ACANTHUSACANTHUS -The Finest Flower of Winter-

Seanan CollinsProcess Analysis Doccument

ACANTHUS ACANTHUS

INTRODUCTION.Acanthus, A winter collection, is the product of third year Fashion Womens-wear student Seanan Collins. It is a collection that is deeply rooted in the history of fashion. Inspiration stems from the archives of the iconic Conde Nast publication, Vogue and was further influenced by the design brief of creating a collection that focuses on an element or recycling/ up-cycling. This evening wear capsule collection features a range of garments which fulfill this brief through the designers’ use of recycled, ex-military, parachute fabric and his inclusion of a modernized version of a William Morris textile print. The palette is one of botanical green hues and soft lilacs and blues adopted from the pages of Vogue and silhouettes are a playful, voluminous reminder of the shape of a cascading parachute and of those from the dawn of the 20th Century.

The collection is an innovative amalgamation of the new and the old, of fragility and stability. The designer has rendered a portrait to both the past and future of fashion.

Fig. 1 Acanthus

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INITIAL RESEARCH.VOGUE ARCHIVE

The student began this project by conducting initial research in the Vogue archives paying particular attention to the early illustrated covers of the 1940s and 1950s. Having chosen 5 covers that most appealed to the student, he then began an artistic investigation into the illustrations experimenting with colour, texture and pattern in the students sketchbook.Through mirroring the patterns and fluid lines that comprised the students chosen Vogue archive images, the student began to develop a wide variety of patterns and shapes which he could constantly refer to in order to refocus

and gain more information.

The student found this exercise to be particularly useful and exciting as it provided a platform form which the direction of the

project was not immediately evident.

Fig 2. Vogue Cover

Fig 3. Vogue Fig 4. Vogue

Fig 5. Vogue Fig 6. Vogue

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RECYCLING RESEARCH

Having completed research into the Vogue archives, the student then, in keeping with the projects brief, began to investigate various recycling/ up-cycling techniques. Within recent years the number of designers who are making not only a difference to the world of fashion but also to the state of the environment is vastly increasing. Consequently the students searches into the different areas and meanings of recycling resulted in an abundance of young, inspiring designers such as Christopher Raeburn and Hellen Van Rees both of whom the student found

particularly interesting.

What appealed most to the student in the work of these young visionaries was their use of recycled fabric rendered in a manner so that its original purpose could be deduced, for Raeburn this is his use of parachute material in jackets and dresses and for Van Rees this was in the form of recycled yarn reinvented in to architectural masterpieces.The student was also inspired by the silhouettes achieved by Van Rees which inspired him to investigate the modernisation and reinvention of classic silhouettes such

as those depicted in his chosen Vogue illustrations.

The student subsequently invested time in researching the crinoline which , at the height of its popularity in the mid-nineteenth century, was used to provide support and structure but has since underwent many reincarnations at the hands of designers such as Alexander Mcqueen, Jean

Paul Gaultier and Viktor and Rolf.

As a result of having researched both the past and present uses of crinolines, the student was reminded of the work of Christopher Raeburn and his use of parachutes due to their similar silhouettes and volume. The student was then inspired to begin initial sketches of collection line-ups, experimenting with volume and

dramatic shapes.

Although these initial sketches were simple and focused more on overall silhouettes than on the design of the garments, the student, upon reviews with tutors, felt comfortable with the direction in which the research was driving the

project.

Fig 7. Lineup

Fig 8. Crinoline

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DESIGN PROCESS

Having reached the initial stages of the design process, the student, with the advice of the lectures, felt the need to reinforce the influence of the investigation in to the Vogue archive in the design work of the student as the influences of parachutes and reinvention of silhouette had begun to surpass that of Vogue

and a connection was no longer evident.

Consequently the student began to revisit his studies of prints and in particular those which depicted a floral motif in order to strengthen this influence. It was as a direct result of this exercise that the student decided to dedicate more attention to the inclusion of prints into his designs and in particular the work of William Morris, who’s influence is evident in the background patterns of the students chosen Vogue

imagery.

The textile work of William Morris has long been a source of inspiration for the student and the benefits of investing further research in to the work of Morris proved two for the student as not only did it inject colour and pattern in to the students work but it was added a further element of recycling to the students work thereby linking it closer to the design brief. The student was able to the fully use the colours from his vogue imagery in connection with the colours used by Morris in order to refine his

designs and colour palette.

With these new connections, established, the design work of the student began to grown more consistent and coherent with a link to both recycling and Vogue in all aspects of design from silhouette to colour.

As a result of refining his designs, the student then felt ready to begining the toiling process. Having refined his lineup and consequently decided on which items from the collection that were going to be taken into production, the student then sat about drafting his toile patterns.

TOILE PROCESS

Haven chosen which design that the student wanted to take into manufacture, he then began to draft the pattern for these garments. The student began this process by adopting the womens blouse block in a size 10 in order to create the under top in his design. This pattern was created by removing the darts from the block and tapering in the hem at both the front and back in order to create the desired shape. Having cut this pattern in toile fabric and quickly made up the garment was happy with the outcome and subsequently began to draft the pattern for the skirt. This proved more difficult as the pattern includ-ed three symmetrical panels in the center front and back which had to be correctly positioned.

The student began to create the skirt pattern by adapt-ing the size 10 skirt block by adding flare to the skirt. This was achieved by closing the darts on the paper pattern pieces and then tracing off the new shapes. The student the began to draft the pattern piece for the tear drop shaped panels which was inspired by the shape of the petals in the students Vogue and William Morris research. In an attempt to achieve as sym-metrical a finish as possible, the student drafted the pattern piece along the center fold of the fabric which he would then cut on the fold.

