THE VISAGE COLLECTION!
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" CAPSULE FASHION COLLECTION 1 E19CA PROCESS ANALYSIS DOCUMENT" H00128543
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The Visage Collection is a capsule collection inspired by heritage for Autumn Winter 16/17. The collection combines elongated shapes with added volume to create a contemporary silhouette and style.Within context of sensation the collection is inspired by the designer’s interest in her own heritage - a concept that derived from a visit to Morton Young and Borland Lace Factory. The factory holds the only working Nottingham Lace Machines which completely transports the factory floor to a hundred years previous. Inspired by the fashion trend ReMaster the collection is influenced by the past. The lengthened garments and layering of clothes is a contemporary interpretation of previous fashion eras - primarily the Renaissance. Inspired by the trend and the old machinery still used to create innovative textiles in the Morton Young and Borland factory, the designer has formed her own interpretation of heritage - researching into her past and using older family generations as design inspiration. Several of the garments feature prints created from wrinkle shapes and lines that appear during the ageing process. The patterns are also inspired by lace patterns. Using wrinkles as part of a modern collection was a conscious decision. It is a personal statement to the way society and in particular the fashion industry view ageing. This technique is inspired by the work of Barbara Zucker, an artist who creates wall art from the shapes and forms of female faces. The artworks have a lace like structure similar to the wrinkle patterns used in the collection. Zucker’s concept is to fully embrace ageing by creating beautiful artwork from the wrinkles - which todays society tries to prevent and keep hidden. The collection has also been influenced by this concept.The capsule collection also features loose hand knitted garments. This explores the properties of lace whilst maintaing the aesthetic of an Autumn Winter collection. As a contrast the knitted garments create dimension and transparency in the collection and are easily interchangeable between the six outfits. The colour palette for the capsule collection is influenced by the paintings that have inspired the ReMaster trend. The dark grey tonal base of the palette is highlighted with a bold mustard and teal blue. As a designer capsule collection the garments will be sold in luxury department stores such as Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Harrods and Liberty of London. The target market is in the 18-35 demographic for individuals with a relatively high disposable income. The consumers are early adopters , not afraid to wear bold colours and and enjoy wearing classic pieces with innovative fashion. The Visage collection experiments with an individuals interest of the past, the process of time and how heritage can be a source of inspiration for innovative design.
CONCEPT
Figure 1: Print (personal collection)
 
CONTENT
Figure 2: Photography Grandmother(personal collection)
6 VISITS: PRIMARY RESEARCH MORTON YOUNG AND BORLAND/BEAUTY BY DESIGN
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8 PHOTOGRAPHY: PRIMARY RESEARCH
10 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT INITIAL THOUGHTS/ SKETCHBOOK
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12 ARTIST " BARBARA ZUCKER
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14 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT DIGITAL PRINT "
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18 TREND RESEARCH REMASTER AW16/17/ COLOUR PALETTE
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21 HERITAGE TECHNIQUES HAND KNITTING "
" " 23 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT " 22 MARKET RESEARCH
24 FABRIC SOURCING SURFACE TEXTURES/FEATURE FABRIC
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28 VISAGE COLLECTION " LINE UP/ WORKING DRAWINGS
" " 36 FINAL PRODUCTION " " 32 TOILES "
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43 CAPSULE COLLECTION THE OUTFITS "
MYB
A trip to Morton Young & Borland Lace Factory is the core inspiration for this collection. Walking onto the factory floor was a time travelling experience. The sight and sound of these victorian Nottingham Lace Looms transported the room to at least a hundred years previous. I found the machines encapsulating: the noise of the metal clanking, the enormity of machinery, the hustle of the engineers and the repetitive movement as each row of lace was created. Stated by Morton Young & Borland the “the original Nottingham Lace looms have also been modified and networked to the CAD computers in the design office” (Mybtextiles.com , 2015.) This shows that the design team at the factory fully embrace and appreciate the company’s heritage and still enjoy working with the original machines to create innovative patterns. I also appreciated how the designers are trying to change the perception of lace by creating fabrics that wouldn't traditionally categorise as lace. I was really interested in this aspect of the design process and therefore adopted the use of heritage as the sensation behind the collection.
