Experimentation Garment Construction using Displacement Pattern Cutting

In Julien Robert's Subtraction Cutting guide he demostrates different techniques to produce garments. Using the pattern cutting technique called displacement I have created the experimental garment shown below.

 

After drafting a basic bodice, front and back, the pattern is drawn onto the fabric connecting the bottom seams together, cut and sewn to make an asymmetric dress. The construction method is rather simple and drape achieved through this technique creates interesting shapes without being very time consuming. 

The irregular shape created by the displacement technique reminds me of Comme des Garçons' designs.

Very little of the actual material used is wasted compared to a more traditional pattern cutting technique how ever after completing the sample garment it is clear that much more fabric would be needed to produce a final garment.

This approach to garment construction is a contrast to my pervious work by the relaxed style and shape. 

To try and contain a little more structural shape to the dress I decided to add diamond darts to the front.

However I dislike the the final outcome because I feel that the garment doesn't flow as nicely and has lost appeal by the addition of the darts with the loss of the natural unstructured drape. 

For future designs I could potentially bring in elements of subtraction cutting to give my designs a unique edge but with the amount of fabric needed to create a full finished dress is not feasible and personally I would prefer a little more of a tailored shaped.

Tutor feedback - Sally Taylor

Today I had a chat with Sally Taylor a fine art, drawing and contextual studies tutor about my work how my ideas had developed to my concept and how the links to my research.

After seeing my deconstructed suit I explained how I wanted to combine the traditional techniques of tailoring with the rather new pattern cutting method of subtraction cutting. Sally suggest that mixing the two contrasting pattern cutting ideas might not make a balanced garment. She advised that I could alternately create an outfit that combines the methods in a more balanced manner but to still experiment with combining the two methods so see what happens.

We also talked about how I was going to link my future outcomes with my theme of of the Japanese culture. After looking at my research of the folk law tale of the Snow Woman and the different versions I explained that my colour pallet and fabric choices where decided from the one of the version of the tale where the spirt of the snow woman entices travellers to their deaths but spares the some of the young and beautiful. In the the versions of the tale the spirt appears either naked or in a white kimono and from this I want to use white or a pale colour, light weight fabric that is slightly transparent. I want to use a lightweight fabric to represent the flowyness of the snow and a white or pale slightly transparent fabric because of what she is described as wearing/not wearing. 

Sally asked me if I had every read Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden or seen the film and how I could take elements from the story like the the sale of the main character's (Chiyo Sakamoto) "mizuage" - the coming-of-age ceremony for an apprentice Geisha where wealthy buyers to bid on her virginity so the apprentice could become a full Geisha. 

In the book Chiyo Sakamoto presents prospective bidders ekubo (a sweetened rice cake) to prospective buyer to signify it is her time for mizuage. 

“Mameha went to a confectioner’s shop that same week and ordered on my behalf a kind of sweet-rice cake we call ekubo, which is the Japanese word for dimple. We call them ekubo because they have a dimple in the top with a tiny red circle in the center; some people think they look very suggestive.”


“Please accept these ekubo, Doctor,” I said, and after bowing, placed the package on a side table near his hand.”

Excerpt From: Arthur Golden. “Memoirs of a Geisha.” 

I like the idea of models carrying ekubo on the catwalk or in a photography shoot, wearing my garments because it is a strong link to the Japanese culture.

The details of the mizuage ceremony are not in the film so unless people had read the book or knew about the culture the presence of the rice cake would not be understood but I like the idea of the mystery behind this element.

Tailored Suit Deconstruction

After a one to one with Jo concerning what universities I want to apply to and what I would like to do we decided that my work should try and incorporate tailoring into what I am doing now because of me applying for Bespoke Tailoring at London College of Fashion.


So at lunch I went around some charity shops in town looking for a cheap tailored jacked to use in my work.

I deconstructed the jacket so I can see all the different aspects and pattern pieces that go in to final jacket. 

Looking at the suit after experimenting with subtraction cutting technique, the two ways to produce garments are very different; one is very structured and planned where as the other if not vigorously documented may never be able to be created again, making it each garment unique. 

I want to try and combine both pattern cutting approaches, either mixing the two ways in a single garment or creating separate garments, each using a different pattern cutting technique for an overall outfit.