Miao: Looking at Silouettes and Fashion Inspiration

My first point of reflection relating to fashion is a collection by Noa Raviv which is a combination of 3D printed elements and structural fabric manipulation. I found the fact that his collection is based on Roman and Greek sculptures really interesting as this relates to my thought process in combining traditional and contemporary elements, specifically concentrating on architecture. The use of line and minimal colour also really interested me, allowing me to further understand the process of 'colour blocking' and how minimal, specific use of colour can be more effective than an overload of tones.

The silhouettes that Raviv's collection include are also a point of interest, and have allowed me to think of unconventional shapes and perhaps the use of transparency and opacity to highlight different parts of the silhouette.

(Article relating to collection)
https://www.dezeen.com/2014/08/21/noa-raviv-hard-copy-fashion-collection-grid-patterns-3d-printing/

 

 

 

I also have been inspired by the AW 14 collection by Peter Pilotto. The combination of deep, dramatic tones with playful brights is something that I have found interesting due to the almost optical illusion-like effect it creates. It very much responds to the geometric-style I am taking inspiration from. The variation in height of necklines is another aspect that I have been drawn to, I think this makes the collection look futuristic which reinforces the contemporary concept, and I believe relates well to the silhouettes I am currently developing.

 

 

 

 

Although much of my research is into the contemporary, I have also drawn a lot of inspiration from traditional Miao garment ensembles. I found that layering and asymmetric skirts frequently appeared in images of the communities, therefore I thought it would be important to have this as a starting point of development in order to keep it linking back to the traditional. I also found it apparent that print and colour clashing happens often, creating contrast in textures and drawing attention. This is something I really want to continue reflecting back to, as I love the concept of creating a spectacle through the use of unconventional layering of print and texture.

After having a tutorial on 'silhouettes', I must admit, I felt quite deflated and not particularly confident in my own drawing skills due to the confidence that most of the fashion students drew with. My initial compositions weren't particularly imaginative, and I needed to get some more inspiration from non-commercial garments and think in unconventional way.

 

I then decided to try my very first attempt at draping on the stand to consider different silhouette and neckline ideas. I actually found this very helpful, and although the images aren't excellent quality, they really allowed me to think outside the box and create more original outcomes. I think the idea of drawing a 'jacket' in a different way will reinforce the layering concept that is traditional within Miao culture.  

  

 

Another way we responded to this workshop as a group was to meet together afterwards and start collaborating by cutting up all our designs and collaging them in order to get some 'new' and exciting silhouettes. I found this really helpful, as it reassured me that some of my designs were successful, and they worked really well when layered alongside other aspects from my group members designs.

My garment using Natalia's metal work designs as overlay

My garment and neckline using Natalia's asymmetric overlay