Figure 3-5: Morton Young & Borland Lace Factory Floor (personal collection)
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BEAUTY BY DESIGN Also as part of my initial research I attended the Beauty by Design exhibition at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. The exhibition features contemporary designs that have taken inspiration from artworks created in the Renaissance period. As this related to my theme of heritage I found the exhibition rather interesting. I was particularly influenced in Claire Ferguson’s ‘Double Exposure’. The piece consisted of two dresses worn together to create a dress with dimension. The inner dress represented todays ideal beauty whereas the outer dress represented Renaissance ideal beauty. The garment was eyecatching due to the juxtaposition of the past and the present to create an innovative design. “The two silhouettes of the dress interact with one another through their outline, scale, texture and space… The two can only be appreciated when observed as one.” (Ferguson, 2013) This is a perfect example of how designers use history in order to create contemporary design. Although there were other design projects I felt Ferguson’s design was the most successful due to her concept and final outcome.
Figure 6: Double Exposure (personal collection)
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RESEARCH
 
Figure 7: Grandmother Photography 2 (personal collection)
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Influenced by Morton Young & Borland, I looked into my own heritage for inspiration. Similar to the factory I have been influenced by my past and older generations of my family and the affects of these family members have helped shape me into the person I am. To begin my research I created a small family tree of immediate family. I then looked at who has influenced me the most as a person; Mother, Father, Grandfather, Grandmother and Great Uncle. After selecting the five most inspirational family members I began primary research focusing on the process of ageing. Predominantly people view ageing as a negative and as a society we try to prevent and hide the process. I wanted to look at ageing from a different perceptive and create something beautiful out of the shapes and lines that form through the ageing process. The images I’ve taken reveal the natural development of age. I have used a black and white filter as I felt this made the image more defined in order to successfully use the wrinkles and lines that can be seen.
Figure 9: Uncle Photography (personal collection)
Figure 8: Mother Photography (personal collection)
Figure 10: Grandfather Photography (personal collection)
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Figure 11: Father Photography (personal collection)
 
DEVELOPMENT
Figure 12: Uncle Photography 2 (personal collection)
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I decided that I preferred the photos of my grandmother and uncle and so developed these further. These sketchbook pages show my initial thoughts of how to portray wrinkles; through draping, line drawings developed into shapes to create a pattern and developing the larger block spaces created from lines. By researching into different methods I decided to portray the wrinkles through a contemporary print.
Figure 13: Sketchbook! (personal collection)
Figure 14: Sketchbook 2! (personal collection)
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ARTIST
Figure 15:Time Signatures: ! Standing Smile: Judy - In Aluminium ! (Barbara Zucker) 2014
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Figure 16: Inuit Woman (Barbara Zucker) 2005
When researching into designers and artists using lace or lace techniques in their work I discovered artist Barbara Zucker. Zucker has a collection of sculptures called Time Signatures 1998-2013. Time Signatures is a series of sculptures inspired by the wrinkles on the faces of women. Zucker discovered that “When taken out of their usual context, the fine traces of lines on a woman's face are beautiful.” (Zucker,1998) Zucker found that her negative perception towards ageing changed to a positive by creating the sculptures. The collection includes sculptures based on inspirational women including historical figures, present icons, family members and friends. This technique will influence how I develop my primary research into a contemporary print.
Figure 17: Lilian on the Floor (Barbara Zucker) 2002-2008! Figure 18: Time Signatures: Cyro! (Barbara Zucker) 2014!
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Figure 19: Print Development (Personal Collection)
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Using the Adobe Software I started to experiment with the images. Using the zoom tool I traced lines and shapes apparent in the imagery to make a pattern tile. I then developed the tiles into patterns using different layer and repeat techniques. My aim was to create a print that no longer looked like wrinkles in order to reveal them in a different context. The images opposite show my first exploration in the pattern development process.
