Category: Uncategorized

  • Incarnation

    Three Look Capsule

    Sportswear Basics

    An experiment in digital first approach to pattern creation, the capsule is three variations on a wide leg single pleat pant paired with relaxed shoulder top designs. The pieces are intended to be fitted at the waist, but comfortable and unrestrictive. Understated and ready for the day.

    The first look is a jumpsuit has a bloused top and drop shoulder with subtle gathers at the shoulder. The collar frames the front, but rests naturally, unobtrusive. The second look is simplified separates, the pants are traditional and multifunction, the top has billowy shoulder shape that falls flat in front and catches at the hip in back. The final look is a variation on the second: denim pants repeating the front pleat, but with a closer cut and slight knee shaping. The tee is again a pullover poncho-like fit that drapes off the shoulder. The jacket is a simple coverup with a raglan yoke construction, cropped sleeve and straight lines. More detail bellow.

    Concept

    Many people primarily wear pants, or there are at periods of life when they choose to. Still it’s surprisingly hard to find consistent fits and styles that just work.

    David Lynch: Yes, absolutely. I am searching for a good pair of pants. I never found a pair of pants that I just love. I like comfortable pants and clothes I can work in, that I feel comforable in. I don't really like to get dressed up. I like to wear the same thing every day and feel comforable. It's a fit, it's a kind of feeling, and if they're not right, which they never are, it's a sadness. You know, it interrupts the flow of happiness. I'm working on it, believe me.
    Demographics

    Aged out of fast fashion and want fitted clothes (30+)

    College educated, typically

    HHI $150- $450K, practical with disposable income, but secure and unlikely to broadcast status.

    Psychographics

    Active with varying activities throughout the day. Not tied to a single setting. Appreciates fashion and somewhat exacting, but sometimes prefers a uniform or at least garments that can work in most settings, disinterested in the mental effort of dressing.

    Garment Details

    Look 1 – Tencel Jumpsuit

    Button-front jumpsuit with cuffed pant and a contrast collar. The main fabric is a dress weight Tencel with a subtle texture. The collar is a slub linen blend with horizontal ribs. The waist is fitted, the bodice is slightly bloused. There’s gathering bellow the shoulder yoke for shaping, largely hidden behind the collar. Shoulder is slightly extended, bound armholes and back neck

    The pants have a matching center button placket, and a single pleat for casual ease. Slash front pockets with a contrast accent similar to the collar.

    The collar was inspired by a vintage day dress. More details: 40s Day Dress.

    Look 2 – Popover Shirt/ Twill Pants

    Popover cotton shirt with contrast front placket. The primary fabric is a muted stripe shirting with delicate crumpled texture. The contrast is repeated from look 1, a Tencel woven. Buttons are again gunmetal. Two center front, and also a button sleeved plackets.

    Pants are from a weighty brushed twill in a blush sandy color. Like the jumpsuit, it’s a fitted waist with hip slash pockets and single pleats. There are back welt pockets, they can be worn cuffed or straight.

    Look 3 – Sleek Jacket / Darkwash Denim
    Close up of fabric and buttons

    A simple button front jacket with patch pockets and a partially hidden fly front. The sleeves are cropped, there’s a hem vent. The sleeves are a yoked/raglan hybrid. No collar.

    The jeans are a variation on the other two pants. Cut a little closer with a knee dart and simple hem. They have a fitted waist, front pleat, front slash pockets and back patch pockets.

    The micro stripe jersey tee has no shoulder seams and takes a slouch shape like a poncho.

    Detail of Buttons
    Detail of buttons imported into Clo from mechanical CAD: Drafting Buttons

    Rendering in Clo 3D

    Garment patterns were developed in Clo 3D to fit a sample size. Avatar measurements were set to match a physical dress form. The garments were also rendered and animated.

    There have been recent updates to a schematic “Toon” material settings. This was used to create additional schematic images and video.

    Toon is a common rendering format, where lighting and shadows are exaggerated using a stepped gradient, instead of the continuous lighting a render engine normally applies. It’s also possible to apply surreal contrasts and glows.

  • Oversized Shirt from Measurements

    Original from lightweight cotton shirting with a bias plaid print. It is oversized but labeled XS. The same design was sold as an oversized women’s flannel.

    Pattern from Measurements
    Adjusted Pattern Simulated (with fabric repeat applied)
    Finished Shirt, Petite
    Height Only Grade: Petite, Regular, Tall
    Height Graded Pattern

    Finished shirt, petite (still oversized).

    Fabric
    Simulation of original shirt, with photo print applied for reference.

