STUDIO CONSULTATIONS & DEVELOPMENT
Week 1: What is my interest in fashion?
Why does it interests me?
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'OP ART' & 'PSYCHEDELIC ART' was roaring in the 1960s and 1970s.
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Whilst looking at the paintings and artworks of the 1960s, you can sense the movement, see hidden imagery bold patterns and warping within work.
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OP Art are abstract and are coloured black and white. It creates visual ttension on the eyes which gives a sense of movement and illusion.
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It is very much a product of the 1960s!
Bright graphic colours and shapre recall mod stye. It also interacted with mind altering drugs that change the way people saw and experienced shapes.
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The OP Art movement waas driven by artists who were interested in investigating various perspective effects. Some did out of sheer enthusiasm, for research and experiment and some had a distant hope to integrate modern art into society in new ways.
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Young people all over the world questioned about the future, searching for an alternate vision in life. Op Art fully adhered to the constant search of something new, matching shapes and colours in order to create an impression.
FASHION ART MOVEMENT IN THE 1960s/1970s
'PSYCHEDELIA IN FASHION'
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Psychedelia - the range of sensations, epiphanies and hallucinations induced by chemical stimulants was epochal cultural phenomenal of the 1960s.
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Partaking of LSD was central to hippie credom and the outlandish clothes of the hippies disseminated sensibility.
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Psychedelic fashion existed with cultural conflict, that encompassed the radical lifestyle of the hippies, the transcent "acid" experience as well as constructed environment sought to stimulate acid experience.
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'PSYCHEDELIC GLAM'
By the time 70s rolled around, designers including halston and YSL were getting in on it too, experimenting with tie dye, fringing and crazy quilting on the catwalk.
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The revival of the 60s art movment in fashion signifies diversity and freedom. The trajectory of fashion in the 1960s saw these very diverse overaching styles but also a shift from designer-centric fashion eco system to one where the consumer was the centre of creation.
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There are parallels in culture and politics between the turbulent 60s and today. We live in a society that is very much free, open and progressive. There's this dichotomy there thats becoming more and more apparent.
Week 2 & Week 3: Introducing fashion sketching
Learning points:
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Fashion sketching is something that is quite challenging for me as I have no prior practice in sketching and drawing. I struggle with lines and curves for the first few lessons of sketching but after some practices I believe i am getting better. The dept of the sketch is very important especially when drawing pleats and ruffles. Learning flat drawing was interesting as well, I think my sketches started to look more 2D and realistic by adding the stitch lines, pockets and seams. Sketching is really important in fashion and I was delighted to improve my technical skills on it.
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What sustainable fashion looks like to you?
Sustainable fashion to me means an all-inclusive term that helps to achieve a carbon-neutral fashion industry and environment. When I was tasked to sketch what sustainable fashion looks like, I drew a dress with little patch prints. I was thinking of using dead-stock fabrics which is 25% of fabric purchased from textile mills and garment factories that end up as dead-stock and patching different prints and patterns together to make a garment. That was the vision I had for this sketch.
Week 4: Unit launch and Project brief
Brainstorm 5 topics of research
Sustainable fabric
manipulation
Futuristic fashion
Tokyo street culture
meets fashion
Upcycling denim
Influence of art deco
in fashion
Week 5: Research insights and choosing a research topic
Research topic: Up-cycling denim
Primary research through google surveys & face to face interview:
A multibillion-dollar market, the denim industry is set to grow further. 2019's global market value for denim fabric was £90bn, expected to increase to £105bn by 2023 according to Statista.
Dyeing and laundry stages are areas of concern in the denim supply chain due to the vast amounts of water, chemicals, and energy it takes to dye and finish a pair of blue jeans.
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(Trotman, 2021) https://www.wgsn.com/fashion/article/90561
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Main harmful effects of denim:
Consumption of Water -
Denim production units use a lot of water and generate heaps of contaminants. It takes around 20,000 liters of water to manufacture one pair of jeans. Moreover, different looks on jeans like the distressed fashion cause the manufacturers to use chemicals and intensive washing machines, further adding to water pollution and consumption. A number of cases of unsafe levels of mercury, copper, and lead were discovered in the river near the denim capital. Residents use the same river for bathing and drinking water and it is found that this pollution has produced major health problems for the people who live there.
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Water pollution -
Chemical dyes are used extensively in the manufacturing of ‘distressed’ denim. Several chemical washes are used for denim. Furthermore, workers are exposed to toxic chemicals that are used to spray the material in the pursuit of a ‘acid wash,’ posing major health concerns. Some denim manufacturing companies dump the chemicals into water systems which are turning them indigo-blue.