Figure 20: Print Development (Personal Collection)
Figure 21: Print Development (Personal Collection)
Figure 22: Print Development (Personal Collection)
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Figure 23: Print Development (Personal Collection)
Once I had finalised the colour palette I started using more blocks of colour in the patterns. I felt this brightened the patterns and made them look less like wrinkles which was what I was trying to achieve. The final pattern tile I created was influenced from my Grandmother’s eye and the wrinkles surrounding the area. I then developed the patterns through different repeat technique. Figure 24: Print Development (Personal Collection)
Figure 25: Print Development (Personal Collection)
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I chose this pattern for production as I thought the colour choice made the print eye catching but also because I liked the density and flow of the pattern.
Figure 26: Final Print! (Personal Collection)
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REMASTER
Figure 27: X&O Series Image ! (Karen Darling) 2010
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I started researching into Autumn Winter trends as this was the season I wanted to design for. As I was keen to use heritage as the key inspiration, I looked for trends that were influenced by the past and how to use history in the modern world. Fortunately the AW16/17 ReMaster trend was a perfect fit for my heritage theme. The ReMaster trend takes inspiration from costume, paintings and other historical references and evolves the past to create innovative fashion. Colours are chosen from masterpiece paintings and volume is explored in a contemporary manner inspired by portraits of wealthy women.
Figure 28: Matthieu Gregoire by ! Paul Scala! (Manuscript Magazine) 2012!
Figure 29: Metamorphosis of Narcissus (Salvador Dali) 1937 !
Figure 30: WGSN Mood Image ! (Bo Egestrøm) 2014
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COLOUR
Developing this research into the design concept I decided to use the ReMaster trend for colour inspiration and also for influencing silhouette. The colour palette will consist of teal, grey and yellow ochre and volume will be explored in the collection through the length of silhouette and layering of different weight materials.
Figure 31: ReMaster European Colour Direction (WGSN) 2014
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In order to create a layering effect in the collection I wanted to use different materials to portray this. As the brief stated lace was to be a source of inspiration, I researched into different ways to reflect the properties of lace using other materials. As the collection is for Autumn Winter it seemed only appropriate to create some hand knitted pieces - a skill I also learned from my Grandmother, therefore combining with the heritage theme. I planned to construct a loose knit piece for the collection to portray the transparency of lace. I also wanted to replicate the material used in Ferguson’s ‘Double Exposure’ by knitting a ribbed knit as well. I have chosen to hand knit instead of machine knit as I feel this will achieve the textile I desire to create but also this will be appropriate for the high end designer target market.
Figure 32: Wool and Needles! (Personal Collection)
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As the target market is high end designer I began researching into competitor brands and stores that stock designer labels. I visited Harvey Nichols in Edinburgh to look at how garments have been constructed: types of seams, fastenings, materials and when its appropriate to line a garment. Garments were mostly overlocked and top stitched with very few french seams. Invisible zips were a popular choice between the brands unless a zip was used as a design feature and garments were lined if appropriate with only coat and jacket linings attached at the top and bottom of the garment. I then took these techniques and finishes into the design development of my own collection. Competitors to the Visage Collection will include Christopher Kane, Matthew Williamson, Emilia Wickstead and Teatum Jones. I also created a customer profile from observing consumers in Harvey Nichols. (see Market Report.)
Figure 33: Harvey Nichols Edinburgh! (Keith Hunter) 2010!
Figure 34: SS14! (Christopher Kane) 2014!
Figure 35: AW14! (Teatum Jones) 2014!
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With my ideal customer in mind and heritage as the theme I started creating a collection that would be ideal for the designer market and suitable for stockists such as Harvey Nichols and Liberty of London. I tried to keep the silhouette clean and relatively long as a reflection of a contemporary perception of volume. I didn't want to create volume in the traditional sense as I wanted to design a functional collection that the customer could wear with ease and the lengthened silhouette allowed me to create a classic and sophisticated style within the collection. Sleeves are full length or widened three quarter length and necklines remain high - appropriate for the season and inspired from the ReMaster trend. Garments from different outfits can easily be interchanged allowing the consumer to purchase in a mix and match manner. Garments are fastened with either invisible zips, buttons or a belt. The feature print is used on several of the outfits but not all. I chose to only use the one print throughout the collection as I felt it helped the collection flow and the print would ultimately be the signature of the Visage Collection.
