I was not too looking forward to this project, as i don't have a very strong interest in sportswear itself, so starting the project with a research day was perfect for me to become inspired! The idea of this project is to create a collection inspired by a sport, which for me was baseball. We were required to focus on looking at detailing, and the function of sportswear clothing to inspire us, so we began by visiting large sportswear shops including Nike Town, Lillywhites, and Adidas. Sportswear is currently a big trend, and designers such as Stella Mcartney and Marc Jacobs have collaborated with major sportswear brands, so this was also a great source of inspiration.
I tried to think about the function of the sportswear as i browsed around the shops. I looked at things such as the water proof lining, mesh underlay, zips and pockets, grips on the soles of trainers, and even the texture of technical sportswear. The aim of this research day was to become inspired by detailing and function, as oppose to the general aesthetics of clothing and this was quite hard to keep in mind especially with all the appealing colours and silhouettes.
Baseball clothing is all about the striped detailing and tight leg wear, and I was quite drawn to textured fabrics. I really liked the mesh fabric that i found underneath sports bras, and the translucent materials with air holes in track suit tops.
I find intricate detailing really appealing and I enjoyed studying the inside of the garments to look at the stitching and lining, because it gave me allot more inspiration than the outside.
For me to really put my research to use, I made some sketches from my photographs. I find it allot easier to work from my own sketches, so I made really rough drawings of some of the detailing that I found most interesting so that the design process becomes easier during the later stages of this project.
Day 2
My next stage was to begin to develop my ideas with baseball in mind. I really like the american preppy feel of the baseball uniforms, and I like the tight leggings and over sized baseball shirts, as to me they look really youthful and fun. As a way of incorporating my research into my chosen sport straight away, I used a reference image of a baseball uniform with a research image of a complimentary detail or fabric next to it, so that i could quickly design from them.
I started to design quick roughs inspired by my reference images. I kept a sporty element to my designs through detailing, as oppose to style. My first set of roughs were based around a mesh underlay fabric that I really loved. I also looked at some of the Alexander Wang sportswear designs, as he liked use quite a bit of mesh, translucent fabrics within his work too. I was really quick with the way i design, and i think that this contributed to the success of my designs, as i was able to get allot of ideas down in a short space of time, and i also got a variety of design concepts.
For me to really put my research to use, I made some sketches from my photographs. I find it allot easier to work from my own sketches, so I made really rough drawings of some of the detailing that I found most interesting so that the design process becomes easier during the later stages of this project.
Day 2
My next stage was to begin to develop my ideas with baseball in mind. I really like the american preppy feel of the baseball uniforms, and I like the tight leggings and over sized baseball shirts, as to me they look really youthful and fun. As a way of incorporating my research into my chosen sport straight away, I used a reference image of a baseball uniform with a research image of a complimentary detail or fabric next to it, so that i could quickly design from them.
I started to design quick roughs inspired by my reference images. I kept a sporty element to my designs through detailing, as oppose to style. My first set of roughs were based around a mesh underlay fabric that I really loved. I also looked at some of the Alexander Wang sportswear designs, as he liked use quite a bit of mesh, translucent fabrics within his work too. I was really quick with the way i design, and i think that this contributed to the success of my designs, as i was able to get allot of ideas down in a short space of time, and i also got a variety of design concepts.
I focused on designing using a mesh underlay on the outside of the garment, so I was looking at pockets, seams, the straps and thigh area. I hadn't actually discovered a colour way at this stage, but i did incorporate some neon shades to begin with, which i just scribbled onto some of the designs, as a rough indication to the type of colours i would possibly use.
I worked in quite a formulaic style for my roughs, and took the same approach to design for each reference image i used. I also thought about designing some swimwear and contoured garments as well, as a majority of my roughs were quite ordinary everyday wear. I was inspired by a Marc Jacobs swimsuit that carried a strong sportswear element, and the tight Lycra worked quite well with my baseball theme. I started to make some more quick roughs in the same style as before, but focusing on swimwear, cycling shorts and bandeau tops, just to add something a bit different to my design concepts. These were actually my favourite designs as they linked the most with the baseball element to my work, and I could see the young trendy market wearing something like this.
I worked in quite a formulaic style for my roughs, and took the same approach to design for each reference image i used. I also thought about designing some swimwear and contoured garments as well, as a majority of my roughs were quite ordinary everyday wear. I was inspired by a Marc Jacobs swimsuit that carried a strong sportswear element, and the tight Lycra worked quite well with my baseball theme. I started to make some more quick roughs in the same style as before, but focusing on swimwear, cycling shorts and bandeau tops, just to add something a bit different to my design concepts. These were actually my favourite designs as they linked the most with the baseball element to my work, and I could see the young trendy market wearing something like this.
