Process Analysis Document Project Sensation Obsidian Collection Autumn / Winter 2016 This project is inspired by lace, to start this project I started researching lace history, its origin. Lace is a decorative openwork web, was first devolved in Europe during the sixteenth century. Two distinct types of lace making, needle lace and bobbin lace. Lace was always an expensive luxury because of its painstaking, time-consuming production.
FG2 For this project we were forced to choose between three colours, grey, black and white. At first I was excited to choose the color black as it was one my favorites colours, but as I started researching I found it very hard to design an all black collection and make it look exciting and different and not DEAD!.
Black Butterfly Poem When you look in the mirror You no longer have to shiver Be afraid or ashamed? No. It’s time to fly Leave your shell Break through your nest of hibernation Be free to be who you are What you are How you are You’re a beautiful Black Butterfly So why cry? You’ve outgrown that stage of being afraid It’s time to take that leap of faith Into the darkest waters
Where they’re sharks still ready to attack Ready to judge Ready to depreciate your value to the world I am the first Black Butterfly The one who lived in a past that was full of sorrow That now lays heavily on my back Trying to breathe To be free from all hate As I step out of the nest I close my eyes and fly in the sky Free as I could ever be Black Butterfly Arise
I choose this poem because of its meaning, specially the second verse. Breaking out from your cage, your cocoon. Believe in your self, you’re strong, you’re powerful. You’re who you are. It touched me on a personal level too, that it’s ok to be different and not worrying about other people judging you. I want my collection to have a strong vibe to it.
Victoria&Albert Museum Visit
During my visit to the V&A I was inspired by all the artwork in the Glass Room, some of the artwork reminded me of lace, texture and shape. Two specifically inspired me, the first one is the Aesculus Bowl, made and designed by Gillies-Jones. I like this piece because of how the colors are mixed, it’s actually one color over the other, and I also like the silhouette. The second one is a Mieke Groot Untitled piece; I find it very interesting how two different textures mixed very well together. I looked more into Mieke Groot work to help me with my initial research.
Fg5 Fg3 Fg4
Live Drawings Working on the stand with different lace fabrics, textures, pattern and tape. Also did some live drawings. It was very hard trying to draw the lace details, fabric laying over each other. But drawing the different fabrics and texture gave me and an idea of how lace works with different fabric types.
Fg5
Black Butterfly
Fg6
Analysis
My inspiration for the Sensation project is Black Butterfly, specially the butterfly wings, shape, texture and the way it open ready to fly. The butterfly wing has so many shapes it reminded me of geometrics shapes, circle, triangle and rectangular. Looking more in to the shapes on the wings it reminded me of my Grace and Mabel project, so I think I’m going to focus on geometric silhouette.
Fg7 Fg8
Tord Boontjie
I’m looking at Tord Boontjie work; he created a new kind of species - a flower and light hybrid. Precision-etched metal sheets that transform into three exotic bloom-shaped forms. Future Flora inhabits the intersection of nature and technology. Future Flora’s contoured openings, fine details, and silver matte surface all conspire to illuminate space by casting poignant radiance. Packaged flat, Future Flora is assembled by connecting intricate metal sheets that comprise each design.
Fg9 Fg10 Fg11
Initial Mood Board I made my first mood board based on my research, I started looking at different shapes of wings, fitted, loose, big sleeves, and exaggerated collars. I’m not sure what I’m going to focus on yet, I know it won’t be a butterfly shape garment! Fg12
Circles
Fg 13
After researching and looking closely at different shapes of butterfly wings, I decided to stretch my idea and concept and go with circles. Looking closely at the butterfly wings I can see different geometric shapes. Squares, triangles and circles. Looking into historical art and fashion designers I found so many contextual references that would help me with my project.
Fg14
Experimenting
“Observation is a passive science, Experimentation an active science.” Claude Bernard
Fg15
Fg16
Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2014 Couture–French designer, had butterflies for his spring 2014 haute couture collection. It was very inspiring to see his interpretation of a butterfly; I like the structure of the sleeves. What I also like about this collection is that he took the essence of the butterfly and interprets it to these beautiful silhouettes.
Fg17
Fabric samples
Fg18
Fg19
Fg20
My initials fabric samples, Neoprene, laser cut leather and light organza. I wanted to use different fabrics in my collection not just one, my basic fabric is neoprene, and for the feminine element I’m going to add organza, still not sure what other fabric I’m going to use but for now its just these two. Not repeating last semester’s mistakes I’m going to do several samples with all the fabric I’m going to use.
Fabric Board
Fg21
Fg22 I found this picture on Instagram, the texture of the top, the design; it helped me with choosing my third fabric.
Fg23 I went to Shepherds Bush fabric market in a mission to find that textured black fabric and I did, the perfect texture and it goes with my thing and my collection.
