PROJECT 1, Part 2: Research & Materiality

This involves materiality research and design iteration.

My project is about variations of materials and explorations of collections.  My motivation was to experiment and explore possibilities for future fashion projects, including this one.  I have focused on researching both materials and illustrations.  I have experimented with diverse fabric manipulations, such as pleats, drapes, sewing, and hand painting on fabric.  I used gazar, organza, faux leather, tulle, spandex, knit, cotton, shantung, taffeta, lame, and silk faille; and various trimmings, such as metals, wood pieces, plastics, wires, and lace throughout my whole process and for the final presentation.  I used those fabrics because I wanted to explore differences in materiality.  My clothing is geared towards women, mixed-matched, using a full range of colors, and displayed on clay sculptured dress forms.  I used sculpture because I believe that clothing should be worn on 3D figures to show what it truly is.  Although I used various fabrics on each figure, each figure has a different main material.

Collection:

I discovered diverse materials around me and found variations of the materials at several fabric and trimming stores.  Researching in the stores helped me learn about fabrics and their textures, and weights.  The next step was sketching and creating fashion illustrations.  I explored Pinterest, YouTube, and some other website to learn how to draw the proportions of the body and each part of the body (such as hands or legs) and express the moods, and textures of fabrics.  I focused on two factors to develop a successful collection: one was practicing drawing techniques and the other was researching others’ illustrations to learn how to convey the mood.  The depictions of earlier generations at Parsons and the FIT’s archives were helpful in developing my depictions.  It was great to observe the flow of styles of Parisian fashion starting from the 1920s on, and unique techniques such as stencil at the FIT library. It was also wonderful to see Marc Jacobs’ and Donna Karan’s illustrations and flats from when they were students and see how they made their variations.

Materiality:

I tried to find some not-fabric and brought them into fashion styling alongside various fabrics such as faux leather, organza, and spandex.  Some of the fabrics were painted with fabric paint or gouache.  I played with trimmings as well, such as metals, stones, and feathers.  For instance, I made a skirt inspired by Kandinsky’s Composition VIII painting using different fabrics and trimmings.  I sewed and combined the fabrics in order to achieve silhouettes that I wanted to put in my clothing.  My project was completed with the research and experimentation with various materials.

 

I. Primary Research: 10 favorite objects

 

II. Secondary Research: Fabrics

 

III. Secondary Research: Trimmings

 

III. Ethnographic Research

• The Parsons Archive

 

• The FIT Library: Stencil

 

IV. Garment Study: Embroidery in Class

 

V. Sketches

 

VI. 10 Objects & Fabrics

 

VI. The Chosen Fabrics

 

VII. Drapes

 

VIII. Design Iterations

 

IX. Fabric Manipulations

• – Painting
• – Pleating
• – Smoking
• – Weaving
• – Sewing