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Denim sandblasting -
Sandblasting process uses fine sand and channels it into an airgun, which is then sprayed at high pressure onto denim to create a worn, old look. It is a cheap and quick method which changes the appearance of garments but its main ingredient silica is harmful for workers. While denim weathering, workers are exposed to silica dusts, which lead to emphysema and lung fibrosis along with other respiratory illnesses. Consistent exposure to these chemicals, along with insufficient ventilation, can lead to the development of life-threatening diseases and death.
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(houseofdezignadm, 2021) https://houseofdezign.com/denim-has-more-harmful-impact-than-you-think/
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Brands are collaborating with a conscious effort for responsible production of denim garments. They are promoting positive partnerships with mills and manufacturing companies and promote responsible innovations.
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Brand strategy is key when tapping into responsible initiatives, helping to identify the best strategic partner to collaborate with, and to offer a superior product.
With the fashion industry being a major polluter globally, positive collaborations will become increasingly important.
Denim manufacturers and mills should pursue such positive partnerships to promote responsible innovations. Companies such as Calik Denim are creating 3D denim weaving, offering a great example of an innovation that brands could tap into.
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(WGSN, 2021) https://www.wgsn.com/fashion/article/81937#page_7
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Secondary research:
Why is the denim industry one of the most polluting in the fashion industry?
Research: Finding brands that are involved in up-cycling
1. E.L.V Denim (East London Vintage)
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Whats their story?
Zero waste and as sustainable as possible, they disclose every step on their process on their website. Every garment is kind to the planet, they wash newly picked jeans with minimal water, make their brand tags with recycled card and natural ink. At E.L.V Denim they only use 7 litres to wash the post consumer denim waste. Any scraps found are given to the renounced artist Ian berry who creates painting with denim.
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Brand direction: After experiencing the united kingdom's textile waste issue first hand, it felt a natural step to evolve into product categories and to scale the idea of 'E.L.V Denim' as successfully up-cycling concept beyond denim, always designing form a point of waste.
2. EB denim
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Whats their story?
Fierce chic style, blending grunge style from the 90s with a homely mid-western aesthetics. EB denim makes use of imperfections of up-cycled garments, creating style out of worn down vintage look. Besides creating the it girl denim, she wants to grow the brand into up-cycling of all different sorts whether to be sweat sets or reconstruction of vintage scarfs into blouses and dresses.
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Brand direction: EB denim meticulously selects high quality of natural fibre, innovative dyeing solutions, eco-finished buttons and reclaimed leather patches setting the standard for contemporary fashion.
3. MOTHER: DENIM LABEL
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10% of denim products are made within 14 miles radius from their design studio. This level of local production reduces the companies carbon footprint by limiting freight transport and shipping.
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60% mother collection:
To reduce its carbon footprint by utilising existing product overages, damages blended with scrap house finds and items otherwise intended for landfills. Also, after expensive research on environmental impact of packaging materials, it is to be packed in biodegradable bags that are made of 100% recycled LDPE.
Further research on denim history, consumer insights and how the industry can be
more sustainable?
Problem framing and finding my design concept
What is my vision?
To up-cycle denim in ways that are not just a pair of jeans
How?
Up-cycling denim as one-off street-wear unique to each person
Why?
To reduce the production of denim due to the harmful effects it causes to the environment and also to the labourers who help in the production of the fabric. Reducing fabric waste that are thrown away due to the excess of it.
My design question:
How might i up-cycle denim in ways that is practical, budget friendly and sustainable?
Week 6: Studio consultations
Choosing my co-creation partner and conducting interview with them.
Project Anew is an organisation that follows a moto-setting the world a new, one preloved a time. It aims to interwine the act of giving with fashion. A team founded and led by youths aged 21 and bwlow, aiming to introduce and create interest among fellow youths and on topics such as sustainability and philanthropy. By creating content that appeals to youths and collaborating with industry partners, they host events where they raise funds for selected beneficiaries. The joint collaboration hopes to gather and inspire singaporeans to give back to the community.
What inspired you to start this project?
It was a passion project, prior to starting this i was selling vintage tees and graphic alongside being a volunteer and activist for social causes. I wanted to find a way to combine both of my passions into one. Through the help of social media, we were given more opportunities to be sponsored to host a physical event.
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In the process of gathering sellers, whats the important aspects you look out for?
- Sustainability effort: we are aware of the impacts of the clothing industry and the secondary mission is to spread awareness on sustainability.
- Promote and try and contribute to circular fashion
- Place a big importance on being supportive the idea that thrifting should not be expensive. Gentrification is something we hope to combat. We always ensure our prices are fair and generally below $25 and our rag house being 5 pieces for $15 always.
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Is there a particular vision for this project?