The Making: Based on my research I started making my first pattern and toile, half shaped circle dress, it’s an oversized design. Still not sure whether to continue the circle or leave as a half. The fabric I’m going to use is neoprene, I might add different fabric not just neoprene. I decided to go a head with a full circle dress, sleeveless, the fabric I’m using is neoprene, there were two kind of neoprene, light and a think one, the light one I’m going to use it for my other garment, for this dress it has to be the thick neoprene for its structure design. After cutting my patterns and into my stitching phase, I was not sure weather to leave the edges raw and do a top stitch or just stitch inside out. However leaving the edges raw didn’t look as clean as I wanted to, the neoprene fabric was too thick to cut even with a sharp cutting knife, so I had to find another solution. I was playing around with fabric and accidentally the fabric frayed in my hand, and I loved it!! The final result was great I created my own fabric.
The Making:
Fg24
The Making: (Second outfit) My second outfit is a skirt and, long sleeve top with a circle on the back, I added round circles, layered them to add volume and movement. Adding the layers was challenging because I’m using neoprene the machine just didn’t like it, so it was very hard to get to a clean edges. The circles were a mix between neoprene and stiff tulle. I frayed the edges just like I did to my dress. There are eight circles attached to the front and side to the skirt, I left the back plain because the top was crowded enough, the back side of the top has 5 layers of neoprene and tulle.
Toile:
Fg25
The Making: (Third outfit) My third outfit is two garments, a long jacket and a leather trouser; I used textured leather fabric for the trouser, it coast me £3 a meter, it was a bad quality coated leather but I liked the textured it give when I stretched it, I used neoprene for the jacket. I did struggle a bit with the sleeves, I didn’t know wither to make them simple or add shape to them. So I wanted to make a half shaped circle but the result was not what I wanted, it looked more like a Mickey Mouse ears than a circle. My first and second outfits were more exaggerated so I decided to make this a little bit simpler.
Fg26
The End Result: Behind the scenes
Fg27
The End Result: Behind the scenes
Fg28
Evaluation: I really enjoyed the Sensation project, starting from the research, the making to the photo shoot. Through the making I had some obstacles through the process but with determination I manage to overcome them and make a beautiful collection that I’m happy with. Some of them were the fabric choice, the fabric I wanted was £20 per meter so I had to look and search for a less expensive version of it since I’m going to use a large quantity of it. The photo shoot was in Hampstead Heath Park, in a historical place called Pergola and Hill Garden, it was beautiful and the scenery works well with my collection theme. But all I can say is all sweat and hard work paid off in the end, I’m very proud of my work and collection. There will always be room for improvement that’s for sure but for now, its over and it looks great.
“Always keep your eyes open. Keep watching. Because whatever you see can inspire you” Grace Coddington
Bibliography:
Fg1- https://www.pinterest.com/pin/258253359855767295/
FG2-‐ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/488851734524821189/ Fg3-‐4-‐ https://aaronglassdj.wordpress.com/category/glass-‐fusing/ http://www.ccaa.de/o-‐n-‐l-‐i-‐n-‐e-‐s-‐h-‐o-‐p/studioglaskunst/groot-‐mieke/ Fg5 Author own pictures – Live drawing Fg6-‐ https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/444167581974291997/ Fg7-‐8-‐ https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/430093833136529487/ Fg9-‐ http://www.contemporist.com/2009/02/07/future-‐flora-‐pendant-‐lights-‐by-‐tord-‐ boontje/ Fg10-‐ http://www.contemporist.com/2009/02/07/future-‐flora-‐pendant-‐lights-‐by-‐tord-‐ boontje/ Fg11-‐ http://www.contemporist.com/2009/02/07/future-‐flora-‐pendant-‐lights-‐by-‐tord-‐ boontje/ Fg12-‐ Authors own picture, Mood Board Fg14-‐ Authors own picture, Mood Board 2 Fg15-‐ http://meetville.com/quotes/tag/observation/page9 Fg16-‐ Authors own picture, experimenting Fg17-‐ http://www.vogue.com/fashion-‐week/861901/jean-‐paul-‐gaultier-‐spring-‐2014-‐ couture/ Fg18-‐ Authors own picture, fabric sample Fg19-‐ Authors own picture, fabric sample Fg20-‐ Authors own picture, fabric sample Fg21-‐ Authors own picture, fabric sample board Fg22-‐ Authors own picture, Instgram image Fg23-‐ Authors own picture, fabric sample Fg24-‐ Authors own picture, work process Fg25-‐ Authors own picture, work process Fg26-‐ Authors own picture, work process Fg27-‐ Authors own picture, behind the scene-‐ photo shoot Fg28-‐ Authors own picture, behind the scene-‐ photo shoot