Process Analysis Document Insentience Jennifer Fearn H00127178 E19CA BA Fashion Year 3
Fig. 1
Contents Pages 4-5
Brief
Pages 6-7
Research: Lace
Pages 8-9
Research: The Human Body
Pages 10-11
The Silhouette
Pages 12-13
Digital Print
Pages 14-15
Colour Palette
Pages 16-17
Fabric
Pages 18-19
Design Development
Pages 20-21
Workshop: Patterns
Pages 22-23
Workshop: Toiles
Pages 24-25
Workshop: Final Production
Pages 26-27
Final Designs
Pages 28-29
Beauty By Design
Pages 30-31
MYB Factory Visit
Pages 32-33
References
Brief: Sensations We were given a brief to create a capsule collection with the theme of sensations and were told to use lace as a starting point for inspiration. As a starting point I decided to look up the definition of “Sensation”. Sensation NOUN (feeling): “the ability to feel something physically, especially by touching, or a physical feeling that results from this ability:a burning sensation. I had no sensation of pain whatsoever.The disease causes a loss of sensation in the fingers.” (Dictionary.cambridge.org, 2015) This definition inspired me and made me realise that instead of portraying a particular sensation, I could take a loss of sensation as my inspiration. This inspired the name of the collection: Insentience, which means without feeling or sensation. To achieve this portrayal of a “loss of sensation” I decided to use the human body. The human body can experience a loss of sensation for a number of reasons, from simply siting in one position for too long, to a medical condition. My designs were inspired by elements of the human body such as the skeleton and veins. These inspirations are subtle as I did not want the representation of the body to be too literal. This is instead portrayed through simplified abstractions of shapes of the skeleton which were translated into the silhouette. I kept the silhouette simple, clean and contemporary to go with the feeling of loss. This insentience is also portrayed through the asymmetry of some of the garments such as only one sleeve, suggesting a loss of the other. Loss of sensation and the body has also influenced the colour palette. The warm, camel coloured wool was used to portray skin and the soft grey wool again portraying skin but this time showing a loss of sensation, through a loss of colour. Finally the pale blue-green, silk-wool represents both the colour of veins beneath the skin and a loss of sensation, as an area of the body turning blue suggests a loss of feeling. The lace element of the brief is used subtly and abstractly in my collection. I thought about the different properties of lace and how I could incorporate them into my collection. The aspects of lace I focussed on were the transparent quality, holes and the lightweight, delicate feel of a lace fabric. The transparent quality is evidenced through the use of sheer silk organza and fine-gauge knits. Various garments in the collection have cut-out sections although these are a contrast to the small delicate holes in lace as they are quite large. Finally the lightweight quality of lace is apparent in the choice of materials; the organza and fine knits mentioned before. The silk organza was digitally printed with a delicate vein influenced design. This print was also influenced by the qualities of lace.
4
Fig. 3
Fig. 2
5
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Research I began my research on lace by looking at it’s history and all the different kinds there are out there. At first I had wanted to try to create my own lace using a traditional method such as bobbin lace or needlepoint but after further research and thought I decided I didn’t want my collection to actually have any lace fabric but rather just elements inspired by lace qualities.
Elegant Timeless
Holes
LACE
Transparent
Delicate
Sensational
Fragile Patterned
6
Fig. 6
7
Research : The Human Body I began my research on the human body by looking at various anatomy books and pictures and drawings of the skeleton online. In my sketchbook I broke the skeleton into separate parts and drew them out. After drawing some parts of the body in great detail I decided I wanted to focus more on the shape of these sections and how I could distort them to turn them into wearable designs. I found the ribcage, pelvis and spine the most interesting areas of the human anatomy and decided to shift my focus to these. Designers and artists have used the human body as inspiration for years. As well as doing my own research on the body I decided to research designers who had created anatomy inspired garment. Most of the designers had made very obvious connections to the human body by using applique or embellishment to depict features such as ribs. Although I found all of these designs beautiful and interesting, I wanted my designs to be more conceptual and clean with just nods to anatomy. This concept of the human body and loss of sensation provided me with endless inspiration.
