When we were thinking about things we could share about the process of designing the Jacob dress, it occurred to me that drawstrings, and the way they can alter the silhouette of a garment, has been something that has interested me since long before I started designing this pattern.
I graduated university in 2011, and my graduate collection incorporated this idea. To put this article together, I went rummaging through boxes and samples to see what I could find to share with you. Unfortunately the photographs of the collection are buried deep on an old laptop (which I may or may not be able to locate), but I did find the printed copy of my portfolio!
As I flicked through the pages, I couldn’t believe how much of my design intention and approach to clothing hasn’t changed, and how much of this ethos is now part of In the Folds.
The collection was based on my grandparent…
““The collection draws upon their physical qualities, their personalities and personal narratives in an attempt at embedding human qualities in clothing.
The collection is about questions and challenging our expectations of clothing. We expect it to cover the body, to fit, to look good and feel nice on the skin, but we do not expect it to meet our other human desires - to touch us, to hold us, to comfort us, to entertain us or to engage with us.
Through attention to detail on both the inside and outside of the garment, the collection encourages people to build a stronger connection to their clothing. Each piece is filled with subtle details, which encourages individuals to explore the pieces and get to know them as if they were a new friend.””
I have included some of the initial design work I included in the portfolio. I was interested in the beauty of aging and how my grandparents’ faces said so much about the way they had lived. I had a very close relationship with my grandfather (he passed away in 2021), and still do have with my grandmother. I loved imagining a world in which garments could convey this love and safety.
While experimenting with ideas, I decided that using drawstrings would be an interesting way to convey this idea of being held, but also show the way a garment can transform in shape over time.
A dress can go from having a loose, low hanging neck, to a gathered high neck.
A dress can go from having large, loose hanging pockets, to a dramatic silhouette (don’t worry… I’ll never release a pattern with pockets like this!)
Looking through the portfolio, I can see the beginnings of some of our patterns! The curves and shape of the Darlow pants, the Flynn and the Hove jackets. I see ideas that I have explored, but which have not made it to the stage of patterns we’ve released.
I see shapes and ideas that still excite me, that may or may not find their way into my work one day.
The portfolio ends with:
““And we realise that what we love about them are the little things. The things that some don’t even notice…” ”
It feels like something I could write about In the Folds patterns today.
The things that I focus on when I’m designing that give makers a kick, a sense of satisfaction, a feeling of pride when they sew them and when they wear them - but that others may not even notice.
What do you think? Can you see a direct correlation too?