Figure 36: Invisible Zip! (Personal Collection)
Figure 37: Garment Details! (Personal Collection)
Figure 38: Stitch Detailing! (Personal Collection)
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FABRIC
Figure 39: Final Fabrics! (Personal Collection)
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When deliberating on what fabrics to use it was obvious that since I took inspiration from wrinkles - a surface layer - that surface and surface detailing would be important when fabric sourcing. Therefore I tried to choose fabrics with different qualities and texture. As I wanted the waistcoat to be a mustard colour made out of coat fabric I decided a thick woollen fabric would be best. In contrast to this I have sourced a Triple Crepe for both top garments in both teal and charcoal grey although light in weight the composition can make the fabric quite coarse to handle.
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In variation to this the Viscount French Crepe I sourced for the skirt is lighter in both weight and colour and is very soft in touch. I then sourced the Marvic M24 Charcoal which has a metallic surface finish creating an interesting tactile fabric. Due to the composition of the fabric (viscose, nylon and spandex) the material has a stretch to it. In complete contrast I then chose a mustard and teal wool for the knitted garments. The mustard knit is 100% acrylic and suitable for double knit. The teal knit however is 55% wool, 25% Acrylic and 20% Nylon and also suitable for double knit. Unfortunately I couldn't find a wool in the same mustard colour as the coat however I think the colours still works well as a collection.
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After sourcing my other fabrics I then chose the print I wanted to take into production. As the print was going to be used for a trail that will be attached to a top it had to be light in weight. After much consideration and due to costing I chose the Viscose Lining for the fabric to be printed on. I would have preferred it on a silk material however for the amount needed this was just not a viable option. The viscose lining had similar qualities to the silk materials I desired and was a more affordable fabric to print on.
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Figure 40: Front Line Up ! (Personal Collection)
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Figure 41: Back Line Up! (Personal Collection)
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  OUTFIT 4
NADIA PINKNEY
Figure 42: Outfit 4 Technical Drawings ! (Personal Collection)
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  OUTFIT 6
NADIA PINKNEY
Figure 43: Outfit 6 Technical Drawings ! (Personal Collection)
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TOILES
Figure 44: Toile Process! (Personal Collection)
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When toiling I focused on the shape and length of the garments. As I had already selected two models I was making sure the garments were the right size for each. I had no problems with the skirt. Starting with a size 12 block I tapered the skirt in and adjusted the waist to fit the model. The top wasn't difficult to construct the only issue was making sure the neck wasn't too high for comfort and that the panels aligned properly. I discovered it was easier to manipulate the top to the panel rather than the panel to the top and will take this into consideration when constructing the final.
Figure 45: Toile Top! (Personal Collection)
Figure 45: Toile Top Side! (Personal Collection)
Figure 47&48: Toile Skirt Side! (Personal Collection)
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The trail garment was the most difficult to construct. After several manufacturing ideas I decided the trail would be double sided and attached to the top with buttons - buttons on the top and the loops on the trail. The first layer was three times the width of the actual width of the trail - I then used elastic to gather in the material. The second layer was then attached right sides together. Unfortunately I couldn't toile the two knit pieces from the collection however I did research into how to create the style for both pieces.
