The first thought that popped into my head a month ago, after I had the terrible accident where I broke my foot, was ‘How Will I WORK Now’? And my instinct was right: I was not allowed to. The doctor suggested bed rest. So I decided that I have to make the best of it, meaning work on things that I usually do not have time to, such as: really document myself when thinking about a new collection, save pictures that inspire me, make a cool mood board, try to extract shapes and forms to be used in actual wearable pieces of clothing, meaning – really and actually DESIGN.
I usually choose fabrics first and let it inspire me as I work, but now I decided to take the process of design step by step and of course you will get to experience my every step, as I will gladly share everything with you. Maybe you will get INSPIRED too. ;)
It all starts with IDEAS/THEMES for the New Look Of Luxe: Modern Sculpture, Minimalism in Visual Arts, Pin-Up Covers.
Because of my Fine Arts background it comes as no surprise that I am inspired by all kinds of art: from simple light installations to Ad Reinhardt’s black canvases, from antique family photos to Russian constructivism, these are just a few of the themes that “spoke” to me in regards of this collection, which will have the following attributes: monochromatic, structured, simple, constructed vs. organic, thoughtfully executed volume, also while remaining wearable and figure flattering to the female form.
MOOD BOARD: images that inspired me.
FORM. Femininity is very important to me, I can only create clothes that I would like to wear and I do not like to wear unflattering garments. Therefore the waist will be accentuated, there will be hint of sexuality expressed by the asymmetric form of the top part of the garments: shoulder shown and covered; my preferred length is right above the knee, to make the dresses and skirts office-appropriated.
FABRICS. This collection is designed to be for the fall/winter [2010] season, therefore I chose thicker fabrics such as wool and cashmere, lined with cotton and silk. The dresses will have integrated corsets with boning structures on the inside, for a better fit. Also, small threaded fasteners of steel will be attached on the dresses, to let the client have her own take on volume, changing small details to make it more unique. Because, for me, luxury means to be able do whatever you want with what you wear, to be able to change it as you please. Smart garments are versatile and give a sense of empowerment to whoever wears them.
COLOR. A dark palette of gray, black and neutrals for clothes that will be forever in a closet. Ignoring the seasonal trends means choosing to wear well made, luxe clothes which will not be dated next season. Nor the season after that. The wearer can add touches of color by choosing bright accessories, scarlet lipstick, cobalt blue nail color, a positive attitude.
FIRST SET OF SKETCHES:
I took out geometric forms [from the mood board] which appeal to me and can be used in the process of creating a wearable piece of clothing. This is just the first set of sketches, some sort of a brainstorming if you will. The step that follows is very important, because you have to filter all these ideas into actual pieces of clothing. Thinking about patterns is vital right now; it’s like a filter that lets you develop only certain ideas further.
Check back later this week to check out the next steps from my process of creating a fashion collection. I am sure this is a big win for me and hopefully I can INSPIRE you to do whatever you always wanted to do but never had the time.
Click below for the Romanian translation.
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