Initially this method appeared to work well with the nature of the design, however when the stu-dent went to manufacture the shirt, he uncov-ered certain irregularities in the pieces which, in conjunction with a too wide seam allowance, resulted in the panels being extremely diffi-cult to ease in to the main body of the fabric.

Fig 9. Line up

Fig 10. Working Drawing

Fig 11. Pattern

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Having managed to sew the panels in to the skirt, the student was happy with the general aesthetic and silhouette of the skirt and felt that the use of the panels was an effective way of conveying the outline of the flower petals and a subtle way of referencing the students theme as in the final product the panels are

created in a light weight net fabric.

Once the student had created the skirt, he placed both the garments on the stand in or-der to gain an insight into the proportions and overall silhouette of the designs, paying particular attention to 2D to 3D realization.

Upon evaluating the toile garments, the stu-dent felt that only a few minor changes need-ed to be made in terms of the shaping of the under top and more care and consideration to be taken whilst cutting out the fabric for

the contrasting fabric panels.

FINAL GARMENT

PROCESS ANALYSIS

Fig 12. Toile

Fig 13. Toile

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MATERIAL Within the students designs, the use of recycled material is almost as important as the themes of recycling. The sourcing and use of the parachute was pivotal in the coherence of the project. The light weight green fabric perfectly lends its self to the themes and the students designs. This

is an innovative and interesting way in which the student had further adhered to the brief.

SOURCING When initially proposing the idea of using the student had some skepticism about the availability of sourcing such a difficult to come by material. This however did not prove as difficult as the studnet had initially thought. The student sourced a used, ex-military parachute from on-line

auction site, EBAY.CO.UK from an outdoors activity center. This, unconventional method of purchasing fabric proved very successful for the student both in terms of quality and economic value as nineteen meters of fabric was purchased for £26. This cost effective fabric lends itself well to the fast paced fashion industry and the volume of fabric

would enable multiple garments to be made from the same parachute.

MANUFACTURE OF FINAL GARMENTS

The student began this process by cutting out the panels of fabric from the mass of parachute material and then pressing the fabric ti ensure that extra care was taken when cutting the fabric. The pattern pieces were then laid on top of the fabric and chalked in place in order to ensure that the shapes were symmetrical. Due to the width of the fabric, and the panels which are created in the existing parachute, the fabric had to be cut in two front pieces as opposed to on the fold which resulted in a center front seam. This however worked to the students advantage as it enabled the net panels to be eased in better thus creating an improved it.

One of the difficulties that the student encountered was working with fragile net fabric which did not cooperate when sewing it to the other fabrics. The student decided to finish the edges of the net with a laser cut binding in order to create a clean and professional finish. Whilst over all the use of binding was successful, the process itself was very difficult for the student due to the slippery and delicate nature of the fabrics used. This problem persisted throughout the manufacture of the garments in elements such as inclusion of the zips and fastenings.

Fig 14. Parachute Fig 15. Pattern piece

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The overall silhouette that the student has achieved is a delicate and flowing one and shows refer-ence to the work of William Morris through the shape of the panel created in skirt.

Having, placed the skirt on the stand, the stu-dent discovered that the inclusion of a center front seam resulted in the center panel coming up higher than in the toile garment which con-sequently made the skirt less marketable. The student then decided to create a pair of knickers made in a light weight jersey fabric in order to

cover the wearers’ modesty.

The student adapted the leotard pattern in order to create the garment and then over-locked the knickers in to the waist band of the skirt thus cre-

ating a more consumer friendly garment.

The student achieved a professional finish to the garment by roll edging the seams visible on the inside an attaching a layer of top stictched fabric

to the hem of the skirt.

Fig 16. Garment

Fig 17. Garment

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For the outer top, the student decided to heavily reference the work of William Morris by sourcing a modernised Morris printed fabric from Edinburgh Fabrics at £14 per meter. This heavily patterned cotton fabric depicts the Acanthus flower and thus provided the student with the final tie to the theme of recycling.

In order to achieve a perfectly symmetrical pattern across the front of the top, the student mirrored his pattern pieces and cut on a single layer of fabric to ensure the continuation of the

pattern.

Having cut out the fabric, the student then proceeded to close the darts on the top and stitch the side seams together. All of this was done neatly and quickly and the top was then place back on the stand for further evaluation. Having initially included a zip fastening on, his working drawings and in his toile, the student decided to opt for a more traditional looking fastening by lacing eyelets with the parachute cord that was strung on the bottom of the parachute. This resulted in a classic aesthetic being created and less of a clash between the zip at the center top

of the net top and the bottom of the outer top.

In order to further the sense of constancy in his designs, the student decided to have more binding laser cut. The use of binding has left the garments professionally finished and given

them a more up market feel.

Fig 18. Ma-terial

Fig 19. William Morris

Fig 20. Patterns

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FINAL GARMENT

Having successfully completed his final garment the student was very please with the outcome. The garments are a true likeness to his working drawings and show a direct link to the students re-search which has been carried out in his sketch book. The student feels that the colours and print works particularly well together and have resulted in a wearable, desirable evening wear outfit which could be sold at a high end price range due to the niche material used and the complexity and intricacy

of the patterns developed.

The student feels that he has learned a great deal about various pattern cutting mathods and finishing techniques as well as information about production costs and market values and ultimately feels that

the final outcome perfectly encapsulates an array of new skills and abilities learned and developed.

The Acanthus Collection is beautiful, playful and unique.

Fig. 21 Garments

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REFERENCESFigure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10Figure 11Figure 12 Figure 13 Figure 14 Figure 15 Figure 16Figure 17Figure 18Figure 19 Figure 20 Figure 21