Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York.

Alexander Wang, AW15, New York.

There are lots of attachments for domestic sewing machines that can help you create clever effects, but often these attachments are dismissed because of the less than inspiring examples used to show what they are capable of. In the Alexander Wang Autumn-Winter 2015 collection, many of the garments were outlined with a beaded trim, which is an easy effect to achieve on a domestic machine with a beading or couching foot.

Different sewing machine manufacturers may call these feet different things, but often you are looking for a foot that has a very large open space or groove on the underside, allowing room for a thick cord, or string of beads to flow through as you sew. Essentially once you have this foot on your machine you will need to select a version of a zigzag stitch, and as you sew over your chosen trim, the zigzag stitch will crisscross over the top of the trim, catching the trim in position.

In this video below by Heirloom Creations» you can see how the technique is used to apply a string of pearls to the edge of fabric and how the technique can be used to apply the beads on top of the fabric as well. You’ll have to test out different threads to suit your garment, for example in the video clear thread has been used so that it disappears. You may also need to purchase some different size presser feet attachments depending on the type of trim that you are applying.

You may also need to experiment with different stitch types and thread tension to get the best result. In this video below the zigzag does an extra couple of stitches each time it catches the fabric to ensure the trim is really secure.

In the Alexander Wang show, the beaded trim was used to accentuate the shape of many details and often gave definition to looks that were otherwise completely created in black. For some of the garments the beaded effect was also combined with a wavy quilting pattern and this wavy pattern also carried through to the use of beading on some of the knitwear pieces. The way that the beading looks on the knit pieces implies that a different method was used to attach the beading for these garments since the beads often look embedded in the knit structure, rather than simply being applied on top of the fabric.

Another interesting point to notice is how the loophole effect in the knitwear of this collection builds upon a technique that was developed for use in the Alexander Wang Pre Fall collection as you can see in the earlier post Textile and Pattern Details at Alexander Wang» but this time the knitwear is more tonal and subtle with the focus placed on the strings of beads.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 1. Beaded trim hangs loose like a chain.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 2. Beaded cord used as edge trim.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 3. Beaded cord trims lapels and armholes.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 4. Beading accentuates panel curves.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 5. 3 buttons on closure.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 6. Beaded trim around cut-outs.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 7. Different sizes of beaded trim are used.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 8. Trim looped back and forth over the fabric.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 9. Beading appears to be embedded into knitwear.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 10. Beading creates waves like quilting.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 11. Rows of beaded trim appear to be embedded into knitwear.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 12. Wavy lines echo the wavy quilting lines.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 13. Beading embedded in knit structure.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 14. Beads through loopholes of knit structure.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 15. Beading used either side of zipper.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 16. Rows of quilting stitches.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 17. Rows of quilting stitches create chevron shape on velvet.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 18. Quilted velvet finished with bound edges.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 19. Chrome look of beading ties in with chainmail effect.

Beaded Trim at Alexander Wang | The Cutting Class. Alexander Wang, AW15, New York, Image 20.

Images from Vogue.co.uk»

Recent Articles

Reverse Textiles at Guo Pei Haute Couture | The Cutting Class. Panelled dress with oversized sleeves from the SS20 Haute Couture collection.
26 Mar 2020
Reverse Textiles at Guo Pei Haute Couture
Guo Pei, SS20, Haute Couture, Paris. There are times where we want fashion to be a slightly elevated version of the everyday, and then there are times where you just...
Gathering and Ceramic Plates at Loewe | The Cutting Class. Detail of gathered fabric and ceramic plate by artist Takuro Kuwata from the AW20 collection.
13 Mar 2020
Gathering and Ceramic Plates at Loewe
Loewe, AW20, Paris. The Autumn-Winter 2020 collection by Jonathan Anderson for Loewe, featured fabric that had been draped and gathered around central ceramic disks or bold matte black central panels....
Connected Knits and Layering at Issey Miyake | The Cutting Class. AW20 Multi-coloured connected knits.
08 Mar 2020
Connected Knits and Layering at Issey Miyake
Issey Miyake, AW20, Paris. The Issey Miyake Autumn-Winter 2020 collection led by designer Satoshi Kondo, was made up of a series of smaller stories. These stories explored the "words and...