8
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
9
Silhouette I wanted to have crisp and contemporary silhouettes, for my garments, which had a luxury, high-end feel. I took inspiration for these clean designs from designers such as CĂŠline and Rosie Assoulin but the main inspiration for silhouette came from the shapes of the human body. As I mentioned before, I was particularly inspired by the ribcage, pelvis and spine. I took the shape of these parts and played with scale, distortion and simplification to create shapes that could be turned into wearable clothing. All garments were created with contemporary design in mind. The silhouette of some of the designs was inspired wholly by a part of the body and other designs only had features inspired by anatomy. I feel this simplification of these anatomical features created unique, interesting shapes which will intrigue the viewer. The two final outfits I made were mainly inspired by the shape and curves of the pelvis, with the dungarees also being inspired by the spine. This pelvic shape was difficult to get right and it required many different attempts until it was perfect.
10
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
11
Digital Print I wanted to create a digital print as part of my reference to lace. The digital print was inspired by veins and is probably the most obvious reference to the body. I drew a few simple vein motif and then scanned it into Photoshop to clean it up. I did not want a repeated patterned print as I felt this did not go with my concept. Instead I had to carefully work out the size of all the printed sections of my outfits and have the vein motif printed to exactly the right dimensions so that I could place my pattern pieces on top of the finished printed fabric. The design was printed on a luxurious silk organza. This print is the clearest reference to the inspiration of the body. It creates interest and is an eye-catching contrast to the minimalistic surfaces of the other garments. The print is only featured on two garments; one top is completely made of the organza with the print on the front and back of the bodice and on the sleeve. The print is also seen on a small section of the sleeve of the second top. This is an unusual feature but one which I think is very successful.
12
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
13
Colour Palette My colour palette was very much inspired by a loss of sensation and anatomy. I chose my colours due to their relevance and link to my concept, as I mentioned in my brief, but also because I felt they looked high-end and sophisticated. For my print I chose a contrasting colour, as the rest of my palette was quite muted and pale. The print is in a deep red colour which contrasts, but also compliments, the rest of the colour scheme very well. I think the red helps confirm, in the mind of the viewer, that the print is a depiction of veins.
14
Fig. 15
15
Fabric I made my fabric choices with many factors in mind. First and foremost the fabric colours had to fit with my concept and secondly they had to be of a high quality. I had an idea of the type of fabrics I wanted before I went shopping. I was ideally looking for wools, as my collection is for Autumn/Winter, and luckily I managed to find the perfect materials. The fabrics I found were ideal colours with just the camel colour being slightly different to what I had hoped for. If this were to happen again I would like to buy the fabric in a natural colour and try dyeing it to get the exact colour I want. I feel the materials I chose are luxurious and of high-quality. Pale grey wool - 90% wool and 10% elastane Camel coloured boiled wool Pale blue silk/wool blend Silk organza
16
Fig. 16
17
Design Development I was very inspired by my concept and felt it gave me plenty of ideas when it came to designing my collection. I found the design development very easy and enjoyable. However during this course and previous classes I have noticed that I am more comfortable designing certain garments over others. For example, I find it quite hard to design trousers as I don’t find them as interesting as other garments. I tackled this by looking at lots of different designers and trouser styles for inspiration. I think this is something I need to continue to work on in the future. A lot of the designs in my final line-up started as some of my first designs which I worked into more and developed until they became perfect. I found it hard to stop designing and make the decision on which garments would be final. I chose, with advice from the tutor, the final two outfits because I felt these best portrayed the concept, fulfilled the brief of 6 garments and they went very well together.