Figure 49: Toile Trail Close Up! (Personal Collection)
Figure 50: Toile Trail! (Personal Collection)
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Figure 52: Waistcoat Side! (Personal Collection)
I also made the decision not to toile the pair of trousers I was making as they were quite a classic design and therefore I didn't feel toiling the trousers would be an appropriate use of my time. The production of the waistcoat primarily focused on the length appropriate for the garment and the size and placement of the pockets. Both of these were quite easy to manipulate using the models height measurements. I didn't make the belt loops and waistband as I just decided on the width I desired and created the pattern for the final garment. Figure 51: Waistcoat! (Personal Collection)
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Figure 53: ! Waistcoat Back! (Personal Collection)
FINALS
 
Figure 54: Final Production (Personal Collection)
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I started making the garments that would be quickest to produce - trousers and skirt. Both these designs have similar front slanted pockets and are fastened by side invisible zips. I made the trousers first and didn't have much difficulty with the construction. The invisible zip was the hardest due to the thickness of the material. The outer skirt was relatively simple to construct the only issue was inserting the facing and lining in whilst attaching it to the invisible zip.
Figure 56: Skirt Side! (Personal Collection) Figure 55: Skirt! (Personal Collection)
Figure 58: Trouser Side! (Personal Collection)
Figure 57: Trousers! (Personal Collection)
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For the first knit I experiment using different size needles before deciding the best way to create the loose knit I desired. I researched into different methods on the internet but it was more helpful speaking to people who worked in the wool shops I purchased the wool from. After much consideration I used one smaller needle (7.5mm) and one larger needle (12mm) this would create a loose loop stitch I desired. The snood garment is created using a stocking stitch consisting of one row knit and one row purl. As the second knit piece is a top I required more guidance on how to create it. Using the local wool shop and their assistance I managed to create my own pattern from the design I wanted to create and patterns already used in the shop. I created both the knit pieces out with the designated workshop time as this was something I could do without machines or technician help.
Figure 59: Snood Knit ! (Personal Collection)
Figure 60: Final Knit ! (Personal Collection)
Figure 61: Jumper Knit ! (Personal Collection)
Figure 62: Final Jumper! (Personal Collection)
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I had some manipulation to complete on the high neck top. The panels caused their own problems trying to get them both equal and sit flat however after experimenting in the toile it wasn't as difficult. I then had to taper the sleeves in as I wanted them more fitted. The neckline was finished with a facing as I felt this was the most appropriate and there was an invisible zip down the centre back. I decided to continue using grey thread on the teal material as I felt it was a nice contrasting feature.
Figure 63: Top Side! (Personal Collection)
Figure 64: Top Front! (Personal Collection)
Figure 66: Top Back! (Personal Collection) Figure 65: Top Stitch Details! (Personal Collection)
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Figure 67: Waistcoat Features! (Personal Collection)
Figure 69: Waistcoat Side! (Personal Collection)
The mass of fabric used to create the waistcoat caused difficulties for handling the material however the garment itself was not too difficult to construct. I decided to close one end of the waistband before turning it out on itself - if I was to construct this again I think I would leave both ends open and topstitch as it gives the corners a neater finish. Surface detail was important on the added features. The belt loops, waistband and pockets all feature detailed top stitching - this was done on a domestic machine however the garment was completed on the industrial machine. The waistcoat is lined and faced - I had some difficulty aligning the facing seams and the waistcoat seams.
Figure 68: Waistcoat! (Personal Collection)
Figure 70: Waistcoat Lapel! (Personal Collection)
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Unfortunately when I received the printed fabric for the trail and part of the top I noticed that there had been a problem when printing. Some of the print was faded in areas of the fabric. Therefore this was returned to be printed again - obviously delaying some of the production process. For this reason the collared top and trail were the last garments to be made. The trail was difficult to construct as the material kept slipping when attaching the two layers together. The elastic was attached to the material and then bagged out. I then measured the width of the trail in comparison to the width of the top and divided it equally by six to find the exact placement of the buttons and button loops.
Figure 71: Trail Elastic ! (Personal Collection)
Figure 72: Trail Side View ! (Personal Collection)
Figure 74: Trail Button Loops ! (Personal Collection)
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Figure 73: Outfit 4 Components ! (Personal Collection)
 
Figure 75: Front Top! (Personal Collection)
Figure 76: Sleeve Detail! (Personal Collection)
Originally I had planned to have a panel of the feature print down the centre arm of the collared top. However when presenting my concept and designs to the professional panel they stated it would be more interesting and flow with the theme of the collection if the panel was gathered creating volume in the sleeve but also following through the manner of the trail. I really liked this idea and reworked my pattern to accommodate. The top is finished with a soft collar that sits open at the back.
