ADN 502 | ADVANCE SEWING & CONSTRUCTION

Prompt: Construct a garment which incorporates at least three of the previous fabric and construction techniques demonstrated during the semester.

Final Materials: Fur, Sequins, Silk Dupioni & Polyester Crepe

Inspired by the Fashion Designer Duro Olowu and his innovative combinations of print, pattern and texture. Olowu is a self-taught, Nigerian born, London based designer who draws inspirations from his multicultural background.

Duro Olowu Spring Collection Ready to Wear 2019

Sketch Development & Material Swatches

Technical Sketch

Construction Techniques and Material EXPERIENCES

A collection of the various material techniques and construction exercises leading up to the final project. The goal of these assignments were to broaden our knowledge of sewing and construction techniques practiced in higher end production industries. All samples below are half scale. The bodices explored types of pattern matching with stripes and plaids. We were asked to demonstrated appropriate seam finishes for the finished half scale dresses based the properties and challenges of each of the materials.

While I didn’t quite finish this sample, I had completed enough to understand that a more traditional and couture* way to work with this material is extremely time intensive. The top pattern was marked with calk by thread tracing the pattern. After thread tracing, Seam allowances were marked with calk. Originally, this sample didn’t call for backstitching the edge of the seam line. Due to the availability of sequin fabrics in our local supply store, this fabric was produced with a chain stitch, meaning if one sequin is cut off, they all fall off. The image above is the shirt pattern after the seam line and seam allowance had been secured by backstitching by hand. Only after securing the sequin can you cut the pattern out. Once the pattern pieces are cut out, twill tape is hand basted on the seam line and sewn on a machine. Any remaining locations which are missing sequins are individually sewn back into the fabric.

*Couture: This term is used only by means of explaining a construction technique which is practiced in a higher end marketplace. Not an claim that this is the couture way to sew sequins.