thesis process book by tylor loposser

Remembering back to the days when I was very young, I began to have an interest in material objects, nothing to specific, it just had to take up space. I spent my days looking at items and trying to understand why they were made the way they were and what I would have done differently. When I was about 13, I remember starting to get involved in the ideas of style and fashion. I really never felt like I was interested in making the clothes, more along the lines of analyzing them. Looking at fits, colors, construction, and notions. You know, the normal things young boys look at. Turns out I was more captivated by the messages that they were transmitting and how their relevance to me was shared by others.

Contents Image a semesters worth of work compiled into one book.

This letter begins to discuss my interests as a designer and the direction that I want to pursue this spring semester with my Senior Thesis. My motivation is typically found in hands-on demonstration and actively based research (The type of research that involves myself speaking with people and visually stimulating interactions with the physical). I don’t function well with wordy books and endless web sites. Some past works that have held a high interest for me: -Brass Tacks Branding Project What I enjoyed about this project is that it focused on a clothing company that works directly with it’s consumers, based locally in America, made sustainable clothing (“greener” materials and durable construction), and used multi-purpose paper products to reduce on waste. -TechTartans – Personalized Garment Patterns After collecting physical trait information from classmates (blood type, height, weight, eye color, hair color, etc.), I was able to input the information into Illustrator and design a Tartan or Plaid pattern that embodied the person. These patterns could be transferred to fabric, and then worn by the person as a way of identification. I really enjoyed the biological connection that is made with the audience with this project. - DNA – Desired Networking Assessment This was a further investigation of the TechTartans project. I collected dominate and recessive traits from my class mates and designed a card that listed their dominates traits, so that it could be compared with other mates as a quick way of determining potential procreation. I also created handkerchiefs with embroidered traits on them as well, as another way to implement the detection of dominate traits. Once again, I enjoyed the biological connection that is made to audience with this project. In the past my motivation is often found in the crisp world of editorial fashion with an emphasis on the construction of garments. Although vague at this point, I was idealizing my thesis to include a collective understanding of style, the importance it holds on a society, a view on how fashion typically depicts decades but how the millennium has set a new bar for fashion and how design has been implemented on the world of garments, advertising and overall market of apparel. I would also be interested in exploring the more biological aspect of garments (the way we shop, the items we choose, etc.). Does the way we chose to dress reflects not only a personal style, but also an unconscious genetically engineered state of mind with a emphasis on our biological make-up. I also want to discuss the idea of sustainablity and how it should reflect the construction and longevity of the piece that is being created in this new “eco-friendly” environment/climate. It seems like it has become really easy to create something out of organic materials, then coat it in green or cardboard packaging and place it on the shelf. Products need more than that to be considered friendly to the environment. Companies can and should increase their products eco-friendliness by building stronger, durable, repairable products and recycling the items that already exist, instead of creating new ones.

There is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;languageâ&#x20AC;? that is spoken through clothing that explores the idea that a visual message has a greater power to inform, educate, or persuade a person or audience.

A D EEPER ANALYSIS style as expression / expression as communication

here are 6.8 billion people on Earth. As superficial as it sounds, we “weed” people out due to their appearance. It would physically and mentally exhaust us to talk to every single person that we encounter. Our use of seeing with our eyes and our brains ability to seek what is attractive to us narrows down the number of people that we talk to in order to get to our goal. Our goal is ever changing and situational. Take into account the purposes of uniforms, a fast track identification that is efficient and effective. Imagine yourself being hurt and needing to go into a hospital, but upon your arrival everyone in the building is naked. You would find yourself having to walk up to every individual asking, “Are you the doctor?”…”Are you the doctor?” Your health would decline tremendously before you find the person that you needed.

A coordinating exterior to the person’s interior would help define the patients from the janitor, the pharmaceutical reps from the delivery person and the nurses from the doctors. It is imperative that we organize items in an indexical fashion to obtain optimum situations. In this situation, the judgment based on the exterior of the individual is not superficial, it is imperative. It becomes the duty of the profession or the citizen of a country to make it a responsibility to state “who” they are. Think about this: what is the first thing a police officer asks you when you are pulled over, “show me your identification.” Personal identification becomes vital to the success of a society; the fabric of what makes us human. At this point, style is what I’m talking about, style is a luxury, meaning it requires additional time, effort and attention in order to be reflected into your appearance. This time can be short or lengthy and financing can be limited or vast, but it’s a requirement, but “choice” is the main element to exposing a personal style. Good style causes positive interactions with people and the communication with dictates the structure of the society. Style states your individuality, your regional background, and your career. It is an indicator that you are aware of the “situation.” We imagine that one must have great style to become successful in a society. One with great style will have access to best housing, best education or ways of thinking, best mates, and best career choice. Although when thinking in reverse about our former president, George W. Bush, he had mediocre, traditional style but still held a successful status in our society. Even though he was able to make it to the top, was he successful at the job he was put there to do? The goal for good style should be to put one into his/her desired meaningful position.