18
Fig. 17
19
Workshop Patterns Usually when we reach the make stage of a class I make all the patterns first, then toile all the garment and so on in this way. With this class I decided to pattern cut and toile each garment before moving on to the next. This method meant I could focus all of my attention on each garment and fix problems as they arose rather than going back to a pattern that I had not looked at in two weeks, as would usually be the case. I feel this method worked very well as most of my final garments needed more than one pattern and toile, to perfect them, due to their unique silhouettes. The only problem I encountered with this method was that I did not have as much time with the last couple of garments as I had given myself for the first few. I would solve this problem in the future by trying to stick to a timeline for each garment. The pattern cutting aspect, of the workshop half of the course, was one of the most difficult parts of the process, for me. In my third year at university my confidence in my pattern cutting abilities has massively increased therefore although I found this process challenging, I also felt calmer about it than I would have in previous years. The most difficult patterns for me were the bodice half of the dress and the jacket. These both required many adjustments after the first toile. The bodice of the dress required a lot of changes due to its asymmetric style and unusual fit and shape. The jacket was very different from the classic tailored jacket style I had made before as there was no lapel or collar and it large sleeves which slotted into the princess seams, rather than the armholes. I solved these problems through trial and error until I had perfect patterns.
20
Fig. 18 21
Workshop Toiles As I mentioned before, I focussed on one garment at a time this semester. The first outfit I started on was the dress which is composed of a top and skirt that come apart and can be worn as separates. Due to the cut-out areas of the design and asymmetric qualities, these garments required going back to the patterns for small adjustments and re-toiling many times. I had to change the fit of the design slightly as it was impossible to keep the bodice in place in the first design. The one-sleeved blouse under the dress was a simple enough design but needed a couple of toiles just to get the length and fit perfect. Outfit number two of the finals was less difficult and required much fewer toiles. The only problems I encountered with the trousers were how to achieve the rounded shape at the hips which I desired. With a little trial and error I managed to work it out. The first jacket toile I made turned out to be very different to what I had expected. There were so many problems that instead of going back to my pattern and trying to adjust it, I took new measurements and remade the whole pattern and toile. This second toile turned out to be much better and only slight adjustments were made to the fit of the jacket.
22
Fig. 19 23
Workshop Final Production As I took so much care when creating my final patterns and toiles, I did not encounter too many problems in the production of my final garments. I worked in roughly the same order for final production as I had for the pattern cutting and toiling sections of the process. I first created the skirt and top final pieces for the dress, minus lining. These outer-shells were quite simple to make as they required no over locking because they were to be lined. Next I made the blouse to go with my trousers. This was more time consuming as I French seamed the whole top and it was the first time I had tried this technique. I am very pleased with the result and feel it has a very high-end feel due to the high quality finish. Once I had received my digital print I began making the organza crop top. This was my first experience using organza. I found it very difficult to begin with but after a few practices I gained confidence and actually found it a very nice material to work with, if you are patient with it. Again this was fully French seamed together and after a lot of thought I finished the hem, collar and sleeve cuff with a very neat, small doubleturned hem. I am very pleased with the quality of finish of this garment and I think you can tell a lot of time and effort has went into its production. Next I began on the production of the trousers. The main body of the trousers should have been simple to make, much like the toile, but I encountered a couple of problems. Firstly, once I had sewn the trousers together I decided I was not happy with the shape of the hips, which were supposed to be curved like the pelvis. To resolve this I decided to add contrasting panels to the top of the trousers. As I had already made French seams on the side seams, this was difficult. Although it was a challenge I am very happy with the result and much prefer the new design. Finally I started to make the jacket. The main body of the jacket was relatively easy to make and did not take too long however I encountered problems when trying to line it. Due to the unusual design of the jacket I encountered problems when joining the lining to the facings. I resolved these issues but in hindsight I think there are a few changes I would have made to the jacket design at the pattern stage or I would have left the jacket unlined and finished it in another way. Overall though I am very happy with the jacket design and it is one of my favourite garments I have ever made.