The long term vision of Project Anew would be to definitely to see an impactful change in the youth community. We hope that fellow youths will not only garner an interest in contributing to the community but also be more educated on topics we don’t frequently visit such as environmental detriment and societal ideas and mentality on “charity work".We also have ideas of expanding into other ways to engage youths such as workshops, podcast and more!
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How do you choose your charity organisations?
We firstly check, “what are the causes that need the most help at the moment?”. Such as during our first event, we worked with “food from the heart” our reason for doing so was because we realised post covid, with the recession amidst the regulation being lifted. There were still many who needed the extra support! With their myriad of programs, we were sure that the money raised would be done for good and contribute to something meaningful. For our second event, we wanted to touch back nearer to the team and what felt close to us. Which is why we worked with CARE.sg which aims to promote and support underprivileged and neglected youths.
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Last but not least, Is this project a way of yourself contributing to sustainable fashion?
Project Anew hopes to be an avenue where one can be educated without shame and promote the benefits that come with it! We do also have plans on expansion to further promote the agenda of sustainable fashion in the near future.
As for myself, although minuscule project anew is one way where I feel that I can contribute to the world both societally and environmentally. I believe that by creating opportunities where youths can come to a place un-judged with accessible prices as well as the opportunity to be educated through open conversations. That’s a step towards change.
The idea is that if one person leaves our event or our page knowing more about the environment or feel more inclined to contribute to society, we’ve done what we are set out to do
Interview with Project Anew founder: Mei Shan Poon
How do I intend to collaborate with them?
I am hoping to host a donation drive with project Anew where i can collect scrap denim fabrics and denim garments which users no longer need. Using this donated fabrics, I can up-cycled them into garments and host an exhibition during their next event where i can show youth the importance of sustainability and show them how each of them can play a part in it. Since there has been no sale of up-cycling denim garment it can be a great opportunity for me to reach out to my target audience. The space is a given opportunity for youths to connect, exchanges ideas on their thoughts, address issues on sustainability, up-cycling and circularity. After the exhibition, they can purchase this one-off items which gives them a personal feeling and a sense of attachment to the garment. Since both of us have the same type of intended target audience, I will be able to use this platform to raise awareness and educate about sustainable denim and denim wastage.
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Past collaborative event held by Project Anew
Identifying my target market:
Customer board
More research on customer interest, persona and customer research can be found here
Week 7/8: Studio Consultation/Presentation
Customer profile:
Age group - 21-25 years old
Gender - Male/Female
Style - Extroverted style, open to trying something new
Character - Fashion enthusiast, confident, comfortable in their own style, not afraid of judgements
Preferred Shopping - Thrifting, Vintage shops, Resale or flea markets
Inspiration Board
Exploring different elements of denim garments, cutting them and sticking them together:
First round of sketches:
Reflection on presentation and research insights and development:
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Comments from lecturer:
1. Sacai haute couture collaboration for Jean Paul Gaultier
2. On the right track, but my question here again is what is your point of view?
3. great job with the prototyping
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Reflection from presentation:
I need to make my project unique and different, something that is not similar to what was done with my reference brands. I have to offer something unique.
To stay on one theme and develop my sketches from there, try to incorporate collages to help with my sketches.
Scrap the wardrobe staple but make it unique and one-off instead. This helps the consumers to have a sense of belonging and have a unique experience.
Week 9: Design progress and development/ Consultation
Collages inspired by architectural buildings:
The collages really helped me to widen
my creative head space and allowed me
to think out of the box and had a proper
creative direction on my silhouette. I was able to develop my designs from one idea
to another smoothly and it was really helpful when I was sketching.
Finalising mood board and design concept and idea:
Creative concept: Denim Futurism inspired by futuristic architecture buildings and futuristic film such as fifth element. Taking inspirations from the outfits of the film but remodelling it with denim fabric.
Why futuristic denim?
Futuristic to me means optimism.
Optimisim is a new age after pandemic and the birth of revival through clothing presents with not an actual vision of the future but rather a longing for a time in which people feel hopeful about.
My creative story:
The expressiveness of the garment is worn to make a bold statement and double as pieces of wearable art.
Consumers embodying the garment as piece of art shows hope for a better future.
It gives a sense of attachment and liking as they embody this one-offs and shows proof how far they have come in a building a better future.
Further exploring and sewing with denim jeans and fabric:
Sketches:
Week 10: Selection of design for prototyping and development stages
Choosing the final design, for my first final design we decided to go with a simple mini denim dress but with a lot of denim details and incorporating denim elements of jeans and jacket into it.
