Contents Brief and Concept Art and Style Inspirations Trend Inspirations Holland and Sherry Colour Palette Fabric Palette Design Development/Toiles Final Line up Chosen Outfits for Manufacture Final Outcome and Evaluation References
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Brief and Concept Taking inspiration from sources such as, artwork, the SS17 trends, and styles from the 1980’s, the student must design a capsule collection incorporating and representing Holland and Sherry fabrics in a new contemporary way – whilst fitting an urban lux aesthetic. The choice of fabrics and methods of fabric manipulation must be carefully considered throughout the design process, in order to represent Holland and Sherry, as well as the student’s own aesthetic, whilst aiming the collection at a high market level. The collection is named ‘7’ as this is the age of the designer’s younger sister who has had major influence throughout many of the design and style decisions; constantly reminding the student of her younger self and of a child’s world and mind-set being a great deal more fun, simple and imaginative than that of a ‘grown-up’ – a mind-set that the designer does not want to give up on so easily. The collection takes strong inspiration from the idea of one’s inner child and the desire to stay ever young and irresponsible. Linking in with this idea, the collection also takes aspects such as colour, pattern and silhouette styles from; 1980’s fashion, children’s clothing and artwork, as well as nostalgic associations such as soft play areas, classic toys, children stories and rhymes and dreamy bubble baths. The nostalgic and bright themes will take form through the bold and blocked colour palette, simple silhouettes, classically used denims, soft comfort jerseys and knits, and smooth technical fabrics. Through the use of fabric manipulation the inspirations have been represented in ways such as; blocked colour prints with the recurring use of Holland and Sherry fabric images against white jersey and poplin, foiling in fun and childlike shapes and patterns on a range of fabrics, simple appliques on PVC, and discrete laser etching and blocked panels on denims.
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‘7’ is a SS17 womenswear collection aiming to allow fun, creative females aged primarily between 18 and 25 to express themselves through everyday clothing. By bringing bright and youthful style combinations together, ‘7’ will introduce high quality everyday wear to an ever-changing generation of fashion, with the ability to dress-up or dress-down garments using the aid of accessories. The target consumer will spend a large amount of their high income on fashion and expressing themselves. They will most likely be involved in a creative industry and take an interest in art, journalism, photography and music as well as style. An ambassador for the collection would be Charlie XCX; expressing herself both visually and vocally, she is not afraid to stand out and make an impression. Competitors would be brands such as, Moschino Couture, Valentino, Christopher Kane and Miu Miu, these brands share likeness in target market through fun and youthful styles. The themes and styles of ‘7’ are likely to stir personal nostalgic feelings and create a connection with the target consumer, encouraging loyalty with the designer.
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Key Inspirational Elements From Galleries Visited
Reflective metallics combined with smooth, transparent surfaces inspire materials such as smoky PVC and shiny foils, as well as the idea of layering beneath simple silhouettes and sheers.
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The soft glow emanating from the bright lighting used within the pieces here, inspire comfortable base layers beneath more structured and boldly coloured utility garments. The misty effect also inspired the use of smoky PVC.
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This multi coloured tiled wall found within a bathroom inspired bold colours within the scheme and the idea of blocking those colours together using various fabrics and prints.
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The fun shapes and bold outlines used here inspire fabric manipulation techniques in terms of playful and bold pattern styles for methods such as printing, foiling, etching and appliques.
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Again, bold shapes and colours are inspiring here, this piece almost gives off the impression of childish art.
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The geometric patterns in this piece were a key inspiration throughout the print designs and collages created during the design process. The combination of bold blocked colours and edgy shapes were developed into collage patterns using Holland and Sherry fabric scans, in various colours and layouts.
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Nostalgic rhymes, toys and children’s general behaviour and mind-sets were researched a great deal throughout the sketchbook. The key inspirations taken forward from this research were: the idea of dreams and starry skies, recurring patterns and blocked colours as featured on classic game designs, the wish of never growing up, and children’s teary eyes.
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The student worked with and took influence from her sevenyear-old sister in terms of fabric manipulation designs and shapes. The student was keen to involve childish artwork within her collection, including simple drawings and shapes such as hearts. The heart drawings became a main feature within some of the designs.
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Bubble baths represent the sense of ‘7’: a fun, dreamy and enjoyable collection, allowing people to ease and forget about the more serious things in life. The beautiful patterns created using colourful bath bombs were very inspiring in terms of colour representation against white backgrounds. The dreamy and bubbly bath bomb images taken by the student were developed further to become a key influence in the diffusion collection.
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This image of the student as a young child was very influential throughout the design process. The location of a soft play area inspired blocked colours again, as well as PVC and various other water resistant fabrics. The outfit worn in the image was also inspiring as denim dungarees are so often linked to children’s clothing; the idea of reinventing denim dungarees therefore became a focus throughout the design process.