24
Fig. 20
Fig. 21
Fig. 22
25
Word Count—2554
Final Designs
26
Fig. 23
Fig. 24
Fig. 25
27
Fig. 26
Beauty by Design- Fashioning the Renaissance The Beauty by Design exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh, aims to make people question modern society’s perception of beauty. Using the rounded figures of renaissance art as inspiration designers, artists and academics have banded together to create works of art that challenge these views. Mal Burkinshaw’s ‘Silhouettes en Dentelle’ series was inspired by the portraits of prominent figures in Scottish society of past such as Mary, Queen of Scots, Margaret Graham, Lady Napier, James VI & I as a boy, Lady Agnes Stuart and Lady Arabella Stuart. From these paintings Burkinshaw focused on the physiques and garments of the sitter. He created a collection of 6 jackets graduating from small to large which did not follow regular UK sizing, he also wanted the jackets to be non-gender specific. The jacket silhouettes are based on a classic tailored style. They are made from black ‘high-performance’ netting which has then had lace hand appliqued on to it, a process which took over 800 hours. The lace, supplied by Sophie Hallette, references the renaissance paintings and the prolific use of it during that time period. The lace has been attached in such a way as to illustrate the shapes and sizes of not only the people of the renaissance period but their clothing. (Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 2014) The range in sizes of the jackets conveys the message that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes as each jacket is as beautiful as the next, no matter what size it is. I think the use of lace works well here because it has the ability to conceal or reveal and that element of its design compliments this exhibition’s efforts to combat modern beauty ideals. The sheer fabric used, to me, displays that people do not need to hide behind fabric and that we do not need to cover ourselves up if we are not a size zero. These jackets, if worn, would reveal a lot of the body but would still look elegant and beautiful. The jackets have a romantic yet pragmatic feel due to the classic, non-trend led design. The basic tailored jacket silhouette also conforms to the non-gender specific approach as this particular design appears in both men and women’s clothing. Lace is a fabric which today, is synonymous with womenswear and very rarely used in menswear except in a high-end, niche market. This was not the case during the Renaissance period in which men wore lace collars or had lace trims on their clothing. (Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 2014) By using this fabric Mal Burkinshaw is helping break down gender barriers and promoting diversity in the fashion industry. I think the designer has done a fantastic job at creating fashion art which does not conform to modern society’s small-minded beauty or gender ideals. He has innovatively used a traditional fabric and subtly questioned and provoked thought concerning what we think is beautiful today. The detail and handiwork and skill involved in making these garments add to their impressiveness and make sure they stay ingrained in the observer’s mind. 28
Fig. 27
Fig. 29
Fig. 28
29
Morton Young and Borland Ltd. - Lace Factory Visit Morton Young and Borland was established in 1900. They are the last remaining lace factory in Scotland and the only producer of Nottingham Lace in the world. There used to be many Lace factories in the area where the company is situated but these other factories failed to compete with the new, developing companies of Europe and Asia and so fell out of business. MYB have succeeded in keeping up with the times by investing in a design team and new technologies. They’re traditional Nottingham lace patterns are popular in Russian and North American markets but they are also in the process of developing contemporary design collections to broaden their clientele and stay current in a competitive industry. The MYB mill is situated on the outskirts of a small town in Ayrshire. We were first of all taken to a room with many different patterns from past and current designs. There were beautiful old books on the history of lace and lacemaking. There was a nostalgic feel to the room with old fashioned lace curtains adorning one wall and the masses of lace patterns, drawings and sample books on the table. The sample books were beautiful and showcased many different styles of lace. The laces were all very textured and sumptuous to touch. We then began the tour of the factory where we visited the lace shed where the lace is actually made. There was the feeling of being in another time with the old Victorian machines and the rhythmic whirring and clanging sounds they made. The air was cool with a woody aroma. There were hundreds of thread spools, each one represented a stitch in the pattern. All the needles must be threaded by hand which is very time consuming therefore these machines only ever use the same threads – cotton - and five percent polyester for flexibility. All the fabrics are made in neutral colours and are later