Week 38 Pin Tuck Outfit

First off, I'd like to say "thank you!" to my loyal readers for giving me an extra day and a half to complete this week's design.  Although it doesn't answer my design problem that I asked last week, I am very pleased with how it turned out, rich with texture and movement. 

Reflecting on last week's discussion, what is the best way to describe the design problem I am looking to address? I'm thinking that it has something to do with value. How can you design a garment to maintain or add value once it has been damaged? How could mending an item of clothing create a relationship with the owner to want to keep it and continue to wear it rather than replace it?

How do you design to mend? Or can you design for disassembly? I think about The Natural Step and the carpet company that created the replaceable squares in a flooring system that could be swapped out in the highest traffic areas, rather than replacing the entire carpet.

To apply these concepts to fashion is not something that has really been done except on a small scale. For instance,  I recently read about Vancouver based designer, Nicole Bridger. From the Globe and Mail article, "Bridger's goal is to create a “closed-loop, zero-waste” system. By this, she means a system of clothing design, manufacturing, production and disposal that creates no waste at all."

The initial silhouette this week was intended to be be a simple, men's vest, that would almost look knit, but be sewn from a single yard of fabric. The extra material that created the texture would essentially be built in material that could be called upon when needed to repair the garment. 

The final outcome is very different. The colour in the fabric came, again, from what was currently abundant. That consisted of my synthetic "black" dye, and a large amount of Tim Hortons coffee, left over from my daughters birthday party!  The colours reminded me of the men's shorts I made for Week 23, which I think is why I initially wanted to make menswear again. 

If it's possible to be an organic seamstress, I would have to describe myself as one. The fabric and the shapes tend to lead my design and the articlee is often very different from what sparked the process. I'm sure if I was more controlled and regimented, or formulaic in my application of my drafting skills, the outcome might be less of a surprise. But as this is an exploration process, I enjoy the free flowing artistic experience of creating a garment despite the numerous moments of panic that occur!

The focus of this project really is the multidimensional pin tucks in the infinity scarf. Paired with a two toned halter top, I look forward to an upcoming festive occasion to wear this outfit!
With the holidays approaching, I wish you all the best.  I will return in the new year with my next design, and week 39.

I am that I am.