Little Bird!, Ltd. - Fashion Sketches

I'm a bit embarassed about my beginner's work so bare with me, please!

These are my beginning sketches, researching notes, and complete renderings to a final project for a Fall 2003 line (only 3 garments) with their color inspirations, fabric swatches, croquis drawing, garment flats, and overall presentation. I was VERY nervous when given this assignment, but I tackled it straight from the beginning so that I may put my all into it.
I started the process by going to the Short Hills shopping mall, here, in New Jersey, to study designer work, and to see what was out for fall. I also looked through magazines and searched online to collect fabric and color inspirations through photographys, landscapes, product and graphic design, and various other stimulant visual aides.
Through going to the mall, I felt the repetative vibes of masculine women, yet in a feminen way. So I studied such women (fictional and real) Patty Hearst, Aeon Flux, and Ghost In The Shell cybernetic agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi. Feeling the surge of Japanese influence in my blood, I began sketching what I thought was a strong female who rebels against every restrain pressed upon her. And so these are the clothes I began to envision.

*INSPIRATIONS*

Audit:

Photek - "Ni Ten Ichi Ryu"

Visualize:

Alexander McQueen - Autumn/Winter Collection '02

From my research on Alexander McQueen (shown from my research sketch book below), I came up with a harness that doubled as a courset. Because after all, this project is to be aimed at the woman made powerful from these garments. The Kimono was brought in as a contrast with a more masculine fabric. I came up with various styles but became set on the bust-lifting style as shown below. In this brainstorming method of figuring out how to make the Kimono (top left) more masculine or empowering, I added a leather Obi sash over one of linen. Then I added an S&M style bra that latches around the neck with a buckle. So the character in the Kimono would seem the usual quiet-spoken japanese style girl from afar, then change your mind to an otherwise confident leather bra/harness and Obi. Then I imagined how Hakama pants (bottom right) would make this character also as empowering by changing the sillouhette. I wasn't sure how I could give the top the appearance of mystery as the bottom did, so I went lookign in a trend book for fall/winter designs. I came upon the "cover-the-face-collar" jacket (bottom left)and removed the sleeves. Then I went for an Aeon Flux look and paired a thong with this over-encasing top, added boots, then decided I didnt like it. It was not the design I wanted for this project. So I moved on to other thins... In the Sketches2Garments sketch, you will see my fisrt design (top right) and second garment thought process (bottom left) for the Hakama pant. Near the middle of the page and at the top left, you will see the beginnings of another style that I decided not to use because it didn't fit the board's unity. Minus the fans, the grey Civil outfit was on a roll to a good start. Notice the thought to change the draping of the bottom of the dress to pleats (very top, right). This is the final thought process to one of the garments on the Final Project board. The outfit has made simple changes since the first design from the Sketches2Garments sketch. For one, I made the draped bottom pleated, Took away the boots and added a redesigned Geta. Though the colors stay the same.

This is the first of the next few pages in my research notebook. I cut out magazine images to capture the image I wanted for the final project. As you can see, I made little notes to almost every image to give myself an idea of how to build the garment out of this or that material or color.
In the upper left hand corner I have the Civil War coat from which I got the idea of the grey dress. I wanted that look, but with the feel of sturdiness. I didnt have the chance to construct an item with lots of parachutte inspired straps such as those men aquire. But I will do it soon! Alexander McQueen in all his loveliness! (upper right) The leather harness was a big inspiration to my final garments. The harness feels as though it holds you together. Like how a gun harness puts confidense in a man. Though, at the left the Hakama pant was cut off due to limited scanning space. But I had to sacrafice it for McQueen...Long live McQueen! At the bottom I show several color samples and inspirations. Also the materials have a rough, tough, natual feel to them. A warrior must become one with nature. On this scan I have more inspiration colors and material choices. Again there's the natural feel of the brown leather. Also, near the bottom, I have a little draft (with color) of the Civil War inspired dress. And the reinvented Geta as a high heel! Here's my croquis! (Croquis = enlongated fashion figure) It took me a looong time to get to the stage I'm at now. "You should be a figure pro," you must say. With my background in Fine Arts it does give me a slight advantage to knowing the body and it's shapes, but I've never taken a figure drawing class, which forced me to learn in 8 weeks. My croquis isnt the best, but I'm proud of where I am and that I can only move forward.
You'd be suprised how difficult it is to convert the regular body of a person with only 8 heads to a croquis of 9 1/2 to 10 heads.