dyed if desired. The cotton creates a luxury, high quality fabric. The company have invested in new technology such as the Madras weaving machines which are much faster than the lace machines therefore can produce more fabric and they can be programmed electronically. Some of the old Nottingham Lace machines are also linked to the computers in the CAD lab now. They have also invested in computer software to aid designers. The designers use programmes such as Scotweave which makes the technical designs much easier to produce; in the past each stitch had to be hand painted on the design sheets. To keep up with global competitors they have begun creating more modern, geometric designs which are dyed, after production, in contemporary colours such as charcoal. They hope these designs will appeal to the UK market where they do not sell a lot of their more traditional products. The company also do custom designs for individuals, designers and companies. Most recently they created a collection for high street retailer Hobbs which was inspired by palace gates. Another way they have contemporised is through their collaboration with Glasgow based design company Timorous Beasties. With their help they created lace print wallpaper. The bestselling lace pattern from the 1920s was taken from MYB’s archives. The design comes in more than one colour way and has two differing repeats which can be hung together or separately. Morton Young and Borland have effectively linked their heritage with innovation to maintain a successful, thriving company today and remain the only lace factory still in production in Scotland. 30
Fig. 30
Fig. 31
Fig. 32
31
References Dictionary.cambridge.org, (2015). sensation definition, meaning - what is sensation in the British English Dictionary & Thesaurus - Cambridge Dictionaries Online. [online] Available at: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/sensation [Accessed 20 Apr. 2015]. Scottish National Portrait Gallery (2014). Beauty by Design - Fashioning the Renaissance. unknown: Scottish National Portrait Gallery. 5.
Images Fig. 1 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Digital Print Fig. 2 one gina (2008) Blue Velvet [online] available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/11408410@N02/2943130835/
Fig. 3 sutured infection (2011) skeleton (online) available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/11408410@N02/2943130835/ Fig. 4 Zitronenradio, (2011). Oil on canvas. [image] Available at: http://zitronenradio.deviantart.com/art/712011-1-192542066 [Accessed Apr. 2015]. Fig. 5 Von Freyburg, A. (2009). Untitled. [image] Available at: http://annevonfreyburg.com/earlier-work/ [Accessed Apr. 2015]. Fig. 6 Etsy, (2015). Needlepoint Lace. [image] Available at: https://www.etsy.com/listing/213752890/point-lace-romanian-style-crochet-doily? utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share [Accessed 24 Apr. 2015]. Fig. 7 Marchesa, (2015). Skeleton dress. [image] Available at: http://www.style.com/slideshows/fashion-shows/fall-2012-ready-to-wear/marchesa/ collection/9 [Accessed Apr. 2015]. Fig. 8 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Pelvis in charcoal Fig. 9 Etsy, (2015). Vintage anatomical drawing. [image] Available at: https://www.etsy.com/listing/94315888/vintage-anatomical-drawing-medical [Accessed 27 Apr. 2015]. Fig.10 Etsy, (2015). Vintage Anatomy Print. [image] Available at: https://www.etsy.com/listing/95796369/vintage-anatomy-print-antique-vertebrae [Accessed 27 Apr. 2015]. Fig 11. Jennifer Fearn (2015) Trousers 32
Fig. 12 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Digital Print Fig. 13 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Organza Top Fig.14 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Blue top sleeve detail Fig. 15 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Colour Palette Fig. 16 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Fabrics Fig. 17 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Front Lineup Fig. 18 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Dress Bodice Pattern Fig. 19 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Toiles Fig. 20 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Blue top close up detail Fig. 21 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Jacket close up detail Fig. 22 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Organza top close up detail Fig. 23 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Grey dress and organza top Fig. 24 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Jacket Fig. 25 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Trousers Fig. 26 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Blue top full Fig. 27 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Beauty by Design, jacket 1 Fig. 28 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Beauty by Design, jacket 2 Fig. 29 Jennifer Fearn (2015) Beauty by Design, jacket 3 Fig. 30 Jennifer Fearn (2015) MYB Factory Visit—Lace sample 1 Fig. 31 Jennifer Fearn (2015) MYB Factory Visit—Lace design Fig. 32 Jennifer Fearn (2015) MYB Factory Visit—Lace design computer programme
33