Art 03 • Conceptual Design I
Fashion Design I's first conceptual design project was to design two groups of 5 tops based on a painting. I was given René Magritte's "Le Mal du Pays", or "Homesickness".
Tops
Sheer Togetherness
Bristol board, ink, and colored pencils
My first group is inspired by the light, airy feel of the painting. I chose a polyester knit for the self fabric because it drapes very, very nicely, as well as a yellow chiffon, gray taffeta, and gray ribbon for trim.
Design A is a simple tank top with chiffon gathered under the bust, at the waist, and above the hem. The gray embellishments are individual strips of fabric sewn together to make the design, and used to keep the chiffon in place. Because the chiffon isn't stretchy like the knit, this design includes a zipper in the back. The trim at the neckline and hemline are bias strips cut from the taffeta.
Design B is loose and flowing, with a low-cut neckline, and cap sleeves. The outer layer is chiffon, and includes a chiffon self-lined hood. It is hand-embroidered with gold embroidery thread for a 3D effect, and is slightly gathered at the center front, held down by another taffeta design. It is once again faced and hemmed with gray bias.
Design C has a circular hemline, below the waistline. The design features four identical taffeta panels: three at the front, one at the back, and the fabric is gathered towards the lower center back. Ribbon extends in three lines from the back panel and wraps around to the front. The sleeves are chiffon, and also a circular hemline.
Design D has flared kimono sleeves trimmed with gray ribbon. The front gathers at the shoulders, and there are two taffeta panels keeping the gathers in place. The back has a deep neckline, with two gray ribbons joining the panels. The edge of the neckline is trimmed with taffeta bias. There is a belt of chiffon just below the waist, held in place at the side seams.
Design E is a tunic with a yoke that features a chiffon overlay. The front has centralized gathers down the front, kept in place by taffeta panels, and the yoke and back both gather at the center back. The seam between them is hidden by gray ribbon all the way around. The sleeves are flared, and gathered into cuffs of gray taffeta.
Tops
Turquoise Flashbacks
Bristol board, ink, colored pencil
The second group of shirts for Fashion Design I's conceptual design project. This one was inspired by the nostalgic feel of the painting as well as the feeling of isolation- the painter was depressed almost to the point of suicide at the time; his wife had left him, and the Nazis had invaded Belgium, where he used to live. For a slightly different feel, I decided to feature the turquoise color of the lamppost in the painting instead of the same yellows in the previous collection. Both fabrics are linen, and the designs also include gold cord and brass ball buttons.
Design A is an empire-style tunic, with the midriff flaring out instead of staying closer to the body, and features a V-neckline and cap sleeves. The turquoise panels are sewn into the tunic, and the gold cord covers the seams at the midriff, armhole, and front neckline, dropping down to end at the midriff at the back instead of covering the rest of the neckline.
Design B has short, puffed sleeves with turquoise, buttoned cuffs and a peter pan collar. The midriff is turquoise and pleated horizontally, and outlined all the way around in gold cord.
Design C has gold cord around the waist that acts like a belt- it loops around the back and can be unhooked from a button to make room for an invisible zipper. It features bust and mid-shoulder darts, with turquoise bobbin embroidery that ends at the end of the bust dart, and more to the side of the shoulder darts, forming mock princess seams. There is a seam down the center front that has bobbin embroidery stitched into it as well. The sleeves are 3/4-length and have three rows of bobbin embroidery. The collar and hem are trimmed with turquoise bias.
Design D has a turquoise collar and yoke that unbuttons and has gold cord trim along it. The buttons do not continue into the rest of the bodice, but the panel and darts do, and it extends a little bit further down the center back. The cuffs for the sleeves are also turquoise, and flare out.
Design E has a collar that can be buttoned down, and princess seams hidden by gold cord. The cuffs are turquoise, slightly flared, and permanently folded up. The button extension is turquoise as well, and there is a matching strip in the back. The midriff is a turquoise panel that has been shirred.