n the online article Heredity Versus Environment - The Nature-nurture Controversy, Exploring Heredity And Environment: Research Methods, Beyond Heritability, the author explores both sides of this topic with a couple of case studies. My interest drew me to this topic, as a way to find a relation on how much of what we wear is a factor of our environment and how we are brought up and what can be found in our genes. Referring to two identical twins, their traits are compared on every level. Of course their looks were identical and they both were the same height, well mannered, and musically inclined. Their difference lied in the twin girl’s social skills and in one child’s diagnosis of a learning disability. Even though the girls had been treated the same, nature had divergent path for them. No amount of environmental influences could have decreased her likeliness of deficient cognitive behavior and/or social inadequateness. The article goes on to define the difference between nature and nurture and further experiments with twins split up by adoption. This lead me to a Stanford study on the Male- red-winged bird. Although completely black in color, its epaulets have a distinctive red and yellow color. In the studies, the scientist covers the colored portion of the wing and sends it out into the wild. They find that the bird has difficulty finding a mate and establishing territory within its own habitat. This shows that the other birds have a reaction and communication to color. The aesthetics of the bird predicts its survival rate. In another study, we find that the Satin Bower Bird ‘s livelihood is challenged by its ability to project good style. The bird builds bowers, which are homes built to attract female birds. If the bowery is deconstruction, scientist discovers that the bower speaks very highly to the bird himself. Materials of the birds plumage color will be woven into the layers of sticks (mostly blue) and the diameter and stability speak to the quality of bird. His bower can tell the female bird that he possesses dominant traits and he is a potential mate. The quality and

of the nest shows his ability to support a family because he has readily resources available to him. He can spend more time on his aesthetic appearances, because other items, such as gathering food, come easy to him. So if we extend this line of thinking to a person who has good style, then they must have a good career, they are more comfortable with themselves and their own ability to communicate effectively the quality and self-worth of themselves. This means that not everyone will have innate good style because they have to focus on the necessities of life to survive. Also lets take into account the bee’s preference to specific species of flowers. Bees have the capacity to pollinate any flower, but each bird finds the structure of the flower that is most familiar to them so they can pollinate with ease. When the bee finds the “right” flower, and then it is able to complete its job more efficiently.

Decisions that are made by the individual reflect their opportunity to get a job in the future. Face tattoos, piercing and radical hair cutting and colors could impair the persons ability to get a job, attract a mate, qualify for a loan, establish trust and the person’s perceived integrity. These options could result in a person seeking a particular environment of their choosing or to a way for a society to takes its’ view on the place the person should be in a society. This begins to take a cycle within the micro and macro realm of a societies structure. One individual makes a decision; the decision is seen and replicated. Fashion is found from the inspiration found on the streets, then to the runways of Fashion Week, then immediately to high-priced luxury designer showroom and then eventually makes it back to the streets. Fashion becomes tricky, because its value is placed on whether or not it is “in” or not and can be sold at any price to anyone. Style is embedded inside the person and the value is intrinsic and has no limits to season or time. Good style is adapted in order to secure success for an individual and allow them to be “plucked” out of a see of faces. Better personalities equal better style choices.

Active choices were made when choosing the type of garments for purchase. You outward appearance would have a direct correlation with the type of family you come from and the money that you have, which in the 19th century was to of the most important thing about the individual. The silhouettes for the genders were pre-determined, men wore the three-piece suit and the women wore the long dress. The materials are where the consumer was able to make the decision based on what their pocketbooks could afford. Color, fabric and layers all could communicate the status of the person wearing the garments. Fashion was a luxury and spoke the family’s wealth and prosperity.

In Nature we are “programmed” to respond to well constructed / crafted, aesthetically pleasing forms. Why do we want to deny this when picking garments? The items below can adjust the selection of garments that we make: Environmental Influences

Human Characteristics

o o o o o o o o o o

o o o o o o o o

Advertisements Television Movies Fine art Architecture Career Heritage Seasons Weather Elements Peers

Height Eye color Skin tone Weight Body shape Body proportions Mental disorders Chemical imbalances testosterone estrogen dopamine norepinephrine

...Let’s see where this research has gotten me.

The Problem: It is common knowledge that “sex” is the fuel in marketing to sell fashion. This also applies to animals that exist in nature. People are seduced by design and sex when selling or buying a product; experience says in order to get what you want (a job, a perceived value, a mate) you must change you appearance to “this”. Wealth (the wealth of the person and the wealth of our country) has made it possible to break the correlation between the way we dress and our place in society. Monetary value vs. social value. Two “outfits” that cost the same may communicate different meanings. The root of bad style is too many choices; America’s abundant source of inexpensive, disposable clothing. We can buy any type of clothing we would like at any price point, and it doesn’t have to say anything about what we do, where we’ve been, our education, our careers, our heritage, etc. The Solution: An idea of Sustainable Clothing: clothing and a shopping experience that is catered to the consumer. Less choices of the articles of clothing that is available, because the clothing is purchased on a “need/want” basis. The clothing industry will operate with a Restoration Program for the products that they produce. Clothing will be made locally (to the consumer) as a way to give back to the community in which he/she lives. Clothing tailored to the body, to ensure fit and personalization. Proposed Garment Tax on clothing created on the outside of the country. Tax break for consumer of locally purchased apparel. Good for the government. Good for the people. Good for the environment.

Would I want to implement ar structured plan endorsed by the government to suggest better style? A way to show people that better style can be easily obtained if we simplify our choices, hence reducing the think less purchasing habits. Also that it is better for our waste and consumption problems that the world faces. More and more items are making it to the landfills and the piles are growing. If we were not always looking for the cheapest price possible, we could reemployee the citizens of our own country to produce quality, fair priced garments. Although the consumer has to pay more for their clothing, the money goes into the pockets of the American companies and American employees. These local people will then put that money back into the native city, state and country of their origin; America.

the jurisdiction of the municipal council rather than the burgemeester (mayor). Municipalities would then be able to democratically elect their own chief of police. The Provos intended for this revised structure to transform the police from guard to social worker.- White Housing Plan: The plan sought to address Amsterdam’s acute housing problem by banning speculation in house building, and the squatting of empty buildings. The plan envisioned Waterlooplein as open-air markets and advocated abandoning plans for a new town hall.- White Kids Plan: The plan proposed shared parenting in groups of five couples. Parents would take turns to care for the group’s children on a different day of the week.- White Victim Plan: The Plan proposed

The political wing of the Provos won a seat on the city council of Amsterdam, and developed the “White Plans”. The most famous of those laws is the “White Bicycle Plan”, which aimed to improve Amsterdam’s transport problem. Generally the plans sought to address social problems and make Amsterdam more liveable.

