Little Black Dress Reflection

            I really loved this project! Creating a dress that can change into five totally different looks was difficult at first, but I really enjoyed the challenge to create something so convertible and multi purposeful. Working with knits was easy sometimes but became difficult for me at the end. I like using the serger and overlock machine, and found that sewing my pieces together were easy because of those machines. The stretch that knits have became really difficult to work with when I was installing my main front zipper at the end. I learned that interfacing is key when using zippers in knits and how to thread the overlock and serger. Although I had a lot of trouble at the end, I did enjoy working with knits and now that I’ve learned more about sewing knits I want to continue to work with them and get better at sewing with them and using them in my designs.

The fabric I used was a perfect weight for my design (medium weight black knit). I would not change my fabric choice. I really like my design and dress in the end, it is so wearable and so convertible from day to night. If I did this project again, I would change my design by creating the bottom of the dress have some volume, or a more “fun” piece to it. I would challenge myself by putting a zipper in diagonally, creating an interesting opening when upzipped as well.

I learned a lot about working with knits through this project and even with all the trouble I had in the end, I had a fun time doing this project. I ended up really loving my design and look and I plan on wearing it all the time!

PDF Version: lbd reflection

Primary:

Morphed:

Final:

Katrina Simon

February 11, 2016

Black Dress Response

            When approaching the little black dress project, I wanted to create a dress that can be sporty or fancy, depending on how you morph it and what you pair with it. My design uses zippers as an essential tool in how the dress can be so flexible. When zipped, the dress is a straight dress with a turtleneck. By unzipping it a little bit, it becomes a straight dress with a big collar. You can unzip it more and put a shirt underneath it to create a new look too. Unzipping it all the way turns the dress into a long vest. There will also be zippers on the side so you can unzip one, or both, to create a dress with slits. With these three zippers, the design and style of the dress can change drastically by mixing zipped zippers with unzipped ones. I will add accessories, shoes, tights, shirts, and hats as well to create different looks.

I can push myself to create a simple dress that can turn into something extraordinary and something that doesn’t look like the original basic silhouette. Usually, my designs use bold, fun patterns with more simple, oversized, comfy, fashionable silhouettes/clothes. Stick to my love of fun and comfortable fashion, I want to use the solid, black fabric with zippers to make it turn into a fun, comfortable, fashionable look. Using the plain black fabric is a good way to push myself to focus on the style, function and flexibility of the garment, something that I do not focus on enough but I am excited to do in this project and hopefully continue to do in my design work in the future.

PDF version: Black Dress Response

Reading Response on Free Cutting by Julian Roberts and To Cut is to Think by Celant:

Katrina Simon

January 29, 2016

Reading Responses

Free Cutting by Julian Roberts:

This article is about Julian Roberts subtraction cutting method in which you make clothes by removing fabric instead of adding fabric. He is explaining to the reader that pattern making doesn’t have to be all mathematical, you should think of a pattern and clothes having movement, volume and space by trying his ways of subtraction cutting. Julian is trying to convince his reader to become more experimental with patternmaking/ pattern cutting. He wants you to think more about volume and space when creating. Julian assumes that the reader does not think in volume and space when patternmaking/pattern cutting, he thinks that the reader thinks about making clothing by traditional patternmaking. Julian Roberts makes the assumption that most people who are reading this have a general knowledge about patternmaking and how clothes are made. He uses this knowledge he assumes you know and shows you a different way to do it. I think that his way of creating through cutting is really interesting and the methods presented in the text. I think he also helps readers understand that they can become more experimental with their patternmaking which I really like.

To Cut is to Think by Celant:

This excerpt is about how cutting has become a powerful tool for fine artists and fashion designers in the creative and making process. It is also discussed how fine arts and fashion comes together, both use cutting and they affect one another and what they design/create. Celant tries to convince the reader that cutting in fine arts and fashion design is so important and has a lot of meaning. Each cut means something and is used to symbolize what the piece (either art or fashion) is trying to express, like the sexual connotations that are discussed in the article.

The author assumes that the designers and artists he refers to are names that the reader knows and assumes they know their work. I think some of the names talked about are names that a reader who would look at the article would know but some I would have liked him to explain more or provide images of work discussed. Then, the reading could become clearer. I think it is really interesting how this article merges fine arts and fashion and show how both use cutting in their designing and how important it is to the creation of a piece. I especially thought this article was intriguing because I love fine arts and am thinking about minoring in it so I love when I can read about both fashion and fine arts.

PDF version: reading response 1