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MÓNICA MILLÁN Design Portfolio
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MÓNICA MILLÁN Design Portfolio
“I believe that a garment becomes a way of significance, an element where it is possible to associate meanings, memories and to remember us who we are.”
N AT U R E , CRAFT MÓN ICA MILL ÁN INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER
I was born and raised in Bogotá (Colombia); I have a BA in Industrial Design with a minor in Business from Universidad de los Andes. I work as head designer of my own brand, DeCorazón, conceived from my BA graduation project.
& I N D U S T RY
My work is in constant search of a balance between nature, artisanal process and industrial production to create modern usable pieces. I believe that more than a way of expression, the garment becomes a way of significance, its an element where its possible to associate values, meanings, memories and remember us who we are.
My design process starts with the concept development; usually I develop it based on something that inspires me at that moment and that has a wide theme to research. It can be a trip, a photo or a movie. After thinking about the concept, I start planning all the different systems that need to be studied. It in-
cludes the market and distribution process, art direction, aesthetic definition and finally product conception. Besides the inspiration, my initial approach and project definition is very rational, and cyclic because as the project evolves all the different areas need to be redefined and need to evolve in every step so altogether can be the result of a good solution.
ART DIRECTION OCT 2.007
You show me continents, I see islands, You count the centuries, I blink my eyes, Hawks and sparrows race in my waters, Stingrays are floating Across the sky.
BJĂ–RK - OC E A N IA
ART DIRECTION OCT 2.007
We based on the song “Oceania” from Icelandinc singer Bjork. After developing seven basic concepts we identified three main audiences each one with a particular aesthetic. The first death line was developing a experience where we based on our concept and prepare a meal based on the main concepts and the audience taste. The final project was the production of a fashion story using the concept we´ve developed previously, this production included all the styling, make-up, design and production of all the details including the garmet.
AESTHETIC CONCEPTS
DIGITAL EPIC - Admires people with magical capabilities - Constant internal exploration - Fascination for the magicism, radiance and beauty exaltation. - Surrealistic imitation: Fairies, Muses and Princesses.
DIGITAL FANTASY - Technologic approach and modification of the appearence to create a world of fantasies - Fascination for the beauty and technology
EPIC FANTASY - Classic glamour remembrance, independent but romantic. - Constant search of balance between mind and body - Synchronicity
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT & SKETCHING
TSUNAMI HORMONAL
EXPLO R E. EXPLO DE.
ART DIRECTION DEC 2.007
PR OVO KE.
TSUNAMI HORMONAL
The city of Maradona, Evita and Gardel. Buenos Aires is well known for its incredible architecture, sexy tangos, great soccer and its exquisite food. As the summer arrives, the wardrobes changes. The attitudes change and why not evolve and evoke to a more latin style, more explosive, more hormonal? Important to remember the exploration of that erotic exotic facet that as latins travels in your blood, that seducts and drives crazy each man. Doesnt mean to be less independent but to ease a bit and be ready for new experiences. We based on the concept, “Tsunami Hormonal�. The idea was to create a line and propose a concept brand for Argentinian women. As latins the woman in Argentina need a little bit of latin flavour, of caribbean spice and the idea of tsunami hormonal was to conceive the concept traslated into provocative accesories. After defining the main concepts, we developed three aesthetics that let us define three main audiences, we studied them, propose the sensations manual, aesthetics manual and finally developed and proposed the final pieces
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
TSUNAMI HORMONAL - She is a jewel - Attraction to the erotic points - Over the top - Hormonal Exotic - Hormonal Erotic
CORALINE PRINCESS Sea shells, net and sand Sea side stories Lucky amulets Romantic shipwreck
RETRO PICNIC Romantic Vintage Memories Friends
FINAL
D ESI G N
Pattern Inspiration Nature Dragonfly Beauty
TSUNAMI HORMONAL
TSUNAMI HORMONAL
WEARABLE STORIES BA GRADUATION PROJECT
DECORAZÓN DESIGN SERVICE DESIGN ART DIRECTION DIC 2.008
“PRENDAS Y ACCESORIOS PORTADORES DE HISTORIAS”
De Corazon is a project based on my research upon the meanings the people usually give to the clothes and what type of feelings, stories the people create around them and how they connect this feelings to an especific piece or garmet. The idea is to preserve this valious meanings and redefined them on time. Decorazón was conceived respecting the environment and trying to educate to the culture of recycling and aware consumption. With two different approaches, what we basically do is the revival of vintage clothes, one approach develops personal and unique designs and on the other approach we have focused on creating a line of accessories with vintage fabrics mixed with other materials. The project wanted to tell stories, urban stories from Bogotá and to trace in the concience about the preservation of the meanings and intangible values that represent the objects to make them tangible and unique.