Figure 77: Top Side View! (Personal Collection)
Figure 78:Top & Coat! (Personal Collection)
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PHOTOS
Figure 79: Final Image! (Personal Collection)
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Figure 80-81: Final Images Outfit 4! (Personal Collection)
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Figure 82-83: Final Images Outfit 4! (Personal Collection)
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Figure 84-85: Final Images Outfit 6! (Personal Collection)
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Figure 86-87: Final Images Outfit 6! (Personal Collection)
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Figure 88-89: Final Outfits! (Personal Collection)
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Figure 90: Final Outfits! (Personal Collection)
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references
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REFERENCES
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Beauty by Design. 2013. Claire Ferguson 'Double Exposure'. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.beautybydesign.org.uk/ claire-ferguson/4586840390. [Accessed 04 April 15
" " David Revere McFadden. 2007. Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting. New York: N.Y: Museum of Arts & Design. p52-55. " Beauty by Design, exhibition, National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh, 2013-2014
Morton Young & Borland Textiles . 2014. History. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.mybtextiles.com/history/. [Accessed 04 April 15].
" Radical fashion, Claire Wilcox, 2003 " SensationS, On aura tout vu, International City of Fashion and Lace, Calais, 2013 " The History of Lace, Staines and Bell, 1979. "
Barbara Zucker Sculptor. 1998. Time Signatures 1998-2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http:// www.barbarazuckersculptor.com/time.html. [Accessed 04 April 15].
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VISUAL REFERENCES
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Salvador Dali, (1937), Metamorphosis of Narcissus [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/dalimetamorphosis-of-narcissus-t02343 [Accessed 04 April 15].
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Karen Darling, (2010), X&O Series [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.karendarling.ca/page12/index.html [Accessed 04 April 15].
" Bo Egestrøm, (2014), WGSN Mood Image [ONLINE]. Available at: http://egestroem.com/ [Accessed 04 April 15]. "
Keith Hunter, (2010), Harvey Nichols Edinburgh [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.edinburgharchitecture.co.uk/newtownharvey-nichols [Accessed 04 April 15].
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Teatum Jones , (2014), AW14 [ONLINE]. Available at: http://teatumjones.com/autumnwinter14/collection/index.shtml#TJ02 [Accessed 04 April 15].
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Manuscript Magazine, (2012), Matthieu Gregoire by Paul Scala [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.manuscriptdaily.com/ [Accessed 04 April 15].
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Marcio Madeira, (2014), Christopher Kane SS14 [ONLINE]. Available at: http://styleblazer.com/182841/runway-recapchristopher-kane-goes-fiercely-floral-for-spring-2014-collection/2/ [Accessed 04 April 15].
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WGSN, (2014), ReMaster European Colour Direction [ONLINE]. Available at: http://ezproxy1.hw.ac.uk:2309/content/reports/ #/WGSN+Forecast/w/Colour/23718 [Accessed 04 April 15].
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VISUAL REFERENCES
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Barbara Zucker, (2014), Time Signatures: Standing Smile: Judy - In aluminium [ONLINE]. Available at: http:// vermontwoman.com/articles/2014/1114/sculptor-barbarazucker/bzucker.html [Accessed 04 April 15].
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Barbara Zucker, (2014), Time Signatures: Cyro - In "radiant" acrylic [ONLINE]. Available at: http://vermontwoman.com/ articles/2014/1114/sculptor-barbarazucker/bzucker.html [Accessed 04 April 15]
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Barbara Zucker, (2002), Lilian on the Floor [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.barbarazuckersculptor.com/ bzworkingonlilian.html [Accessed 05 April 15].
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Barbara Zucker (2005) Inuit Woman [Steel] In: David Revere McFadden Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting New York: N.Y: Museume of Arts &Design. ACC Editions
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