An example of a taffeta panel and embroidered chiffon
An example of bobbin embroidery and shirring
Tops
Sheer Togetherness
Bristol board, ink, and colored pencils
My first group is inspired by the light, airy feel of the painting. I chose a polyester knit for the self fabric because it drapes very, very nicely, as well as a yellow chiffon, gray taffeta, and gray ribbon for trim.
Design A is a simple tank top with chiffon gathered under the bust, at the waist, and above the hem. The gray embellishments are individual strips of fabric sewn together to make the design, and used to keep the chiffon in place. Because the chiffon isn't stretchy like the knit, this design includes a zipper in the back. The trim at the neckline and hemline are bias strips cut from the taffeta.
Design B is loose and flowing, with a low-cut neckline, and cap sleeves. The outer layer is chiffon, and includes a chiffon self-lined hood. It is hand-embroidered with gold embroidery thread for a 3D effect, and is slightly gathered at the center front, held down by another taffeta design. It is once again faced and hemmed with gray bias.
Design C has a circular hemline, below the waistline. The design features four identical taffeta panels: three at the front, one at the back, and the fabric is gathered towards the lower center back. Ribbon extends in three lines from the back panel and wraps around to the front. The sleeves are chiffon, and also a circular hemline.
Design D has flared kimono sleeves trimmed with gray ribbon. The front gathers at the shoulders, and there are two taffeta panels keeping the gathers in place. The back has a deep neckline, with two gray ribbons joining the panels. The edge of the neckline is trimmed with taffeta bias. There is a belt of chiffon just below the waist, held in place at the side seams.
Design E is a tunic with a yoke that features a chiffon overlay. The front has centralized gathers down the front, kept in place by taffeta panels, and the yoke and back both gather at the center back. The seam between them is hidden by gray ribbon all the way around. The sleeves are flared, and gathered into cuffs of gray taffeta.
Tops
Turquoise Flashbacks
Bristol board, ink, colored pencil
The second group of shirts for Fashion Design I's conceptual design project. This one was inspired by the nostalgic feel of the painting as well as the feeling of isolation- the painter was depressed almost to the point of suicide at the time; his wife had left him, and the Nazis had invaded Belgium, where he used to live. For a slightly different feel, I decided to feature the turquoise color of the lamppost in the painting instead of the same yellows in the previous collection. Both fabrics are linen, and the designs also include gold cord and brass ball buttons.
Design A is an empire-style tunic, with the midriff flaring out instead of staying closer to the body, and features a V-neckline and cap sleeves. The turquoise panels are sewn into the tunic, and the gold cord covers the seams at the midriff, armhole, and front neckline, dropping down to end at the midriff at the back instead of covering the rest of the neckline.
Design B has short, puffed sleeves with turquoise, buttoned cuffs and a peter pan collar. The midriff is turquoise and pleated horizontally, and outlined all the way around in gold cord.
Design C has gold cord around the waist that acts like a belt- it loops around the back and can be unhooked from a button to make room for an invisible zipper. It features bust and mid-shoulder darts, with turquoise bobbin embroidery that ends at the end of the bust dart, and more to the side of the shoulder darts, forming mock princess seams. There is a seam down the center front that has bobbin embroidery stitched into it as well. The sleeves are 3/4-length and have three rows of bobbin embroidery. The collar and hem are trimmed with turquoise bias.
Design D has a turquoise collar and yoke that unbuttons and has gold cord trim along it. The buttons do not continue into the rest of the bodice, but the panel and darts do, and it extends a little bit further down the center back. The cuffs for the sleeves are also turquoise, and flare out.
Design E has a collar that can be buttoned down, and princess seams hidden by gold cord. The cuffs are turquoise, slightly flared, and permanently folded up. The button extension is turquoise as well, and there is a matching strip in the back. The midriff is a turquoise panel that has been shirred.
An example of a taffeta panel and embroidered chiffon
An example of bobbin embroidery and shirring