White bicycle plan: Initiated by Luud Schimmelpenninck, the white bicycle plan proposed the closing of central Amsterdam to all motorized traffic, including motorbikes, with the intent to improve public transport frequency by more than 40% and to save two millions

that anyone having caused death while driving would have to build a warning memorial on the site of the traffic collision by carving the victim’s outline one inch deep into the pavement and filling it with white mortar. - White Car Plan A car sharing project proposed by Schimmelpennink featuring electric cars which could be used by the people. It was actually realized in a limited fashion as the Witkar system which continued in use until the 1980s.

guilders per year. Taxis were accepted as semi-public transport, but would have to be electrically powered and have a maximum speed of 25 m.p.h. The Provos planned for the municipality to buy 20,000 white bikes per year, which were to be public property and free for everybody to use. After the plans were rejected by the city authorities, the Provos decided to go ahead anyway. They painted 50 bikes white and left them on streets for public use. The police impounded the bikes, as they violated municipal law forbidding citizens to leave bikes without locking them. After the bikes had been returned to the Provos, they equipped them all with combination locks and painted the combinations on the bicycles.- White Chimney Plan: Proposed that air polluters be taxed and the chimneys of serious polluters painted white.- White Wives Plan: Proposed a network of clinics offering advice and contraceptives, mainly for the benefit of women and girls, and with the intention to reduce unwanted pregnancies. The plan was for girls of sixteen to be invited to visit the clinic, and advocated for schools to teach sex education. The White Wives Plan also argued that it is irresponsible to enter marriage as a virgin.- White Chicken Plan: Proposal for the reorganization of the Amsterdam police (called “kip” in Dutch slang, meaning “chicken”). Under the plan, the police would be disarmed and placed under

http://www.ghi-dc.org/files/publications/bu_supp/ supp006/bus6_225

M E E T I N G WITH EVAN MEANEY an attempt to explain my progression

fter sourcing through my mind map, Evan and I came to the conclusion that my reflection of appearance is not interchangeable between classes. People who are rich have the luxury to appear wealthy or poor, but the reverse is not possible. People who are poor cannot portray a rich person as easily. This does confirm that style is luxury, and not a necessity to everyone. Evan felt like the bird comparison does show an existence of preference in nature. He believed that the bird’s lack of cognitive thinking, becomes imperative to the difference between the way we make our decisions based on aesthetics and the bird’s way about making a decision. Superficiality is overtly recognizable in fashion, but fashion becomes the platform of our societies ability to gauge the naturalist and the stylized. All art has a capacity to become superficial. Still confused about a thesis statement, I reviewed with him my solution or what I hope to be the end results of my project.

National Campaign vs. Local Proposal Overtly complicated seemed to be the result of my discussion with Evan. Basically he sounded like I wanted to dictate people their wardrobe and tell people exactly what they can and cannot wear. Not only were there Amendment violation issues but also Bureaucratic red-tap that would have to be covered by passing tax proposals. Admittedly I am not prepared or qualified to be stepping into those boundaries. It is important to remember: Style/Fashion is the eye of the viewer, not the person. I should do some research on Superficiality and what that means to people, their reactions to it, and is their life governed by this concept.

su·per·fi·cial –adjective 1. being at, on, or near the surface: a superficial wound. 2. of or pertaining to the surface: superficial measurement. 3. external or outward: a superficial resemblance. 4. concerned with or comprehending only what is on the surface or obvious: a superficial observer. 5. shallow; not profound or thorough: a superficial writer. 6. apparent rather than real. 7. insubstantial or insignificant: superficial improvements.

“This American Life” a weekly public radio show broadcast on

is the nature of the intoxication to which the

more than 500 stations to about 1.7 million listeners. Chicago

flâneur abandons himself in the crowd. He

Public Media, distributed by Public Radio International, and

enjoys the incomparable privilege of being

has won all of the major broadcasting awards produces it. It

himself and someone else as he sees fit. Like

is also often the most popular podcast in the country, with

a roving soul in search of a body, he enters

more than a half million people downloading each week.

another person whenever he wishes” In this

From 2006-2008, we produced a television version of This American

way the flâneur parasite, dragging the crowd for

Life on the Showtime network, which won three Emmys and is

intellectual food--or material for his latest novel

now re-airing on Current TV. We’re also the co-producers, with NPR

(In so doing, he wanders through a wonderland

News, of the economics podcast and blog Planet Money. And half

of his own construction, imposing himself upon

dozen stories from the radio show are being developed into films.

a shop window here, a vagrant here, and

The radio show and TV show follow the same format. There’s a

an advertisement here. He flows like thought

theme to each episode, and a variety of stories on that theme.

through his physical surroundings, walking in

It’s mostly true stories of everyday people, though not always.

a meditative trance, gazing into the passing

There are lots more to the show, but it’s sort of hard to describe.

scene as others have gazed into campfires,

Probably the best way to understand the show is to start at our

yet “remain alert and vigilant” all the while

favorites page, though we do have longer guides to our radio

The flâneur is the link between routine

show and our TV show. If you want to dive into the hundreds

perambulation, in which a person is only half-

of episodes we’ve done over the years, there’s an archive

awake, making his way from point A to point B,

of all our old radio shows and listings for all our TV episodes.

