Design Development

I really enjoyed developing my design extractions into more considered ideas as it showed me how a collection is created. When I was doing my design developments I tried to create a range of different looks like skirts, suits, jumpsuits etc rather than them all just being dresses so that my designs would have more diversity. I also tried to use as many different elements as possible from my extractions such as a certain colour, pattern or shape again to create more of a variety of designs. Doing design development has taught me how to be more selective when designing and also how to create more ideas that correlate to the rest of my work.

Design Extraction

Layering Materials

 Above and below done using Mulberry christmas gift guide

Below four pages done using pages from Spring Studios magazine

Layering Food

Layering Objects

Layering Images

Layering to Conceal

Above and below: Nick Knight, Flora, 

Natural History Museum, Nick Knight 1997

Below are two design extractions I did using my Nick Knight research for layering and research I did on Zoe Bradley who uses large scale paper folding to create her garments. In the image below the tracing paper pattern is a repetition of the outline of the silhouette of the leaves in the Nick Knight photograph. The illustration is based on leaves and Zoe Bradley's work.

Zoe Bradley

 Above and below: Viktor & Rolf, Back Light S/S 1999

Zoe Bradley

 After doing my design extractions I came across this Vogue feature by Nick Knight and I was surprised by how similar it was to what I had been doing. I love how massive branches have been used to create wing-like shapes and I think it gives the photographs a real edge and impact.

Below six images: Nick Knight, British Vogue February 2010

Malgosia Bela by Tim Walker for Vogue Italy September 2010

Whilst doing some research for another module I came across this dress by Zoe Bradley and thought it linked really well to what I had been doing in my design extraction with the leaves because the dress is just made from giant paper leaves.

Zoe Bradley

Above two images: Valentino S/S 2008

Nick Knight, Rose

Viktor & Rolf, Flowers S/S 2003

 Zoe Bradley

Zoe Bradley

Nick Knight, 'Fashion-Able', Dazed & Confused, September 1998

Pattern Cutting

This was a pattern cutting practical using patterns from Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi. Staying in our concept word groups (layering) we were given pattern templates from the book that reflected our concept word.

I worked on the one above using brown paper. As you can see the way that the pattern weaves together is a form of layering. I found working with the brown paper refreshing as it made a change from doing patterns in fabric. However, I did find it a challenge when it came to constructing the pattern on a mannequin as the paper wasn't as flexible as fabric would have been which made it harder to put the darts in. 

This is one made using calico done by other members of my group.

In comparison to the calico, I think the paper gives an interesting shape and structure due to the stiffness of the material.