The process of creating this Shingo Sato bodice and draped skirt was extremely challenging. Along the way I faced many ups and downs, yet I know I did my best and I learned from my mistakes. I feel that my dress reflects my personality and the soft color describes who I am as a designer. I prefer light and feminine colors and rounded angles instead of harsh corners. The dress has a regal and conservative feel that I appreciate. In addition, I chose to include the brown zipper because the color complemented the dress and I wanted the look to feel slightly casual.
I began the process of creating this dress by starting with a bodice in muslin. Next, I drew lines on the bodice to show where I would cut to create the Shingo Sato look and eliminate the darts. Then, I played around with draping for the first time and decided on the box pleat design. After my design was created in muslin, I drew patterns from my muslin sloper and used my patterns to cut the fabric. During these beginning steps I learned about grain, facings, interfacings and how to properly notch.
The challenges began when I started to sew the garment. I struggled with sewing in the sleeves, the zipper and inserting the lining. Although I was challenged by the construction of the entire dress, I found these three elements to be exceptionally challenging. In the future I plan to practice sewing in long zippers and be conscience of the seam allowance in the sleeve and the arm hole on the bodice, as well as following the sewing hierarchy exactly. Although this dress is far from perfect, I am proud of my very first constructed garment and I can’t wait to see my improvement throughout the semester!