and the moments of chiasmic epiphany that one reads of in Wordsworth or Joyce. Like Poe’s

“Flâneur” is a word understood intuitively by the French to mean

narrators, he is acutely aware, a potent intellectual

“stroller, idler, walker.” He has been portrayed in the past as a well-

force of keen observation--a detective without a

dressed man, strolling leisurely through the Parisian arcades of

lead. If he were cast a character in the “drama

the nineteenth century--a shopper with no intention to buy, an

of the world,” he would be its consciousness.

intellectual parasite of the arcade. Traditionally the traits that mark the flâneur are wealth, education, and idleness. He strolls to pass the

Considered the most important architectural form

time that his wealth affords him, treating the people who pass and

of the nineteenth century, and which he linked

the objects he sees as texts for his own pleasure. An anonymous

with a number of phenomena characteristic of

face in the multitude, the flâneur is free to probe his surroundings

that century’s major and minor preoccupations”,

for clues and hints that may go unnoticed by the others.

encloses, contains, and delimits this collection

As a member of the crowd that populates the streets, the flâneur

of asides, quotations, footnotes, and aphorisms,

participates physically in the text that he observes while performing

for those flâneurs, prostitutes, gamblers, and

a transient and aloof autonomy with a “cool but curious eye” that

collectors who might approach its contents from

studies the constantly changing spectacle that parades before him

the perspective of that early twentieth-century

As an observer, the flâneur exists as both “active and intellectual”

world it attempts to escape; however, once

As a literary device, one may understand him as a narrator who

inside, we get a sense of an organizing force

is fluent in the hieroglyphic vocabulary of visual culture. When

at work behind the chaos, an order produced

he assumes the form of narrator, he plays both protagonist and

by an attentiveness to conditions of exteriority/

audience--like a commentator who stands outside of the action, of

interiority and the random throes of diversion.

whom only the reader is aware,“float[ing] freely in the present tense”. The flâneur has no specific relationship with any individual, yet he establishes a temporary, yet deeply empathetic and intimate relationship with all that he sees--an intimacy bordering on the conjugal--writing a bit of himself into the margins of the text in which he is immersed, a text devised by selective disjunction. Walter Benjamin posits in his description of the flâneur that “Empathy

We read what we hold in our hands; we pick out constellations--we assemble and arrange the text in various ways as its fragmentary style invites us to do. And just as we are expected to do as scholars, we search out patterns, locate references to locatable schools of thought, note recurrent themes, trailing a long thread of words in our wake lest we lose our way. At first glance, the 1999 English translation of The Arcades Project is as disorienting and overstimulating as the Paris streets are today. Comprised of several essays and thirty-six Convolutes or sheaves (each originally made up of thirty-six handwritten folios), one set organized by capital letters A-Z and ten additional files marked by lower-case letters, the collection bears a resemblance to a stack of file folders a collector of textual artifacts of the often ignored side of nineteenth-century Parisian daily life might pull from a dusty filing cabinet. Scholarly debate continues regarding the project’s intended destiny, however. Is it a montage of refuse? A postmodern work in progress? A working notebook for another more traditional scholarly project? A personal collection of thought objects that reveal Benjamin’s own obsessions? Or is it, as its editors Eiland and McLaughlin argue, a “research project had become an end in itself” ? Regardless of its intended function, The Arcades Project exists as a veritable “world in miniature” of literary, as well as, a world embodied in historical and sociological fragments, through which its readers are invited to wander, as nineteenth-century Parisians wandered through the labyrinthine structures of the arcades (international mall) themselves. Thus what of the value is to be found within its confines depends as much on what the collection contains as well as the conceptual leaps and connections its omissions require its readers to make. The Sartorialist” is a fashion blog by Scott Schuman in New York. After leaving a fashion sales position to take care of his daughter in 2005, he began carrying a digital camera around on the streets of New York City, taking pictures of people who had dressed in some way that caught his eye, and then posting them to his blog, sometimes with comments about what he finds. Schuman has taken photos in different locations besides New York, often Paris, London, Florence and Milan when he has gone there for fashion shows. His subjects range from fashion celebrities like Karl Lagerfeld to unidentified regular people. He has found uniforms and dirty work clothes as well as those trying to display their style. He says his inspiration was a picture of a man on an empty street taken by German photographer August Sander. Schuman began getting other work from serious fashion publications. Condé Nast tapped him to do something similar during Fashion Week in Paris for its style.com website. He also regularly works events for Saks Fifth Avenue, and says French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld has also talked to him about doing something for her magazine.

“I thought I could shoot people on the street the way designers looked at people, and get and give inspiration to lots of people in the process. My only strategy when I began The Sartorialist was to try and shoot style in a way that I knew most designers hunted for inspiration.”

