SoLoveToSewLikeTheBoys

Blog 7

I want to look at historical influences in this blog.  Historical and cultural influences are strong components in fashion/clothing design.  I deliver a Level One NCEA course at school concerning this very premise, students research their cultural backgrounds, then design and construct a textile outcome which is inspired by it.  It's really interesting, as to the concepts they create.  I'll post some images further on in this blog.

Anyway, historical influences as they relate to some of my beloved CdG's recent collections.........

On the left is Marie Antionnette, wearing panniers, circa 1779.  Panniers originated in the Spanish Court, during the 17th century.  Panniers extended the width of the skirt at the side, leaving the front and back relatively flat.  Don't you think the CdG creations (from F/W 2010 RTW collection) reflect/resemble panniers.....but, in Rei fashion!

What about this one.........

This is a Tudor style.
The sleeves are slashed &
puffs of white taffeta are pulled through
the slashes.

                                                                                                                                                Can you see similar effects on this CdG                                                                                                                                                 creation?  There are openings, through
                                                                                                                                                which material is pulled.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                  

I have come across an interesting web site, which discusses crinoline and pannier influences on contemporary fashion, particularly Comme des Garcons and Yohi Yamamototo.  There are some good images of Rei's infamous "Dress meets Body, Body meets Dress" collection.
The crinoline is an interesting item of historical clothing.  It may be hard to understand it today, but the crinoline was considered a very liberating item of underclothing for women. Prior to the crinoline,  a woman had to wear a considerable number of heavy petticoats to produce the required bell shape.  The crinoline made it a much more "lightweight" affair to achieve that form.
http://agnautacouture.com/2013/06/09/body-modification-in-fashion-crinolines-comme-des-garcons/
Check out part 2 of body modification in fashion, it is fascinating...piercings, tattooing and scarification.
The scarification section reminded me of a student who based her work on this feature.  I have sorted a few images from her folder, as it was quite exciting work she undertook.  The class was working toward a fashion parade event, based on the theme of Africa.

I asked the students to explain their inspiration and influences concerning the theme.  I felt it would help some members of the audience to understand where the garment was coming from.  I have so often been to fashion design events where I overhear people say "I don't get it"

Experimentation & testing going on here...what can be done with fabric that reflects scarification...cool fabric manipulation or modification ideas.

The experimentation has led to the development of a t-shirt with manipulated shapes in the back.   The inspiration is from the fully scarred back seen in the student's explanation of her design.

Making her appearance on the catwalk, right in character, carrying a spear, picked up from Drama dept. props!  The hair and face markings were a nice touch, I thought.

 Here are some images from my class of Yr.11, 2011, and their outcomes concerning design concepts inspired/influenced by their cultural heritage......... (the average age of a Yr. 11 student is 15)

This creation is inspired by an Irish background.  The student wanted to create a shirt dress, and it was a challenging experience for her, but it is still a cool outcome.  She printed the celtic pattern onto the chiffon, which is effective.

This outcome comes from a Korean heritage..Hanbok garment inspiration.  This student had a good feeling for fabrics and how to use them.

 This garment is inspired by a Maori ancestry.  The student has used a Maori patterned fabric for the bodice and skirt hem feature.  I think it is a well balanced design.  I was sorry this particular student did not stay with school, as she had a lot to offer in my subject.

         This is a Pasifika inspiration.   You can see by the screen printed pattern around the skirt.  The student was working with her take on the pulatashi garment.  I think it is very pretty, well composed with the white sleeve and white screen print.  I  imagine this is a very appropriate dress to wear to  Sunday church.

And, here we have a cool hoodie.  This student has screen printed her own design.  Surname on the back, nice font, and on the sleeve is a pasifika image with a rosary bead.  This is a reflection of her ethnic and religious culture...I love it, she did such a good job with her printing.

The first two garments, Irish & Korean, are by 2 students who have gone on to further wonderful design study.  They are now at design school and doing very well.   Check out their web site  www.soarewe.com/blog/
and you'll see some of their work.  If you go to the fashion section, you will see some of the work they designed and created in other Fab. Tech. projects.  It is extremely fab.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've finished off a couple of skirts I'd been working on.  One is a black skirt that is inspired by CdG's 2013 S/S RTW collection.  This collection focused on a theme of "crushing" and contained a familiar feature, clothes on clothes or clothes coming out of clothes, which I often have fun with.  The "crushing" I undertook on my skirt was creasing and folding at the hem level.

I cut a very long A-Line skirt, double folded the hem edge and the seam edges, then began the creasing and folding of the hem section.  I started on the dress stand, but it proved difficult, so just took it upstairs and worked all the creasing on the ironing board with the steam iron.  Eventually I was satisfied.

Once I was pleased with how the hem was creased and folded, I pinned and stitched sections in place.  I like the uneven hem, and it is nicely weighted with the folded layers of fabric.

Here is an image of a garment from the actual collection, to get an idea of what Rei was up to

Fantastic crushing and folding with great fabric.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The second skirt................take one rather plain ordinary pink skirt.... shorten it........ 

then, get a different fabric for an underskirt, (ended up with a stretch mesh because I wanted to match the colour of the original skirt  and the stretch mesh was all I could find that met that specification)....anyway...2 rectangles for the front and back underlayer, and long strips cut and gathered into ruffles, sewed ruffles onto front and back underlayer pieces, then stitched the front and back sections together with french seams....and I have an underskirt....

Next, put the 2 layers together and attend to the finishing, and I have a much more interesting skirt!

I know, it needs a bit of a press!
Ruffles are such fun and very CdG.

Look at some "bursting ruffles" from CdG SS14

These images come 'The Cutting Class", which is a great web site.

Here's a wee bit of fun to finish with.  In my 4th blog I introduced Lynn Yaeger, a fascinating New York woman who also loved Comme des Garcons.  I really appreciated Lynn's approach to her physical appearance.  I think she is an inspiration......look at this image.....

The one on the right is moi.......could we be related!!  And look at this cut and splice image....

Together, we are almost one!  Admittedly, Lynn's fringe is straighter than mine, apparently I just wouldn't sit still!

SLTSLTBsigning off for now.