fashion illustrations

These are photos of my fashion illustrations. I just used the two different poses for the figures to try and tie it all together nicely and not look too messy and all over the place. Where necessary I have shown how the jackets can be worn in a couple of different ways.

the book

For the project response report book I have been trying to use a format and look that really shows what the theme and mood of the collection of tailored jackets that I designed.
So, after playing around with a few ideas the book is made to look like an old leather passport wallet on the outside. On the inside in the background is the inside of the wallet and all of the information has been placed in a way that it looks like someone's travel documents and holiday snaps, etc sitting inside the wallet. Everything looks a little bit crumpled/used.

The contents page is like an itinerary for travel rather than an ordinary contents page and I chose to use a font that I thought went with this idea, something that looks quite typewriter-ish. Then I have the information about each jacket sitting on an airplane ticket in the same font, displaying the function and features. The technical illustrations and other written information sit on a background of a piece of paper sitting in the wallet. For the fashion illustrations I have made a separate document, that will be stuck into the book and fold out like a map. Similarly, a few photos from the photoshoot will flip out of the book, a bit like those little consatina fold out photo display things people sometimes have in their wallet.

photoshoot

Here are a few photos from the photoshoot I did yesterday with Dom. Finally finished the jacket just in time! I haven't finished editing the photos yet, so these aren't final, but I'm really happy with how they turned out. I was worried the projected image of the map wouldn't work with all the lights in the studio but I dimmed them a bit and it came up pretty clear.

photoshoot ideas

These are photos I took at home to try out some ideas for my photoshoot tomorrow. I have photos like these for each of the five cities that my jacket designs are based on travelling to, but I have just put up the ones for Paris. For each city I have a different map and different props that represent iconic things or themes from that city.

At first I thought I just wanted the maps to cover the wall and have the model standing in front, much like in the image from 'The Golden Age of Couture'. But then I started thinking about how it could be a little more interesting and stand out more as being from particular cities rather than just in front of a map. This is when I decided to use extra props, such as miniature statues of iconic things (ie. the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, etc.) as well as something to help demonstrate the functions of the jacket, as it all began with exploring the tensions between the technical/functional and the creative. I've used a mini step-ladder/stool in the photos so that the model can demonstrate how the wearer can move freely in the jacket whilst walking and even climbing stairs.

The middle image shows the props against a blank backdrop, as I am thinking about projecting the image of the map onto the scene rather than having it purely in the background. This would mean that the image would be on the model and all of the props as well as the wall behind, which I think would have an interesting effect. I'm going to try it boths ways (with the projector and with the map just in the background) and see which works the best. The things I'm concerned about with the projected image is that it might not be recognisable as a map if it is blown out too large or that it might make it too difficult to see the actual jacket itself. Hopefully it works!

The top image here is the photo of the blank background scene with a model drawn in and a map printed onto acetate layered over the top. This was to get some sort of idea of what it could look like.

photoshoot inspiration

This is a photo from the book 'The Golden Age of Couture'. The model, Mary Jane Russell, is wearing an evening dress by Christian Dior, against Turgot's 1739 map of Paris. She is also holding a folded up version of the map. I think the use of the map in the background of the picture gives it an interesting look. This idea could be taken and worked into something that would suit my travel function/theme.

lining the jacket

inside of the jacket

stretch inserts

These are (hopefully) the stretch inserts for the armhole of the jacket. Firstly, I had trouble finding a fabric that was the right weight and colour for what I need. So I looked in op-shops and tried to find a second-hand jumper or cardigan that I could cut the pieces out of but still found nothing quite right. Eventually, I have ended up knitting these pieces from scratch. They're not quite perfect because its hard to tell while knitting what the shape will look like off the needle. But, I think, because they're stretchy they should still work ok once sewn in.

the jet pockets

These photos show the jet pockets that are on the outside of the jacket.

sewing the final jacket

This is the beginning of my final jacket. The photo is of the inside of the jacket, showing where the fusing and the seams are.

final toile

These are more images of the final toile, this time with the wrap in use as a wind break, rather than flat accross the jacket. The back view shows were the ends will sit if they are buttoned/fastened to the backs of the shoulders.

final toile!

This shows the third toile of the collar, which is finally almost just right. I added an extension to the sides of the collar that can either overlap at the front, or be left hanging down. Not sure how it will fasten yet, but I'd like to use something that isn't too bulky or intrusive. A less obvious change made to this collar is that the undercollar has been cut on the bias rather than straight grain, allowing it to roll over nicely.

The wrap is shown here as it will sit flat against the jacket. Originally the wrap was intended to be buttoned at the ends above the jet pockets, but in order to be long enough to wrap around the neck sufficiently, it now hangs to long to button here. Instead of moving the buttoning location, the wrap is just going to hang freely, so it can sit where it naturally falls. It may still need a button or two to fasten to itself where it crosses over at the front, to prevent it from flying around when the wearer is walking along. There is a seam in the centre-back of the wrap, where it is hidden, because the pattern piece was too long to cut from the fabric in one piece.

collar number two

This is the new collar for the jacket. It has been opened up by slashing and opening the pattern piece, and I brought it further around to the front. I am really happy with this shape and I think it sits really nicely when folded down or up.