-Scott Schuman

Slavoj Zizek is a Slovenian continental philosopher who is a critical theorist working collectively in the traditional rhelm of Hegelianism, Marxism and Lacanian psychoanalysis. He has made vast contributions to political theory, film theory, design theories and theoretical psychoanalysis. The topic of this clip was Capitlism, A Cultural Capitilsm – a deeper though on our system of “money making” and how its effects are detrimental to our society. The act of purchasing things becomes more about fulfilling an ethical duty and less about the product you are buying. It is not what you are buying; it is what you are buying into. You hoping by purchasing an item you can donate to a charity, improve your environment and restore a since of community through Capitalism. Companies like Starbuck’s and Toms Shoes execute this philosophy of business. Letting the customer know that by their purchase they are increasing the “good” in the world. Zizek’s is confused a misanthrope, someone who holds views or feelings or a generalized dislike, distrust, disgust, contempt or hatred of the human species, human nature, or society. He believes that Charity allow people to live a little bit better in the same situation.

he similarities of these people and movements became evident to me through my research. First of all, these people are taking items that are otherwise arbitrary or random and choosing to explore the possibilities. By exposing these people open up a dialogue to engage people in conversation about the ordinary. Using remediation (taking the visual and converting it to text, audio, photo, etc.) we are able to communicate over a different perspective. These people have strong opinions about what they choose to discuss and explore, it is their intuition to tell us what is to be “talked about.” They bring ordinary objects to light and make them extraordinary. It becomes an analysis of a different level, which allows the audience to relate and create relationships between their own interests and the topic at hand. How this relates to my project is that I also have strong opinions about fashion and style and I believe that I could be an influence on people. I realize my past ideas of plotting a system that establishes standards in the retail world was an exercise in gaining absolute power over peoples choices when it comes to apparel. Realistically this cannot be achieve without Communism, and trust me, that wasn’t the avenue I was setting towards. So I started to think about the theory of Agenda Setting, a theory

that the news media has a large influence on audiences by choosing of what stories to consider newsworthy and how much prominence is given to them. Using this theory I would like to build an alphabet that could act as a short hand way to communicating expectations, tradition of situations and promote education to constructing an appropriate wardrobe. Iconic figures of garments will be used to depict the pieces that I choose to keep in the “alphabet”. If they are not featured in my alphabet then they are not relevant and shouldn’t exist in the consumer’s closet, in other words, it is an underhanded way of dictating peoples choices. The need for this Cuneiform style of alphabet is found in confusion industry of garments and how the experience is to overwhelming for most men. In order to simplify the experience, I extract the unnecessary and clarify their needs. Men will be able to relate to the simpler forms and understanding the requirements from them for the particular situation. Each character in the alphabet will have a visual component that is conceptually constructed to create a connection to garment and the audience. The connection will help the audience understand the importance of the garment and its relevance to the potential consumer. The hidden agenda is that people will become better shoppers and better dressers. There will be a reduction to wasted materials and the purpose of clothing will reflect the consumer and the situation that is appropriate.

Preference of the Pollinating Bee

Plans

Slavoj Zizek Heredity

Superficiality Satin Bower Bird

Sustainability Fashion

Hieroglyphics Seduction

Shields & Crests

Observation The Arcades Project

Nature

Style

Agenda Setting

Flanuer - Walter Benjamin

Victorian Style of Dress

Capitalism

The Fashion Industy Cuneiform

Drawing inspirations from the idea of a fl창neur and the writings of Walter Benjamin, this project introduces a fluency in the hieroglyphic vocabulary of visual culture.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;All human knowledge takes the form of interpretation.â&#x20AC;?

E l e m e n t s o f Design and Fine Art Commonly known aspects of visual communication but how it is applied to the concept of analyzing garments. Texture can refer to the actual

Color is an interesting element, because it can be

surface of a design or to the visual

applied to any other garment, changing it dramatically.

appearance of a design. The

It can be used to make a garment stand out, to show

tactile feeling evokes emotions and

links to itsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; heritage, and to evoke emotion or season.

allows for a personal connection to the garment. It permits the mixture of garments to combine and create outfits.

Lines are used to divide space (cuff of a shirt), direct the eye (creating a waistline), and create forms (darting). Stitching can be curved, dotted, and zigzag lines used as the defining elements on a garment.

Types and styles of garments are

These lines frame the â&#x20AC;&#x153;image/illustrationâ&#x20AC;? which can be

all around us, but the goal is to not

the body

just cover the body, but rather to understand and use it effectively

Clothing manipulates the body to create shapes.

for communication. The choices in

Shapes can identify gender, health and statue. These

size, combination, proportions and

shapes establish a layout, which can be found on

color all come into play.

the garment (as a pattern) or as the overall shape of the garment. Commonly known aspects of visual communication but how it is applied to the concept of analyzing garments.

Iconography Readily recognized and generally represents the object or concept with a cultural significance to men. Adding ease to locating items that are relevant to the consumer.

Plaid is the of the Scottish “clan” Tartan. During there conception, the crisscrossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colors were associated with regions or districts, rather than by any specific relationship or identity. The Dress Act 1746 banned the use of all forms of Highland Dress. In an attempt to suppress the rebellious Scottish culture, the act stated that no tartan or party-colored plaid. The Act specifically mentions, and bans the use of, Plaid, Kilts, and Shoulderbelts. When the laws were repealed in 1782 there was a resurgence of Scottish nationalism and efforts to restore the spirit and culture of the Highlands after this lengthy period of repression were encouraged by the newly formed Highland Societies in London and Edinburgh. After the ban, development and the use of tartan expanded rapidly, partly fuelled by the legends developing around characters like Bonny Prince Charlie and the romantic writings of authors such as Sir Walter Scott. http://www.scotshistoryonline.co.uk/tartan-history.html - http://scottish-heirloom.com/scottishblog/index.php/2011/02/10/dress-act-1746 The necktie became a true mania when Louis XIV noted the band of fabric that Croatian soldiers were wearing around their necks. After the French defeated the Croatians in the war, they “stole” this style of neckwear, like war loot, from them and made it their own. Into the 19th century, the popular models of that time were wearing the sign of their country of origin, such as Russian, American, Irish and Italian neckties. In addition, they were tying styles that were symbolizing interesting themes as diplomacy, loyalty, and travel. The neckties were representing the individuality as well as the social status of the wearer through the different shapes and styles of tying. This still applies with the same force today. http://www.shop-usa.info/TIE_HISTORY/tie_history.html The first tennis show was modeled after the 1830’s version of the beach shoe. The name ‘sand shoe’ and soon after acquired nickname ‘plimsoll’ derived from Nicholette Jones’ book “The Plimsoll Sensation”, because the colored horizontal band joining the upper to the sole resembled the Plimsoll line on a ship’s hull, or because, just like the Plimsoll line on a ship, if water got above the line of the rubber sole, the wearer would get wet. In the UK plimsolls were compulsory in schools’ physical education lessons. The invention of the rubber soled shoe led to Goodyear, then a rubber shoe company and division of the U.S. Rubber Company, beginning to manufacture rubber and canvas shoes under different names. http://www.sneakerhead.com/sneaker-history-p1.html Much like the collar on a dress shirt, the lines on the top of this garment is meant to carry up and onto the face. The lines created by the neckline act as guidelines for the eye. The V-neck line helps to carve a sharp line to male jawbone. Typically people with defined jaw lines usually look older when they’re young and younger when they’re old. The definition in the bones is much like that of a tone muscle connoting good health and regular exercise.

