Garment Development and Construction.

For my Trims Project I started by looking at trims and silhouettes of traditional menswear garments. I went into different shops to gather primary research on trims, silhouettes and yarn choices; I found that higher end fashion brands had a larger percentage of wool, cotton and mohair. This has led me to create collections within my practice using only luxury yarns; wool, cotton and viscose. I found this project useful as it showed me what fashion brands are like in industry, and how to adapt my work to fit in and also to go beyond and push the boundaries of knitted menswear fashion.

Whilst gathering my primary research I found a particular knitted garment that used the Linker as a feature by having the chain stitched edge on the right side of the garment. I found it interesting how I could use traditional techniques and push them to add detailing on to garments.

For garment development in my main Practice Unit, I also carried out a body of research consisting of trims, silhouettes, and shaping. This research has helped me visualise my samples as actual garments. I have started to consider placement of techniques and proportions of yarns and colour, which has helped me greatly in understanding patterns and styles of knitwear, and has pushed me to start designing different garments.

I have researched different knitwear designers, such as Nicomede Talavera, he creates interesting pieces of knitwear pushing the boundaries of construction, his sleeves are not linked and flare out. Details like this are what interest me when researching menswear fashion. 


Nicomede Talavera

For my first garment, I created a jumper. I wanted a traditional style but more extreme. I decided for the main torso on the front and back I would bring in only slight detail. I added subtle lace holes in small sections to keep with the concept ‘Coded and Hidden’, also inlaying small areas bringing in slight shades of teal to lift the piece by adding colour.

The rib on the bottom of the jumper lengthens the piece making it an oversized silhouette as I want to style it with oversized t-shirt and really exaggerate that look. 

 

Initially working from the sample, which is half rib, and half pockets, this became the main detail on the set in sleeves which would add texture to the garment. However in hindsight the calculations to create this sort of sleeve proved difficult, as each technique made the fabric move in different ways, distorting the shape of the sleeve. So I decided after making one sleeve, with the techniques side by side, to have the rib on the bottom half of the sleeve and have the pockets on the upper half. This worked more successfully. 

When constructing the garment I decided to not incorporate the sleeves into the garment as the quality and visual impact of the sleeves would lessen the garment and not add anything.  I felt the quality of the sleeves were not to a high enough standard to incorporate in my garment, so in Unit X I will create a finer knitted piece to go underneath the jumper.

For future garments, I would like to work on the structures of the fabrics and I think the different structures work well in conjunction with one another as it affects the tensions and textures of the piece; this is something I have developed throughout this Practice Unit and will continue within Unit X.