I also took the sleeves apart and reassembled them with more useful notches on them this time! Now they are sitting nicely too, but I still need to put a bit more easing into the sleeve head.

collar number one

These are photos of the collar on my first toile. I was really not happy with this shape for the collar, it just looks like a rectangle hanging down the back. It needs to be more spread out accross the back shoulders, so that when it is up as a wind break it curls around the neck more. It also needs to come around much further past the shoulder seam towards the front.

first toile

This is the first toile of my jacket. I'm really happy with the fit and the overall shape. The stretch parts in the sleeves seem to work really well, but I think I may have put the sleeve in wrongly somehow, because the undersleeve seam seems to be quite high.

design

This is the design that I am going to start drafting my patterns from. I am putting stretch inserts into the elbows and around the lower part of the armholes. There is a wide collar at the back that can roll down against the jacket, with the wrap/lapel piece separate, sitting underneath it and crossing over at the front of the body, buttoning to the jacket above the jet pockets. When needed for protection against the wind, the collar stands up, and the wrap wraps around it, buttoning to the jacket on the back of each shoulder. The jacket will also have internal pockets for secure storage of passport, wallet, etc. and a double vent at the back, increasing the freedom of movement.

In these sketches I am looking at the movement function of the jacket. I found that the areas that need the most movement are the arms, which need to be able to move backwards and forwards and bend with ease, making climbing steep stairs and hills more comfortable.

I first looked at using pleats and fullness in the elbow and sleeve head areas in ways that would allow the jacket to expand and contract when needed.

I then moved on to the idea of having stretch inserts in the jacket, allowing for movement, without having to change the entire silhouette of the garment. I also considered having stretch inserts in the back seams of the garment, to put a bit of give accross the back, however I think that the stretch in the armholes would make this unnecessary.

Starting with the jacket for travelling to Paris, I first decided what the key functions needed to be:

1. Movement - it is important that the wearer of the jacket feels that they can move freely without being restrained by it.

2. Wind break - to provide warmth and protection when up high, for example on top of the Eiffel Tower or at Montmartre/Sacre Coeur.

3. Storage compartments - for secure storage of important items such as passport, wallet, etc.

4. Comfort - while travelling for a long period of time (on a plane, train, bus, etc.)

In these sketches I am looking solely at the function of the wind break, focusing on solving one element of the jacket at a time. The idea is to have some kind of collar/piece that can be wrapped around the neck when needed, or can sit flat accross the jacket out of the way when not in use.

research pages

These are a few pages from my visual diary, showing some research into the functions for my jacket. I have decided that the 5 jacket designs are going to be drawn from travelling to 5 different cities from 5 different continents. This means that they will all have something vital in common (travel) but at the same time they will all need different functions.

The cities I have chosen are Paris, New York, Hong Kong, Cairo and Buenos Aires. I think these cities have widely varied and interesting cultures and lifestyles that I can use to influence the designs of the jackets.

These are photos from Hermes' Fall 2009 RTW collection. The collection features lots of jackets referencing flying (aeroplanes) and utilitarian purposes. They look really warm and comfortable, but stylish too, with big fur collars for warmth around the neck and bomber-jacket fit.

Again from a travel goods website, this is a head and neck pillow to wear on planes, trains, buses, so that you can sleep more comfortably whilst travelling.

This is a type of pouch thing that you can order from a travel goods website. It can be worn around the neck or waist, underneath clothing, and holds anything that needs to be kept safe, like passport, money, credit cards, license, etc.

These are some more hiking/outdoor adventure jackets.

They all have high collars and look padded and comfy. They are also all in earthy, outdoorsy colours, to suit the environment they are worn in.

This is a drawing of a hiking jacket, showing the way the functions needed for hiking have been incorporated into the design of the jacket. I like the idea of vents and different areas that can open up, altering the function from something to keep you warm to something that lets air in to cool you down.

After brainstorming some ideas about the possible function/context for the tailored jacket, I am thinking about the idea of travel as its function. Initially I was just thinking of the more obvious functions associated with travel, (handy pockets for passport, wallet, etc. comfortable to wear in different climates and on different methods of transport). Another idea I was contemplating was the idea of taking a particular lifestyle and its daily routines and determining the functions required from this.

Another point I was thinking about was whether or not the function had to be a practical, purely physical function, or if it could be more of a conceptual function. By this I mean the function could be something that gives the wearer a certain feeling, such as comforting them, being a more mental function rather than utilitarian.

The more I've thought about it, the more I am interested in both of these directions, and so I've tried to find a way to combine the two. I think that the idea of travel has practical functional needs as well as being a comforting prospect. I believe it is a comforting prospect because it is a way to escape the constraints of daily routines and a stressful lifestyle. The jackets designs could stem from the different places that a person could escape to.