These sturdy lace-up shoes, whose seams and toes are punctured and stitched to form decorative elements, are a staple in most men’s closets. Typically known as Wingtips these are a form of the brogue with a decorative detail on the toe. Modern brogues trace their roots to a rudimentary shoe originating in Scotland and Ireland that was constructed using untanned leather with perforations that allowed water to drain from the shoes when the wearer crossed wet terrain such as a bog. AT the time of creation, the show was thought of as an outdoor walking shoe, but over time perceptions have changed and brogues are now considered appropriate in most contexts, including business. http://www.mrporter.com/styledirectory/stylepedia/b Despite the name, this shirt has nothing to do with the game of Polo. René Lacoste, the French 7-time Grand Slam tennis champion, decided that the stiff tennis attire was too cumbersome and uncomfortable. With his unsatisfactory of the current design he choose to create his own shirt. His design included: the short, cuffed sleeves solved the tendency of long-sleeves to roll down, the soft collar could be loosened easily by un-buttoning the placket, the piqué collar could be worn upturned to block the sun from the neck, the jersey knit piqué cotton breathed and the “tennis tail” prevented the shirt from pulling out of the wearer’s trousers or shorts. http://thepreppylife.com/2010/08/history-of-the-polo-shirt/ This collarless, button-front or zip sweater takes its name from the Seventh Earl of Cardigan who was famously in command of the cavalry at the Charge of the Light Brigade. Legend has it that the Earl invented the style because he wanted a sweater he could pull over his head without mussing his coiffure. http://www.mrporter.com/styledirectory/stylepedia/a For the right man, this collar will display his face perfectly. This type of collar should be worn with a larger necktie knot to fill in some of the space. A man who wears a dress shirt with a spread collar shows his individual style by knowing that it looks good on him and wearing it with confidence. The spread of the collar should be proportional to the jaw line; a thinner face could be associated with a healthier physique. The Satin Bower Bird builds its own shape of bower and prefers a different decorating scheme. When selecting the sticks for it’s bower the diameter and sturdiness of the branch is all a reflection of the bird himself. He also chooses elements in the habitat: metallic, colors and materials to express its personal style, in hopes to draw attention of the female mate. http://knol.google.com/k/wearing-a-spread-collar# - http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/ bower-bird-blues/introduction/2109/

The first use of denim as a cotton material dates as far back as the 17th century, when it appeared in upholstery, work pants and awnings, ship’s sails and cowboy jeans – the fabric of hardworking, honest labor. Denim jackets were originally created for the workplace; they were a part of the overall denim outfit that was rugged and durable, helping to keep parts of the body safe. http://www.denimgeek.com/history-of-denim As early as World War I when airplanes had open cockpits, pilots began seeking clothing to provide warmth and comfort in the cold temperatures of the open skies. When not worn for function, the jacket becomes a trophy for the wearer. Especially if the jacket is authentic in that it was given to the man from the services that he had performed, the garments tells of his history and his skills. This is jacket becomes the epitome of honor, masculinity and sense of adventure. http://americanmistique.com/bomber-jacket-history.html Double Cuffs allow the wearer to showcase their sense of style and individuality with their favorite cufflinks. Still, they are a favorite of boardrooms and corporate headquarters because the cuff gives the wearer an opportunity to grab the attention of his audience. The flash of fabric that peeks out from the jacket grabs the eyes of people and this gives the man the upper hand. Bow ties seem to be more about the act of tying than the result of the bow. The ability to tie is an elite practice only possessed by the ones who attend specific events. Reserved for the upper class, this type of education was only among the wealthy. Thinking back to the time of Han Dynasty, calligraphy was one of the greatest skills that a man could posses, especially in the eyes of Literati. Like the skill of tying a bow tie, the skill of calligraphy is brought to an art form and something that is only shared with the elite. http://chinese-school.netfirms.com/Chinese-calligraphy-history.html The 1920’s brought on wide legged trousers and double breasted suits that were nothing less than decadent with fabric consumptions. During World War 11, the War Production Board was put into place to regulate the production and allocation of materials in the United States. To reduce on the fabric that was used to make the American men’s suit, previsions were put into place. These restrictions led to the modernization o the suit and a more tailored silhouette. Inspired by a man’s sleeping robe, this collar speaks to leisure and causality. During the 17th century, it was very popular to enjoy a cigar before a nightly rest. In order to create something that could be worn in a more social setting the style was adapted into a smoking jacket most commonly designed with a shawl collar. At this time, tobacco was a luxury product and to have you portrait painted adorning one of these collars, would be a projection of wealth. http://puffingcigars.com/cigar-accessories/the-cigar-smoking-jacket/366/

The way in which something is said, done, expressed, or performed Lacking awareness and the capacity for sensory perception.

Genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information.

Some Elements of Style 1. Your Reputation/Branding 2. Clothing/Fashion sense 3. Your Grooming 4. Non-verbal 5. Your Lifestyle and Values

to play its’ part

STATUS RECOGNITION WITHIN A SPECIES IS CRUCIAL FOR PROGRESSION In nature, the displays of certain colors become an integral part of survival. Take the Red- Winged Blackbird for instance, a bird that is mostly black except for the red (with a splash of yellow) feathers that lie on the top section of his wing. Studies have been performed on this bird, to prove the significance and importance of the red color of the epaulet. When the color is concealed with a black hair dye or paint, the birds effectiveness declines. Their ability to maintain or capture new territory is greatly affected by the size or presence of their epaulet. The absence of the color causes more birds to become aggressive towards him, while the exaggerated size of epaulet ensures that the bird is the “alpha-bird”. Of course with the inability to hold territory the bird could be exiled into an unsafe environment. The epaulet becomes a necessity for the bird to place it’s self with it own habitat. Without the color on is wing, he will not be

able to find a home (which will make him unattractive to female counterparts), not will he be able to support a family or propagate. We also see that the epaulet is favored by female choice of mates. These birds may have been suitable mates, but were discounted based on their appearance. The female birds do not have the time to “get to know” the male bird, so are they are programmed to make their decision based on visuals alone. It’s not because she doesn’t favor the color red, its that she favors what the red color epaulet to can bring to her and her potential family. If her mate possesses this feature it is most likely that he has an established home and that he can spend more time caring for his family, because he will not have to be defending his territory. Other male birds take the red wing as warning sign, and to avoid an aggressive attack they search elsewhere for property to call their own.

FLAP POCKET POINT COLLAR

STANDARD PLACKET TAB COLLAR FLANNEL

BARRELL CUFF

BUTTON DOWN COLLAR

onceptually I feel like my project is in a good place. At the core, my thesis is being simplified to juxtaposing images/objects in order to creating a new understanding of the origins of clothing. The bulk of my time has been spent researching selection of men’s clothing as an effort to better understanding where they come from. Because of that, I feel like there needs to be a physical manifestation of this intellectual endeavor. Anything sort of that, will not express my intention behind this work. Practically, my execution would be the most successful as visual merchandising for men’s clothing store. Typically this type of approach is used to express a store’s motivation to sell merchandise or services. However my approach would be the same but my intentions would be to educate. I want to begin by saying this is not about a game of the “haves and haves not”. That should never be about what style or fashion is reduced to, it is more about the “can and the can not”, style can be achieved at any cost. Dressing should be a choice that best represents the person that is inside of you and how you can reflect it for the world to see. The education that is required to make this choice is never discussed, so it should be the duty of the seller to instruct their buyer on their products. After thinking more about a final form for the project, the viewers interaction would be key to the success. I should shy away from anything that doesn’t induce conversation or an open discussion among people. Editorial design work in a book, pamphlet, and magazine format would stunt the opportunity to grow as interactive piece. Printed work that includes lengthy verbiage would only limit the amount people that could hold the conversation and would only be able to be shared individually at the time of reception. The installation of clothing and imagery/objects would allow for more of a group experience and lingering of viewers. The prolonged exposure and interaction with the piece would evoke more of a response. The idea of the cellular phone application, once again falls into the idea of limitation. Although it allows for fast access and availability for a busy shopper, it seams to be more of the result of understanding and less about “getting the idea across”. The application denies the intellectual side of this project and only allows the viewer to make swift decision instead of being involved in a conversation about understanding and originality of an article of clothing. The conceptual idea behind the garment should be enhanced so that a greater dialogue can be had.

More like an art exhibit, but with more relevance to ordinary objects and their appropriation.

’m starting to wonder a bit about the comparisons that I am making with the juxtaposed images and how they effect the audiences interpretation. It seems they are all over the map as far as what there relation to the garment. I feel like my reasons for drawing connections are not constant, but maybe that is ok. There are instances where I want to compare the garment by using it’s origin of the, drawing from the creation of it existence and comparing that to others items or movements that have seen the same evolution through time. Other comparisons could be with the name of the garment and how that relates to the objects it was named after. That is just as relevant to creating an opportunity to discuss the clothing and their appropriateness in a man’s wardrobe. When the heritage of the garment is reveled, the consumer is clued in on knowledge they can make better decisions. The basic of my thesis is that I create a gateway for people to have a dialogue about the garments that are at hand. So by whatever means that need to be exhausted to communicate, is what I should use to make my point.

ield guides are books that allow the reader to identify wildlife and other object of a natural occurrence. The name stems from book that could be brought into the “field”, where the object of desire would exist, with the hunter of observer. It is often used to distinguish animals or plants that may be similar in appearance but are not necessarily closely related. I feel like this idea and the aesthetic appearance of these types of books could be applicable due to similarities in the garment field where all shirts or jeans appear to be the same but their differences are not discussed or evident to the consumer.

