including belts, legwear, bag and neckwear. With each piece being individually crafted it is a time consuming process. Each thread individually knotted and knit knitted.
As a brand, Mædate is determined to push forward the use of this craft into
the fashion community creating a range of products that are each as desirable as one the last!
Understanding Craft
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Anyone has the ability to produce products using crafts. It just takes patience, time and passion. Textile crafts have been used to produce products for centuries. Due to tough economical crisis that has hit the country over the past few years people are keener to be part of the creative culture, taking time to produce what it is they desire.
The use of crafts has developed so much that many designers
have caught onto the craft trend and have brought them to the fashion industry.
Some of the crafts that we are seeing more of in fashion
are hand embroidery, batik dying as well as knit and macramĂŠ.
Hand Embroidery
The craft of hand embroidery is a craft that has been used for centuries to decorate rugs, hats, blankets, capes and dresses. With the development of machine embroidery during the industrial revolution, this original handcraft took a back seat for convenience. However, some designers recently have discovered the elegance of hand embroidery and in a recent collection YSL brought hand embroidery back. Not just into they 21st century but into the fashion industry, hurrah!
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Patterns
Patterns can be created on fabrics in many different ways. Most recently the use of digital prints are used for the ability to produce for fast fashion. A more traditional way is in the art of Batik printing/dying. Applying hot wax onto the material before dying is what creates something unique and beautiful! Most impressive designs come from Indonesian designer Dries Van Noten. He expresses his love for print onto soft fabrics and mixes them with elegant shapes. Truly beautiful!
Knit
Knit has worked within fashion for as long as it has been created. It can be used to create chunky knits for those cold winter days, or tight knitted jumpers to wear comfortably on those cooler days. MÌdate’s designs have taken the chunky knit to a new level. The chunky knit may usually be though of as a winter warmer but with the mÌdate range it has been created for spring summer, to be worn as an accessory to compliment an outfit.
Kata
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Kata £190 This samurai inspired product was created as an accessory to be worn over an addition garment. The neckpiece has two elements to it that make it such an attractive piece. The knitted section of the neckpiece is made up of 18 rows of knitted alpaca wool. The alpaca wool gives a chunky harsh finish but soft to touch. It is finished off with 40 strands of the suede threads the suede threads give the contrast of soft and hard materials. The suede is connected to the wool using a macramé knot called half hitch. This holds the suede in place perfectly so that the next stage can be completed. Using a knot called the alternative square knit is what has given the pattern effect on “Kata”. This innovative accessory is finished of perfectly with decorative beading on alternate threads to add a little sparkle.
Perfect to wear over every
fashionista most prised possession, a little black dress.
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MĂŚmi
Mædate has designed these leg pieces to be connected to shoes and sandals to give an outfit a new twist and touch of style in an original way. Each leg piece is made of suede strips. The pattern of the macramé is created using the macramé knot half hitch. The main cord is held tight in the direction that is desired, while the decorative cord is knotted tightly over. This repeat knot has created a pattern that is effective and works well as the leg piece. The ability of connecting them to shoes gives this product and edge compared to many with the fashion industry.
Mæmi £90
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Spring / Summer 2013
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4. 2.
5.
1. Kata / neckpiece - £190 4. Satu / belt - £150 2. Uta / belt - £110
5. Mæmi / leg pieces £90
3. Michi / vest - £205
6. Alko / bag - £75
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Future
Fast fashion has increased so much within high street stores that some stores have can new stock designed and ready for sale within a matter of weeks. With the detailing and passion that goes into producing the Mædate products it would be impossible for a brand like Mædate to have a turn around of a range of products within this amount of time. This is what makes Mædate stand out from the rest.
Mædate is passionate to produce products that
increase the awareness of handcrafts within the fashion industry. The products created currently are ones that are produced to be added to a previously owned garment, giving this a new style and lease of life. This idea of restyling garments to how the consumer wishes is what makes the Mædate concept uniquely different to any other crafted company. While this is something that will continue as the brand grows, Mædate would also wished to develop and expand in order to achieve always giving the customers what they desire.
To enable this, Mædate would like to move
forward in creating full garments. These garments would be made up of natural materials, such as cotton and bamboo, as the main body with selected sections introduced that will bring the emphasis back to what it is that created Mædate, the knit and macramé. This way of designing means that Mædate will develop seasonal products, keeping our customers up to date with all the latest styles and trends, whilst also keeping what it is that appealed to our clients originally, the use of macramé and knit.
www.maedate.co.uk info@maedate.co.uk