Day 3
Another requirement to this project was to look at a London landmark or building to inspire your concepts. I was really inspired by Tower bridge. I really loved the symmetrical structure and interlocking shapes and lines to the bridge itself. There is allot of fantastic detailing that can be incorporated into a pattern, or used to shape a garment which I think will result in some fantastic design concepts. I also liked its link to sportswear. I noticed a pair of Nike trainers during my shop research that had a similar structured pattern to Tower Bridge, and I can see how this London landmark can really push my concepts further. I have also always been attracted to intricate detail so Tower Bridge is the perfect inspiration for me!
I began to sketch out some of the detailing from Tower Bridge itself. I was inspired by the formulaic gold metal that forms across the side of the bridge. It is always easier for me to design from my own sketches instead of an image, so i made a quick sketch across my page of the sort of triangular and diagonal lines that i found to be most interesting. Pale blue and neon blue appeared to be coming through quite heavily from my initial concept board and from some of my rough designs, so I continued with that theme and incorporated some light blue pen into my sketch. I like to scribble the colour onto my sketches instead of fully colour something in, because it shows me that this is just a concept and is not something that is necessarily going to stay the same throughout this project.
To develop my design concepts further, I decided to try and incorporate my sketch of Tower Bridge into a pattern. I do get a little frustrated with myself at times because I am not that great at photoshop, and it is a software that would make something like this allot easier for me!
To overcome this i scanned my drawings and sketches into my laptop and changed the colour and filter of my sketches slightly. I wanted to get more of a refined look to my sketches, so i can visualise how my pattern could look professionally. I used colours that were quite bold and heavy, so bright blue, and electric yellow, and organge. I was quite pleased with the outcome of my quick prints, however I did put myself at a big disadvantage by not using photoshop, as I was unable to see how my pattern could look once refined onto the figure of one of my designs.
I really wanted to try and mask my pattern onto a design, and the next way for me to do this was by hand! I have used this method before however it does take longer and gives my designs more of an abstract look, which isn't always a bad thing. I traced the outline of my shape from ones of my designs, an then traced that shape onto the back of one of my prints. Once i cut out that shape I was then able to physically stick it onto my drawn design. In the end I didn't actually dislike my outcomes as much as i thought I would.
I really wanted to try and mask my pattern onto a design, and the next way for me to do this was by hand! I have used this method before however it does take longer and gives my designs more of an abstract look, which isn't always a bad thing. I traced the outline of my shape from ones of my designs, an then traced that shape onto the back of one of my prints. Once i cut out that shape I was then able to physically stick it onto my drawn design. In the end I didn't actually dislike my outcomes as much as i thought I would.
Although they didn't look as refined and professional as I would have hoped, they still gave me an indication of how I could possibly use my pattern in the future. I used these designs as part of my development and they are just a concept to help push my ideas further.
Day 4 (Week 2)
Today one of my tutors set up a workshop showing us how we can create shape and silouette. I think that this is something I do struggle with, especially when it comes to designing finals for a collection, so I was excited about this workshop as I knew it would be helpful for me!
The idea was to gather some bright coloured paper, and cut it into strips of about a cm in width. We were shown how to create shape using lines. The strips of paper that we cut would be used to create a shape or silhouette that we will then develop our designs from.
To help us we chose an image from our research day of a detail which is inspiring for a shape or outline. I decided to look at a pair of trainers, which had a geometric pattern on them. I liked the harsh structure to the pattern, and I think that it would be great to create a interesting outline.
Day 4 (Week 2)
Today one of my tutors set up a workshop showing us how we can create shape and silouette. I think that this is something I do struggle with, especially when it comes to designing finals for a collection, so I was excited about this workshop as I knew it would be helpful for me!
The idea was to gather some bright coloured paper, and cut it into strips of about a cm in width. We were shown how to create shape using lines. The strips of paper that we cut would be used to create a shape or silhouette that we will then develop our designs from.
To help us we chose an image from our research day of a detail which is inspiring for a shape or outline. I decided to look at a pair of trainers, which had a geometric pattern on them. I liked the harsh structure to the pattern, and I think that it would be great to create a interesting outline.
When my tutor looked at the image I was going to be working from, she reminded me that we had to create a silhouette and not a pattern, as my image was pattern and not outlined based. I wanted to take on the challenge anyway, and see how my ideas can progress from this workshop.
At first I did struggle to start to create an outline. My pattern was so geometric that it was hard to really simplify it. I tried to focus on one part of the body at at time when working onto the manikin. I started at the shoulder thinking about ideas for a strap or sleeve. I began to interlink the bits of paper, and cut the strips out and sharp angles to really add a geometric outline. I really loved some of my initial outcomes, especially the way that the lines webbed together, I thought they looked really stunning and would make a great impact onto any garment!