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Utility-wear SS17 Trend
Utility clothing is a forecasted trend for SS17, in which the student took interest. The work wear styles are updated and developed into fashionable garments with block panels and various interesting fabric choices. 24
The student took forward ideas of reinventing work wear to combine with urban wear with a luxury twist, through the use of technical fabrics along side classic work wear fabrics, such as twill denim and poplin fabrics. As well as this, some silhouettes were inspired by boiler suits, such as an oversized shirt.
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Digital Wave SS17 Trend
The forecasted Digital Wave SS17 trend is very focused on the styles of the1980s, bold and block colours and patterns, geometric shapes and blocked, simple silhouettes. The student’s inspirations were reinforced by the Digital Wave trend in these aspects.
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1980s Fashion
Building on the Digital Wave style inspirations, the student researched 1980s fashion further. Through resources such as the Vogue archive, easy-going styles were focused on; crop tops, soft comfortable base layers and classic jeans.
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Sportswear was a major focus in the 1980s, sporty clothing having continuously made appearances throughout the 1980s Vogue editions. Swimwear and leotards therefore influenced garments such as; hot pants, barely-there cropped tops and a reinvented leotard with twisted features.
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Holland and Sherry Visit: How does heritage link with innovation? How can this visit inspire you in terms of remaster, reinvent, and customise? In terms of innovation?
The trip to Holland and Sherry was inspiring in many ways, such as fabric choices, garment shapes and details, textures and ideas for reinventing the classic fabrics and styles within the students collections. The fabric story for classic trenchcoats has formed design ideas for outerwear inspired by trenchcoat silhouettes and garment details. These ideas include trenchcoat style jackets in modern fabrics such as PVC, as well as coats in reinvented shapes using classic trenchcoat materials, perhaps with printed surfaces.
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The Key West III fabric story uses fun colours within plain and gingham fine woven fabrics. The playful fabrics work well with the childlike themes throughout the fashion collection and have therefore been stimulating in the design process. The classic gingham fabrics could be reinvented using various options such as, surface foil prints, beading or simply combined with contrasting fabrics to create more unique garment designs. Again, the idea of mismatched check fabrics combined into one garment or outfit was inspired by the large range of checked fabrics in Holland and Sherry, as well as the sample garments on display.
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The embedded precious stone fabrics and the personalised fabrics created by Holland and Sherry for their higher end customers is inspiring in terms of the embroidery that will be included within the collections; names or particular small symbols, such as personal star signs could be included within the designers embroidery patterns for higher end customers.
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The vintage retro style adverts displayed within the Holland and Sherry building are motivating in terms of colour and theme; vintage advertisements from the 1980’s have been inspiring throughout the research stage of the collection and the bright colours in the Holland and Sherry photo-shoots build on the bright and bold themes of block colours. 35
The sample books and illustrations were inspiring in terms of document presentation and layout for the project, the organised and creative aesthetic of the Holland and Sherry trend booklets displayed fabric samples and key images in a manor of which the student aspires to.
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Cord fabrics and soft fabrics were inspiring for our fabric choices Holland and Sherry’s various soft surfaced fabrics, including cord fabric, brushed woollens and moleskin fabrics, partially inspired the comfortable and soft vibes throughout the collection, alongside the theme of the inner child. Many of these fabrics were available in pastel colours, which also contribute to the soft, playful atmosphere desired throughout the collection.
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The visit to Holland and Sherry has contributed a great deal in terms of research and inspirations for the collection; different elements being taken forward throughout. The technique of scanning in Holland and Sherry fabrics and creating print designs with them for various garments is the main Holland and Sherry aspect seen throughout the collection. This fits in well with frequent collage styles created within the sketchbook and will therefore be carried forward through prints inspired by Holland and Sherry, reinventing their fabrics.
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Final Colours
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Final Fabrics
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Design Development
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The technique of draping fabric on a mannequin was used in order to further develop designs along with sketches. This technique was effective in helping to visualise and develop garments with drape and twist details using stretch fabrics.
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Toiles
Numerous toiles were constructed for each garment being taken to the manufacture process, in order to ensure that fit and shape were correct. Details such as sizing, facings and plackets were altered in order to better the garments. Unfortunately however, the toile fabrics used were not a perfect match to the final fabrics to be used, therefore there were still some issues with the final garments, sizing being one in particular.