  • Cocoon Coat

    Rachel Comey for Vogue Patterns

    Digital Sample, pattern size 14
    Physical Sample, pattern size 14
    Pattern Envelope

  • Full Bust Adjustment

    Adjusting a bodice pattern for cup size can be done with a slash and spread method. A larger cup requires additional length in the front bodice, but all the other edges stay the same. This added length necessitates larger darts.

    The basic block presented in Patternmaking for fashion design by Helen Joseph-Armstrong has a single waist dart. The baseline draft is a B-cup. The adjustment presented is a slash to the mid-armhole from the bust point and second horizontal slash from the bust point to center front. The lower outer portion of the bodice is pivoted out from the armhole. The lower center portion is spread down so that the dart legs are equal. The cup size is determined by how far the bust point is spread: C-cup 3/8″, D-cup 3/4″, DD-cup 1″, A-cup overlap 3/8″

    The front becomes longer, the dart legs become longer but the top of the pattern remains the same. The distance from shoulder seam to dart point is fixed. This really means the bust point is moving out from the body and pivoting up. As the dart increases, the shape becomes more conical and angular.

    This is one way to vary cup size while keeping most measurements fixed. Another would be to keep the distance from bust point to waist fixed, or maintain the relative distance between waist and shoulder. Either of these might be a more natural trend across population. While this method would be more suited to added padding.

  • Women’s Grade – Jack Handford

    Dress size 8 graded from 2-20 using Handford. 1″ grade until size 10, 1 1/2″ grade from 10 to 12, and a 2″ grade above size 12. The sleeve grade is the same for all sizes. The change in width affects girth only, x-coordinate of side seams and mid-waist darts.

    The base is drafted to a size 8. The immediate issue with the grade is that the length becomes sloppy away from the base. Too short in the smallest size, and too long in both torso and hem above size 12. The fit in girth and the shoulder width is accurate, the bust level seems correct. If there’s an issue with the armhole depth it’s not obvious.
    US size chart 2-20, the chest grade is 1″ bellow size 10 and 2″ above size 12, with a transitional grade of 1 1/2″ between sizes 10 and 12. This is a change from the grade chart presented in the text which is 1″ to size 12 and 1 1/2″ to size 20 .
    The bodice center length to waist is increasing 1/4″ per size, and the skirt distance from waist to hip is also increasing 1/4″ per size, with another 1/8″ per size added at the hem. Reducing these quantities would control the waist level and hem length.

    There is something about using the grade for the 5-piece block that isn’t correct. Time to recheck everything.

  • Girl’s Grade

    Following the grade chart in Jack Handford’s Professional Pattern Grading. A size 10 top is graded down to 7 and up to 14. The sleeve lengths are off in the smaller sizes; however this assumes the avatar sizing corresponds to the original size chart and also the accuracy of the base size ten, which was drafted from Helen Joseph-Armstrong’s Patternmaking for Fashion Design and the size chart provided there. Darts are not graded so they hit differently on each size.
    Pattern movement translated into coordinate grade rule. Front and back are identical. Sleeve is graded symmetrically.

    Grade pattern with labeled points

  • Women’s Combined Grade

    Basic block combined grade (from Grading for the Fashion Industry by Taylor and Shoben)

    UK 12 base size graded for height and girth simultaneously:
    2.4 cm height increment, 5 cm girth increment

  • Avatars for Grading

    Straight: Girth only grade set of avatars.
    Roughly North American size 00 to 38 jumping by five sizes.

    Curvy: Girth only grade set of avatars.
    North American size 00 to 38 jumping by five sizes.

  • Contemporary Dress

    A project taking an existing dress to 3D pattern and pattern. The dress has multiple narrow panels, but is really created as a single pattern piece (front and back) because at the hem the panel strips are connected and the excess fabric forms a turned back ruffle. The original was denim and sewn with raw edges exposed along each panel, and also at the faced edge along neck and arms.

    Original dress, size 8. Measured, recreated and POMs verified.
    Graded to size 16. Measurements and fit checked.
    Dress pattern cutting layout. The front panel needs to fit on a single width of fabric, but grading is still possible without splitting up the design.
    Contemporary dress with unusual panel construction. Recreated as pattern and 3D model.
    Line drawing

    Construction detail of the original. Interior is a clean finish (left side of image), Exterior has exposed raw hems. One goal is to better illustrate this effect in renders.
    Bubble hem construction (interior). Hem is tacked to dress through all layers at each gore.
    Raw edges can be approximated in render, which gets the concept across but isn’t very realistic. Same design with simple seaming, and large scale print.