collection...

I’ve come to a little halt in the last few days because I’ve been mainly using illustrator to develop my ideas. It was good to get started but I think I need to get back in to sampling, which will allow me to develop ideas like before. I have slowly built a collection, although it’s not quite finished I feel like I’ve got the basis of it. Using illustrator created sketches, which are quite flat, but it was more about moving the shapes over the body to trigger new designs. It might not read well to others but I know how these shapes are moving around the body. I’ve used a paper cut-out to test one of the tops which is something I’ll keep working on, and I’ve tested the skirts shape in both paper and white leather which is what it will be made out of.

Images: Testing shapes on paper cut-outs (front & back), leather sample for a skirt.

I went into Uni today and tested the laser cutter!!! AGGGHHHH. I was really scared to use it but it all seemed to work out well. I used a cotton/linen composition and can’t remember exactly what the second composition was but it wasn’t synthetic. They worked quite well and I was happy with the result. It gave me clues as the composition and construction of the material that would be suited for my work. Both samples had burnt edges which was probably due to the cellulose fibres, so perhaps I’ll have to look into synthetic fibres instead. A bit more shopping around to find the right fabrics is needed.

Images: Laser cut shapes

The exhibition planning has been put on hold while I’ve tried to find a collaborator to work with. Luckily I was put in touch with a first year fashion student, Caroline Tan who has actually already completed a degree in Architecture at Melbourne Uni. We met up today and talked about ideas for the exhibition and I’m really excited about working with her. While studying architecture she was interested in modular systems and building with singular units so it was good to hear her ideas for the loops I designed. Caz also mentioned the possibility for accessories with the shapes I’ve created and I’ve just started to think of using leather belts or Perspex necklaces/bracelets in some of the designs. Hopefully I’ve come out of the lull and can start toiling some of the designs now and testing more options with the laser cutter.

Back to it..

This past week I’ve enjoyed just focusing on the paper structures. When I was making them before, it was more about figuring out how they actually worked, whereas now I’m creating the structures, trying to push the design further. There have been some great results, which I’m going to use for the basis of a dress/top/skirt etc.

I made a trip down to building 88 to see the Industrial Design exhibition. It was great to see the layout of their levels, but I must admit I was really intimidated walking in there. Their work was really cool and it made me want to do the course, I never even thought about it when I was applying in year 12 but I think I might have enjoyed it. Back to the exhibition, I looked at the Hybrid Objects [future fibres] room which gets students to “focus on the possibilities offered by textiles to lead, inform and challenge ways of approaching design.” It’s pretty much exactly what I’m doing but they used it for objects instead of clothes. It was interesting to see some of the interpretations and there were two students that I liked a lot. Sophie Bain created a skin rug using tapestry techniques and twine. It was really effective and caught your eye immediately. The other student was Sandra Campbell who created these amazing 3d paper objects using folding techniques of origami. It reminded me of the Akira Isogowa exhibition at the NGV a little while ago, he used similar techniques in his pattern making. The whole exhibition was great, even just to see their methods and processes and how they interpret the structures.

I have been looking for fabrics to use in the collection and I need to start testing them with the laser cutter, because the designs that I’m creating would be far too difficult to try and create finishes on them. The fabrics will be hard to get right because the design requires a laser cut finish.

I have three to four complete looks for the runway, now I’m just working on the last two.