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Line Up Fronts
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Line Up Backs
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Chosen Outfits for Manufacture
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Final Outcome
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Evaluation The student feels that the collection successfully represents the styles and inspirations desired through use of playful and fun fabric manipulation designs, and through the garment silhouettes and features, as a whole. The brief of reinventing Holland and Sherry fabrics through an urban-lux aesthetic was carried out in an interesting and fulfilling method in terms of the student’s experience; combining her own lively and artistic flair with that of urban-lux style and Holland and Sherry fabrics. The student is happy with the final outcome of the fabric manipulation designs and enjoyed experimenting with the various techniques. Fabric choice within the collection was carefully considered with regards to all of the various inspirations, however some fabrics in particular formed a challenge for the student and affected the quality expected for a high-end target market. The coated PVC used to create a cropped coat was very difficult to work with; had the garment in question been of a simpler design it would not have caused such an issue. The rigidity and toughness of the coated PVC proved difficult in sewing detailed, shaped or small areas and would not bind using the binding machine. The student therefore attempted to work around this issue by hand-positioning binding and by using glue to construct areas where sewing would not give a good enough finish. Although these methods helped improve the finish of the garment, the student is unhappy with the quality and would in future chose a fabric that would be less difficult to work with, yet share similar aesthetics. 72
It was discovered that the white polyester jersey chosen for the base stretch garments within the collection was not as stretchy as expected once sewn together. This created problems with fit; the pattern having been made with a higher stretch fabric in mind. The construction methods used for the low back crop top also proved difficult using this polyester jersey fabric; the French seams created bulk which made the top tighter still, as well as generating great difficulty for the coverstitching machine on the sleeve hems, which could not sew over the bulk suitably and in turn gave an unprofessional finish. In future the student would test all finishing techniques in final fabrics before going ahead, as well as taking into consideration stretch amount more accurately. Although happy with the finish on the knitted hot pants, the student regrets how long they took to create. The manufacture of the knit fabric as a whole was delayed by two weeks and therefore the student was unable to have the panels professionally linked; instead doing so by hand which was very time consuming and inappropriate for the target market. Had there been more time available the student would have had the garments linked by machine to give a quality finish for the market level. The student does however feel satisfied with the collection and has greatly improved on and gained many new skills throughout the design process and manufacture of ‘7’. Skills that most of which will be advanced further in due course, in order to develop the personal aesthetic and quality of work produced in future.
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References “Another Minimalism.” The Fruitmarket Gallery. Edinburgh. 13 January 2016. Barrie, J. (2015). Peter Pan. MinaLima Design Edition. New York: Harper Design, Pages 10-250. (Original work published 1911). Barrie, J. (2015). Peter Pan. MinaLima Design Edition. New York: Harper Design, Page 40. (Original work published 1911). Bell, L. (2005). Cube 15 (Amber). [Coloured glass coated with inconel]. Edinburgh: The Fruitmarket Gallery. Braman, S. (2011). Your Door. [Car door, steel frame, plexiglas, paint]. Edinburgh: The Fruitmarket Gallery. Carroll, L. (1984) Alice’s adventures in wonderland. London: Gollancz. (Original work published 1863). Davie, A. (1961). Scented Arrow. [Oil on paper laid on canvas]. Edinburgh: The City Art Centre. Davie, A. (1966). Serpent’s Breath. [Oil on Canvas]. Edinburgh: The City Art Centre. Dunlop, S. and Tirion, W. (2015). 2016 Guide to the Night Sky. Glasgow: HarperCollins Publishers, Pages 4-86. Fashion: Mucho Mas. (1989). Vogue, 179(6), pp. 212-212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231.
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Finch, S. (2007). Shadows (After Atget). [Seven flurescent lights, fixtures, filters]. Edinburgh: The Fruitmarket Gallery. Gear, W. (1947). Tree. [Gouache on paper]. Edinburgh: The City Art Centre. Gear, W. (1962). Tree Image. [Screenprint on paper]. Edinburgh: The City Art Centre. Janssens, A. (2007). Yellow Rose. [Artificial mist, seven artificial lights]. Edinburgh: The Fruitmarket Gallery. KRAMER, M., 1987. Features: Undress for Success. Vogue, 177(7), pp. 217-217, 218, 219, 272. LulaMag. Digital Wave. Web. Available at: www.wgsn.com [ Accessed 23 Jan. 2016]. Moholy-Nagy, L. (1933). Sil I. [Oil and incised lines on silberit]. Edinburgh: Scottish Nationale Gallery of Modern Art. The Museum of Childhood. Edinburgh. 13 January 2016. Schueler, J. (1980). Summer Day, Sleat. [Oil on canvas]. Edinburgh: The City Art Centre. Stearns, Phillip. Digital Wave. Web. Available at: www.wgsn.com [ Accessed 23 Jan. 2016]. StokkeAustad. Patch. Web. Available at: www. wgsn.com [ Accessed 23 Jan. 2016]. Trend Union. (2015). General Trends SS 2017. Paris, Trend Union.
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