Yohji Yamamoto, AW11, Paris. The hair styling for the Yohji Yamamoto Autumn-Winter 2011 show was amazingly colourful and made the models look a little like elfish troll dolls. Of course we can’t be sure what they used for the this show, without feeling the models hair and peering through the...
07 Mar 2011
Viktor and Rolf, AW11, Paris. Once you know the dart value that you need to have in your pattern you can then move this value around, as we saw when we moved the value from a waist dart to a bust dart. There is no reason however that the dart...
04 Mar 2011
Pattern awl. While there are many times where markings on a pattern can be indicated with small notches in the seam allowance. The partner tool for marking patterns, which can be used for the rest of the the pattern, is the awl. The awl is used to piece through the...
03 Mar 2011
Dries Van Noten, AW11, Paris. Considering how many designers have been successfully combining unbelievable print combinations this season, it was time to abstract the textiles away from the clothes to see how many prints and textures and colours they really are using.
02 Mar 2011
Bottega Veneta, AW11, Milan. Once you have altered your basic pattern blocks to fit correctly, you will want to be able to change the design of the pattern, while remaining confident that you haven’t made any major changes to the fit of the garment. One of the first steps to...
01 Mar 2011
Simone Rocha, AW11, London. When sheer fabrics are used the seam finish needs to be carefully considered since it can be seen from the outside of the garment. One of the most common ways of finishing seams for sheer and very fine fabrics is by using french seams.
28 Feb 2011
Jil Sander, AW11, Milan. When it comes to knitwear there are basically two ways that the shape of the garment can be made. These two processes are commonly referred to as ‘fully fashioned’ and 'cut and sew’.
25 Feb 2011
Pattern Notcher. An essential element of a pattern makers tool box is to have a really good pattern notcher. Pattern notchers are used to make small notches in the edge of cardboard and paper patterns to mark seam allowance and positions of darts and pleats.
24 Feb 2011
Richard Nicoll, AW11, London. When a collection gets referred to as sporty it can be often be due to the fabrics, or the detailing such as the use of sporty closures, velcro, double ended zips etc. In the case of the recent Richard Nicoll collection the sporty edge was achieved...
23 Feb 2011
Alexander Wang, AW11, New York. Felting is one of those crafty techniques that can risk being the unnecessary centre of attention on a garment. It is a process by which soapy water and friction are applied to wool to make the fibres lock together to create a new fabric.
22 Feb 2011
Christopher Kane, AW11, London. Pocket bags are simply the pieces of fabric that form the inside section of pockets. They are normally hidden, discreet, utilitarian and completely forgetable. Unless of course you are Christopher Kane and an opaque pocket bag could get in the way of your liquid vision.
22 Feb 2011
House of Holland, AW11, London. The use of crochet in both the recent House of Holland and the collection by Christopher Kane makes a perfect example of just how differently two designers can use one reference.