My tutor however pointed out that i was making too much of a pattern as oppose to an outline or silouette. She described to me how I would find it far too difficult to design from something so complicated, and it needed to be toned down.
At first I did struggle to start to create an outline. My pattern was so geometric that it was hard to really simplify it. I tried to focus on one part of the body at at time when working onto the manikin. I started at the shoulder thinking about ideas for a strap or sleeve. I began to interlink the bits of paper, and cut the strips out and sharp angles to really add a geometric outline. I really loved some of my initial outcomes, especially the way that the lines webbed together, I thought they looked really stunning and would make a great impact onto any garment!
My tutor however pointed out that i was making too much of a pattern as oppose to an outline or silouette. She described to me how I would find it far too difficult to design from something so complicated, and it needed to be toned down.
To overcome this I started to work on the body as a whole instead of just on one part. I began to take longer strips of paper in a more basic shape and carried it down the length of the manikin. I actually preferred my first attempts at this task, as these outcomes were too basic for me, however I will hopefully find it much easier to move forward with my design concepts.
Day 5
I began to move onto working towards my final illustrations. Drawing final illustrations is something i have always found really difficult. I prefer to work quickly and rough, so drawing something that has to be more refined is something I struggle with.
I have taken a broad source of inspiration throughout this project. For me, It was important that I incorporate the function and detailing from my research day into the geometric shapes of Tower Bridge, which was also link with the workshop I carried out yesterday.
The aim of this project is to create a collection that is sportswear inspired, not a sports collection. So I really tired to design wearable clothing that show that element of sporty detailing. At first I really struggled trying to move forward from my roughs and refine them into a final collection. I know that I wanted to show through my designs allot of detailing through the fabric. I was really inspired by the inside of some of the sportswear products I researched. I loved the intricate stitching, the mesh underlay, and even the more technical fabrics that had small breathable holes. I wanted to bring these elements into my final designs so that there is a strong sportswear feel.
Baseball was my chosen sport, and I wanted to incorporate it in a very trendy, preppy way. I love the oversized baseball jerseys over tight leggings, and also how the American baseball uniforms have stitching as detailing on the outside of the garment. Baseball uniforms are all about the stripe and have a really youthful feel to them, so I wanted to bring all of these aspects into my final collection.
From my first research day and initial concept board, I developed an electric bold colour palette, and I wanted to maintain this throughout my project. My final collection is a mixture of ordinary wearable fashion, and more contemporary wear. I would say that I have played about with proportions making things over sized and also really tight at the same time. There is a strong use of mesh, opaque fabric and I have shown allot of intricate detailing through the stitching being on the outside of a garment, which is one of my favourite aspects to the collection. I do however, wish that I had taken the time to use photoshop to give a clearer indication on the fabrication to my designs!
Day 5
I began to move onto working towards my final illustrations. Drawing final illustrations is something i have always found really difficult. I prefer to work quickly and rough, so drawing something that has to be more refined is something I struggle with.
I have taken a broad source of inspiration throughout this project. For me, It was important that I incorporate the function and detailing from my research day into the geometric shapes of Tower Bridge, which was also link with the workshop I carried out yesterday.
The aim of this project is to create a collection that is sportswear inspired, not a sports collection. So I really tired to design wearable clothing that show that element of sporty detailing. At first I really struggled trying to move forward from my roughs and refine them into a final collection. I know that I wanted to show through my designs allot of detailing through the fabric. I was really inspired by the inside of some of the sportswear products I researched. I loved the intricate stitching, the mesh underlay, and even the more technical fabrics that had small breathable holes. I wanted to bring these elements into my final designs so that there is a strong sportswear feel.
Baseball was my chosen sport, and I wanted to incorporate it in a very trendy, preppy way. I love the oversized baseball jerseys over tight leggings, and also how the American baseball uniforms have stitching as detailing on the outside of the garment. Baseball uniforms are all about the stripe and have a really youthful feel to them, so I wanted to bring all of these aspects into my final collection.
From my first research day and initial concept board, I developed an electric bold colour palette, and I wanted to maintain this throughout my project. My final collection is a mixture of ordinary wearable fashion, and more contemporary wear. I would say that I have played about with proportions making things over sized and also really tight at the same time. There is a strong use of mesh, opaque fabric and I have shown allot of intricate detailing through the stitching being on the outside of a garment, which is one of my favourite aspects to the collection. I do however, wish that I had taken the time to use photoshop to give a clearer indication on the fabrication to my designs!
Final collection
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