Maybe this form would only be relevant in a series of posters to using a “sketchy” style of illustrations and brief wording to intrigue interest in garments. After going to the library and taking a look at the varieties of field guides that existence, I found that there are tons of books and there is a basic way they are separated and organized are by state or country. Within the catalogs they are alphabetized and accompanied with a photo and or sketch (depending on the books publication) of the bird and a map depicting its general habitat. Overall the books are not designed well and are aesthetically boring. To say the least I was not inspired by the books form and layout that I was exposed to at the library.

oming out of a recent economical decline, businesses will soon be finding new ways to introduce a new image to attract shoppers into their stores to create revenue. Even in this new age of online shopping, stores are not losing the interest of consumers, because they remain to grant instant gratification. So until the market of online shopping can execute instant delivery, the stores still have a duty to fulfill. So the heaviest complaint about having visual merchandising within a store is the allowance in a stores budget. Smaller retailers will say they don’t have money to spend, but if a collage student such as myself can execute a successful, engaging display on a limited budget then any store could do the same. It is less about the money in the budget and more about the capabilities of the employees they hire. I believe this thesis can also be a model about how designing well made displays; a store can increase their customers experience with a little investment. In all reality, visual merchandisers can assist a business economically by avoiding costly mistakes. Visual Merchandising includes combining products, environments, and spaces into stimulating displays to encourage the sale of products. It has become such an important element in retailing that a team effort involving the senior management, architects, merchandising managers, graphic designers, buyers, the visual merchandising director, industrial designers, and staff is needed. Visual merchandising is not a science; there are no absolute rules. It is more like an art in the sense that there are implicit rules but they may be broken for striking effects. But when compared to other art forms, it is quickly dismissed. Because typically the overall intention is so that the articles will be sold, artists typically don’t create with the intention to sale. The art

of visual merchandising is very similar to idea of curation. As a companion to displays, I would like to invest into a system, so that it is used in many different types of situations. The application should be versatile to any location and product or services. I feel like the system could be made further into collateral that existence in the form of merchandise tagging for the clothing within the exhibit and signage for the table for product knowledge or price points. 1. I have 3 stores set-up for three different types of displays. Over the next week, I will execute those and use the photography to gauge the success. Application of signage and ticketing to the products on display. 2. Work on the format for the “coffee table” book. I want it to be large format (12” x12”) mainly focused on imagery.

This work is a demonstration of the correlation between the visual design of menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apparel and the types of communication that the garment provides.

v v

8’

3.5’

4’

14’

GRAPHIC PROP PROP

-Jet rail at 46” from floor -side hang jacket to expose jetted pockets and merchandising tags. -2 ft. shelf above face out -Wooden hangers

-Face out at 35” from floor pants are to hung with front exposed to highlight the flat front on the trouser. -2 ft. shelf above face out -Wooden hangers

PROP

-Navy suit on body form. -White Oxford -Red Tie

SHIRTS SHIRTS

SHIRTS

-Use news paper headline bellybands. -3 stacks of shirts (6 max) on table top in Oxford cloth -Colors dictated by store inventory.

The overall feel of the display should contain the spirt of a war - time period of the United States. The large graphic should be centered in the wall and clothing will flank the picture. When selecting the suiting only use the colors in shades of blue and navy, this will connote the idea of uniforms. The basket weave texture of the Oxford cloth will complement the smooth texture of the suiting, it will also speak to the rugged and simplifying late 1930’s and image found in the graphic. The colors of the shirts will be muted, so not to overcome the display. Props will consist of antique sewing machine, metal vases, and selected books.

fitting ro

80’’ 44’’

8’

This specific location in the store has no standards (no fixtures that extend from the wall). There is a wall frame that holds a graphic for the store and to the right hand side is a plexi wall that displays the stores logo. So all garments must be on free standing fixtures.

fitting ro

GRAPHIC

-Black suit on mannequin. -Pink Shirt -Red Tie SHIRTS

- Ties are housed in vases. in colors of Reds, blues and yellows

SHIRTS

PROP

- A selection of suits arranged from lightest to darkest. - Two T-stands - trousers towards the back and higher than jackets. -Jackets towards the front

PROP

The overall feel of the display should contain the spirt of the Red-Winged Blackbird and the integral part that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s red epaulet plays. When selecting the suiting only use the colors in many shades, textures and patterns, this will emphasis the idea of certain suits being specific situations. Choose a slim-fitting, smooth finish dress shirt in an array of natural colors, keep in mind the atmosphere of the birds habitat. Props will consist of glass vases and ornithological / field guides books.

his thesis to me has seemed to be more about worrying and less about working. Agreeable this is my problem, but I guess this a test to work through it. In the beginning I felt like a thesis was put into place for me to find a design problem and prove that it was not working effectively, then prove that I could do something to improve it’s function. Turns out, it’s not my job to prove any thing at all. In all actuality it was just my job to discover, explore and interpret that into a compilation of what makes up “my design” and then having the ability to articulate that information into a readable form. Exposing the world to my thoughts and being able to show them what I’ve learned, with the hoped that I will influence.

BANNED TOGETHER

Plaid is the child of the Scottish â&#x20AC;&#x153;clanâ&#x20AC;? Tartan. During there conception, the crisscrossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colors were associated with regions or districts, rather than by any specific relationship or identity. The Dress Act 1746 banned the use of all forms of Highland Dress. In an attempt to suppress the rebellious Scottish culture, the act stated that no tartan or party-colored plaid.

BANNED TOGETHER

When the laws were repealed in 1782 there was a resurgence of Scottish nationalism and efforts to restore the spirit and culture of the Highlands after this lengthy period of repression were encouraged by the newly formed Highland Societies in London and Edinburgh. After the ban, development and the use of tartan expanded rapidly,

CLASS 3452 STYLE 6754 COLOR 453

SMALL

GLENN PLAID

59.50

SMALL

GLENN PLAID

59.50