all music created, mixed, remixed and looped are the property of ŠPamela Jackson 2003

To hear complete song and others, click here


From my research on Alexander McQueen (shown from my research sketch book below), I came up with a harness that doubled as a courset. Because after all, this project is to be aimed at the woman made powerful from these garments. The Kimono was brought in as a contrast with a more masculine fabric. I came up with various styles but became set on the bust-lifting style as shown below.	In this brainstorming method of figuring out how to make the Kimono (top left) more masculine or empowering, I added a leather Obi sash over one of linen. Then I added an S&M style bra that latches around the neck with a buckle. So the character in the Kimono would seem the usual quiet-spoken japanese style girl from afar, then change your mind to an otherwise confident leather bra/harness and Obi. Then I imagined how Hakama pants (bottom right) would make this character also as empowering by changing the sillouhette. I wasn't sure how I could give the top the appearance of mystery as the bottom did, so I went lookign in a trend book for fall/winter designs. I came upon the "cover-the-face-collar" jacket (bottom left)and removed the sleeves. Then I went for an Aeon Flux look and paired a thong with this over-encasing top, added boots, then decided I didnt like it. It was not the design I wanted for this project. So I moved on to other thins...	In the Sketches2Garments sketch, you will see my fisrt design (top right) and second garment thought process (bottom left) for the Hakama pant. Near the middle of the page and at the top left, you will see the beginnings of another style that I decided not to use because it didn't fit the board's unity. Minus the fans, the grey Civil outfit was on a roll to a good start. Notice the thought to change the draping of the bottom of the dress to pleats (very top, right).	This is the final thought process to one of the garments on the Final Project board. The outfit has made simple changes since the first design from the Sketches2Garments sketch. For one, I made the draped bottom pleated, Took away the boots and added a redesigned Geta. Though the colors stay the same.


This is the first of the next few pages in my research notebook. I cut out magazine images to capture the image I wanted for the final project. As you can see, I made little notes to almost every image to give myself an idea of how to build the garment out of this or that material or color. In the upper left hand corner I have the Civil War coat from which I got the idea of the grey dress. I wanted that look, but with the feel of sturdiness. I didnt have the chance to construct an item with lots of parachutte inspired straps such as those men aquire. But I will do it soon!	Alexander McQueen in all his loveliness! (upper right) The leather harness was a big inspiration to my final garments. The harness feels as though it holds you together. Like how a gun harness puts confidense in a man. Though, at the left the Hakama pant was cut off due to limited scanning space. But I had to sacrafice it for McQueen...Long live McQueen! At the bottom I show several color samples and inspirations. Also the materials have a rough, tough, natual feel to them. A warrior must become one with nature.	On this scan I have more inspiration colors and material choices. Again there's the natural feel of the brown leather. Also, near the bottom, I have a little draft (with color) of the Civil War inspired dress. And the reinvented Geta as a high heel!	Here's my croquis! (Croquis = enlongated fashion figure) It took me a looong time to get to the stage I'm at now. "You should be a figure pro," you must say. With my background in Fine Arts it does give me a slight advantage to knowing the body and it's shapes, but I've never taken a figure drawing class, which forced me to learn in 8 weeks. My croquis isnt the best, but I'm proud of where I am and that I can only move forward. You'd be suprised how difficult it is to convert the regular body of a person with only 8 heads to a croquis of 9 1/2 to 10 heads.