Description:
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After much discussion, we wanted to add a second garment on top of the dress as an outerwear. I took inspiration from my collages and the futuristic architecture buildings to make my outerwear more structured and similar to how it looks on my collages. For the outerwear, I did a a very structured shouldered vest with cut outs and the cut outs represent windows and I really like how the final design turned out.
Development stages leading to final design:
Week 11: Design concept and approach to sustainable fashion
Fabric swatches
and colour scheme
My fabric options are vast and different as they are donated from past left over fabrics from students and also from donated denim garments from family and friends. Since they are mostly donated the composition of denim will definitely not be 100%, it would have a mixture of spandex and polyester.
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I love that i have a variation of different shades of blue and indigo and when applied to the garment it will not be one tone. This will give the garments a differnet look and the usage of different fabric options together will make no two garments the same
HOW DOES MY PROJECT RELATES TO SUSTAINABILITY?
1. UPCYCLING UNWANTED DENIM GARMENTS
2. OPTIMISTIC APPROACH TO RAISE SUSTAINABILITY CONCERN AMONG CONSUMERS
3. EDUCATING CONSUMERS ON SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH CO-CREATING PARTNER
Final technical flats
Week 12: Student sharing and presentation decks
Comments from peers:
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1) Concise yet good research soon
2) Points were clearly articulated and stated. However, can emphasise on why was denim production the chosen topic.
3) Design process and exploration was well done but can focus on the sustainability aspect of it.
Comments from lecturer:
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1) Tell us what was so unsustainable about denim in the first place. Try not to combine the information with sustainable denim as the information on the slide can be distracting.
2) Why not use sustainable denim alternatives instead of your concept? Perhaps spend less time talking about current solutions and talk more about the alignment with your concept.
3) Need to go into more detail about how you will work with your
Co-creation and how it relates to sustainability.
4) Justify the “one off” element in your design solution
5) Good slide on exploration with technical flats and deconstruction, but you can combine all the deconstruction slides to 1 slide.
6) Combine “creative story” with technical flats and illustration rather than just saying “this is my final design”
Reflection:
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I have to focus on what was unsustainable about the denim industry and their production and how the effects of the production affected the environment greatly.
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For my fabric options laid out it was actually dead stock fabric found in school and other fabric options was unused denim garments and unwanted denim garments. I should articulated that my fabric options were sustainable alternatives for better understanding.
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As for my co-creation partner, I did not mention it at this presentation and I think its important I explain how I can build a relationship with them and relate it to sustainability. Since we have the same kind of target audience by hosting an exhibition and sale especially when they do not have sale of up-cycling denim garments. This can be a great opportunity for young consumers to learn the effects of up-cycling and the sustainable options that come by. It is also to give them the impression that sustainable can be stylish too! I did a layout of how the exhibition and the sale of clothes would be and this was the proposed poster and layout.
'one-off' garment
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How can i justify 'one-off'?
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The term "one-off" refers to something that is done or created only once, and often quickly, simply, or improvisation-ally. The 'one-off' element gives the user a unique and a different experience. It gives them a sense of attachment created just for them. There will be a variety and no two garments will ever be the same.
Week 13 & Week 14: Preparing for prototype, prototype week and sharing
TEST RESULTS & DATA
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WORK IN PROGRESS EXHIBITION
During prototype week, I got to do some user testing and also observe on user behaviours on how they view my prototype and my design project. I realised that some of them were abit fearful of giving their own judgements but after explaining to them my design concept they were able to understand better. It was because my outerwear was not completely done, most of them were not able to picture it but thankfully I had my technical drawing to guide them. I also took the feedbacks into consideration such as the use of functional pockets and if zips were necessary. The prototype week really helped me to do some final changes to my toile before the final presentation. With the help of my lecturer, we decided to shorten the dress length and as well for the outerwear to drape better we shortened the sides which holds the cut out together.
Week 15: Preparation for presentation
Toile preparation
For more process descriptions and images on toile preparation, click
Colour & Fabric Board
Moodboard
Fashion illustration & Technical Flats
Finalised design concept
Design Presentation (Pitch Deck)
STORY
BOARD
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FINAL
TOILE
What have I learnt from studio consultation this semester?
Overall, this semester was really challenging for me, especially because I was not confident with my technical skills and sketching skills. I also faced many instances during the process where I was stuck and no ideas were flowing in. I really learnt that the research stages of the development process are really important and I really should take time to do my researches before moving forward to ideation stages so that I have sufficient information and have a proper pathway for my design process. However at the end of the day, I was really happy with my final toile. Some things I should consider improving was my time management, I should not stick into one process for so long, I need to keep moving forward and developing to let more ideas flowing in. I took some time to also finalise my theme and mood board because my sketches were all over the place and from this I realised I had to stick to one them and start with my collages early so that my sketches are more cohesive.