Inspiration

When I had first started thinking of inspiration for this project, I wanted to work with something I enjoy and am passionate about. I started thinking about all of the opportunity behind clothing, and how you can make a piece of clothing out of really any material if you design and construct it right. So, for this project I’m going to be designing and constructing a sweatshirt, and maybe a collection of clothing (tee shirt, sweatpants, etc).

With my major being advertising, I am constantly getting to know new brands and learning what is popular in our modern culture. Right now, there is a huge trend of brands releasing very basic, staple hoodies. Even higher end brands, like Supreme, Aime Leon Dore, and Balenciaga are tapping into this trend. I think it would be really fun and an interesting process to find the fabric, create the design, possibly add design, and sew together my own sweatshirt. I would like this project to look cool, feel comfortable, and fit well, but I would be satisfied if it wasn’t perfect because this is my first time trying anything like this.

I want to achieve an overall basic, modern, sleek aesthetic. It will like be analogous colors and have minimal design features.

Aesthetic

Minimalism: I decided to go with a minimalist aesthetic for this project, primarily because of the inspiration this movement sparked.

Minimalism came out of modernism. The modernism movement is typically known as a period of exploration, rationality, clarity, and purpose. This aesthetic began around the 1900’s, and was driven by passion and industrial activity in society at the time. Minimalism eliminated all nonessential aspects of art to focus on one, simple element.

I specifically want to focus on minimalism for my sweatshirt, and emphasize the quality of the design and material. The minimalist aesthetic maintains a very clean form of beauty, capturing expression in a very neutral way. I want to accomplish the aesthetic by putting  little to no graphics on the sweatshirt, but still adding something to make it interesting and unique. I am very inspired by this project and this aesthetic because they are so relevant to my lifestyle. I think this will be very challenging for me to complete (I have never sewed before), but I am excited to put the time into learning the steps and putting together a quality piece of clothing.

Design

The design of my sweatshirt will follow the measurements and layout of one of my favorite hoodies. I will use this to trace five different sections for the sweatshirt- the back, front, sleeves, pocket, and hood. I will then sew these pieces together (inside out, so when flipped you cannot see the seams). Once sewn together, I will add the string to the inside of the hood.

Materials

• 2 1/2 Yards of black, cotton/ polyester fabric
• Scissors
• Sewing Machine & Materials (needle, thread, pins)
• String for hood
• Possibly this fabric site – https://www.picotextiles.com/fabrics/polyester_sweatshirt_fleece_fabric/black_polyester_sweatshirt_fleece_fabric/

Fabrication

• Design process inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2VQNB3S8w8&t=380s
• Sewing help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q9jrJA81yE

Timeline

• March 01:
  • Have inspiration, idea of project, and idea of materials I will need.
  • Begin design and research for my sweatshirt.
• March 11:
  • Have design process finalized.
  • Have materials list and place of purchase finalized.
  • Order fabric from online seller (by March 19th).
• March 23:
  • Have all my materials by this date.
  • Begin cutting and sewing “draft” tee shirt.
• March 26:
  • Have draft tee shirt finished, begin hoodie.
  • Have the fabric cut and prepared by this date.
• March 30:
  • Hoodie finished.
  • Room for design and aesthetic touches and revisions.