CLOTHING LIFE-CYCLE IN BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA CURRENT SITUATION
3-4 CLOTHES / MONTH
DONATIONS
THRIFT STORES
FABRICS
DECORAZÓN
SERVICE BLUEPRINT
1
2
3
RANDOM ITEMS
WEB INSCRIPTION
HERITAGE ITEMS
MEMBERSHIP CARD
2
RECOLLECTION
5
6
+ DESIGN // PATTERN CUTTING & CONFECTION
3
ITEM SELECTION
STAGE
BACKSTA GE
4
CLEANING PROCESS
7
STAGE
FRONTSTAGE
+
GATHERING
FB PAGE / WEB PAGE
STAGE
1
FRONTSTAGE
DESIRED SCENARIO
SALES SERVICE
GL AM O R O U S WA RRI O R Comfort Autumm - Winter Movement Urban
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT & SKETCHING
UR BAN PR INCESS Sophistication Autumm - Winter Structured fabrics Fine details
BOHEMIAN FAI RY Relax - Freshness Spring - Summer Lightness Natural Organic
FINAL TRANSFORMATIONS
BEFORE
GLAMOUROUS WARRIOR
BEFORE
BEFORE
BEFORE
GLAMOUROUS WARRIOR
BEFORE
GLAMOUROUS WARRIOR
BEFORE
WEARABLE STORIES
DECORAZÓN FASHION DESIGN // GARMENT DESIGN
BRAND DEVELOPMENT AFTER BA GRADUATION PROJECT 2.009 - PRESENT
CLOTHES & ACCESORIES WITH STORIES. De corazon is a brand conceived respecting the environment and trying to educate to the culture of recycling and aware consumption. With two different approaches, what we basically do is the revival of vintage clothes, one approach develops personal and unique designs and on the other approach is focused on creating a line of accessories with vintage fabrics mixed with other materials. This personal project is the outcome of my BA thesis, with some new conceptions and changes ive made through time and after receiving market feedbacks.
For more info please visit: www.decorazon.co
EXOTIC TROPICALISM This was the first line I’ve developed totally focussed on accessories, handbags. In this line I’ve used, vintage silks mixed with faux leathers to create bright pieces. My inspiration was the colourful of the tropic and the organic shapes of the flowers that match and contrast with straight lines.
EXOTI C TROPI CALI SM CONCEPT #1 Accesories with stories Each piece is carefully made with vintage silks that have a story that made them one of a kind pieces.
ETHNO TRIBALISM This line was developed based on the tribal prints, Indian iconic shapes and cowboys fringes. I’ve used discarded leather remnants for the sconces and the idea was to use all the discarded material from the main patterns
ETH N O TR I BAL I S M CONCEPT #2 Material and Resources optimization. Reducing costs and impact on nature.
ANDEAN TREASURES I’ve created this line while I made my trip to Perú. I’ve visited Lima, Nasca, Cusco and Machu Picchu. After visiting this cities and colourful towns I was amazed with the delicate and precious knits, but also with the great usefulness of their ancestral knitting techniques, how precious and unique their are, but most relevant and that I was concerned is the need and the importance to preserve them.
ANDE AN TREASURE S CONCEPT #3 Preservation of the ancestral artisanal techniques from South America.
SWEET MEMORIES This line was developed inspired on the satchel design, the patch and the use of vintage floral prints to mix with the leather. The concept was to create modern pieces with a vintage aesthetic that evoke the use of antique objects, such as the satchel, the camera or the bike.
SWEET MEMORI E S CONCEPT #4 The idea of using this vintage fabrics apart from its uniquenes is the importance to reduce the solid wastes on the water bodies, this reduces the product impact on earth.
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MÓNICA MILLÁN Design Portfolio