In Orbit

In Orbit - By Maya Sundari

Spring/Summer 2011

In Orbit represents my interpretation of orbital paths in space. The collection could be seen as a representation of clothes that orbit the body... either at a safe and regulated distanc eor close and comforting. The concept of space as close and comforting can be likened to our own familiar milky way galaxy that we see every night, appearing slightly different each time, but always softly fluid and gently sparkling.

That above photo is taken from el fotopakismo's flicker photostream - http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotopakismo/2907866048/

My collection In Orbit is futuristc yet feminine, interpreting the cyber/galactic influence in a soft and inviting way - not cold and hard which is how it is often seen in fashion. I want to achieve this through a combination of a pastel colour palette and designs that are rounded, floaty or voluminous. In Orbit is positive, colourful and fun... it's clothes that make you want to move and twirl. I hope that this collection will provide a reconnection with our universe that I feel is often missing from our everyday lives.

Colour palette and inspiration source:

Design selection on Monday went well and I'm looking forward to the next steps(sssssss). Next on the 'To Do' list is to get images and fabric sent to the printers for my digital fabric print samples and order some neoprene to start sampling.

Sunday is not a day of rest.

My Sunday (as usual) was not a day of rest like it should be...although I did enjoy spray painting ping pong balls to use for my presentation tomorrow. For some reason, I always find spray painting very satisfying. 

To explain: I am going to (eventually) make hollow sterling silver balls to attach to the hemline of one or two garments in my collection to represent planets on an orbital path. This will be my complimentary project this year -  called 'Wandering Stars'. The word 'planet' comes from the Greek term 'planetes' meaning 'wanderer' as ancient astronomers noticed how certain lights moved across the night sky. They called these lights 'asteres planetai' or 'wandering stars'. 

Below shows some initial inspiration for the project:

Some scans of my sketches of some initial ideas on construction and application:

And the ping-pong ball substitute... workin' the hemline. 

 

Finally... my rough toile for one of the 'outfits':

I will need to get my final fabric to move forward with toiling, as I am using neoprene (in this case, for the jacket) and finding it difficult to find a suitable substitute that drapes and handles in the same way. Overall, I am happy with the garments, although adjustments will have to be made to achieve my ideal form and shape.

up!

A taste of my soundtrack for illustrating...

...and of how it's all going (I sometimes use my bed for sleeping...)

I'm happy with how the collection is starting to look. I will be posting pictures of my first toiles soon.

The Cosmic Romantic

Concept Board Update: New and Improved!

Late last night (or early this morning) I  finalised my designs and started the rough illustrations. Pinning these six 'outfits' onto my cork-board gave me a good idea of how the garments work with each other and some minor changes were made to make the collection stronger. I like to pin my design sketches and fabric sample cards onto my cork-board as I believe that every second that I am looking at them - or can see them out of the corner of my eye - gets my brain subconsciously thinking about design development and new ideas or direction. 

This happened while I tried to sleep. My mind's eye was searching and criticising my designs and fabric in an attempt to sum up the over-all atmosphere of my collection...and I think it got somewhere. I see my collection as orbiting planets interpreted into clothes that 'orbit' the body - either at a safe and even distance, or close...either way is comforting. 

Rather than being dark, scary, cold and lonely, to me space is an ethereal, dreamlike space of weightless orbit.... the immeasurable vastness of your surroundings fuels the imagination and makes you feel like anything is possible - there are no boundaries. Surrounded by the pastel and vibrant colours of nebulla and star formation...witnessing eclipsing planets and the colours that are only seen because our sun radiates light... I guess I am somewhat a 'cosmic romantic'.

 

The above images are some examples of what I want to get digitally printed onto silk and mesh to use in (small) parts of my collection. I am in the process of having samples done now to see how they look. The beautiful colours and forms will create a cosmic atmosphere and give depth to my collection. 

Fabric, colours, silhouette, design...

These are the topics that have been occupying the majority of my consciousness since my last post. Although it seems obvious, I have just realised the absolute importance of the combination of these factors - fabric, colours, silhouette and design - to allow me to move forward in the development of my collection. Fabric and colour research has been a huge help to my designing process. There came a point when 2D pencil sketches weren't communicating what I felt the was at the heart of my collection. Not knowing the possibilities of materials out there made me feel limited and a little lost. Looking into fabric properties such as drape has seen enabled my collection's silhouette(s) to emerge, and my designs really evolve to contain more detail and to generally be more 'real'.

Here are scans of my fabric samples so far: 

Neoprene
Jumbo Spandex
Athletic Mesh
Stretch Mesh
Nylon/Spandex

Polyester/Spandex

I have investigated the types stretch-wear that I may use first, as I am more unfamiliar with it than woven fabrics in silk or cotton. The colour range great and I am confident with my findings so far. I am still waiting on some samples of duchess silk satin and chiffon which I plan on combining with the stretch fabrics within single garments or in the creation of an 'outfit'. 

Trying to communicate the silhouette for my collection is difficult without posting pictures of my designs - which I am not ready to do yet! As my scanner has decided to permanently go to sleep (well, it is after midnight...) I will attempt to explain:

Basic shapes will be triangular - a combination of upright and up-side-down. Triangular silhouettes will be interrupted by curved 'eclipsing' lines in the form of cropped tee's and orbital hemlines. 

My attempt to sum up the 'mood' or 'atmosphere' of my collection has been a continuous inner struggle that sounds like "Is it Cyber Woman? no, too nerdy. 'Spacey'? no. Galactic? Definitely not." I'm sure the right words will appear soon. Hopefully before Monday when I have to present... this and many things including completed designs and proposed fabrics. 

Meanwhile, in the studio...I have found that toiling with calico isn't going to be accurate enough for the type of fabrics I want to use in the final garment. This has sped up the intensity of my fabric sourcing ventures to the point of purchase. Exciting! 

Gravity gone mad

Watching documentaries on the universe is a sure way to make you feel unbelievably tiny and insignificant in relation to.... well... the universe itself. Despite the fact that my existence is now burdened with overwhelming feelings of unimportance and triviality, I am getting great enjoyment and inspiration from these documentaries. Here are some clips from my latest favourites (NB. watching documentaries like these is not recommended before you start your day, as everything you do will seem a little pointless, and you will have thoughts like ''...but why do I even care about going to that class? I am merely a tiny piece of nothing in the scheme of things... think about supermassive black holes... think about the rarity of life in the universe!" Or maybe that's just me.) 

Animated model of a black hole - stills from Part 1 Super Massive Black Holes BBC Horizon.

After those feelings of insignificance wear off, it's back to to task at hand - my graduate collection. Black hole formation and diagrams are something I find inspiring, and could be translated to garment construction in an interesting way. I would like to try experimenting with a more abstract approach to pattern making that could visually (and obviously, simply) reflect the warp in space time that a black hole creates. 

The Japanese pattern book 'Pattern Magic' offers an abstract approach to pattern making that the Japanese are renowned for. This book has changed the way I think about pattern making, and has broadened my ideas on the shape and form of a garment... really pushing the 3D element of design. 

A black hole is simply 'gravity gone mad'. This dress (below) from 'Pattern Magic' mimics the model of a black hole.

Creating 3D geometry and sculptural folds in garments is something I am currently experimenting with in the studio. I am taking inspiration from this method of pattern making and applying it to my designs to visually reflect the orbital, spherical and planetary aspects of my concept. 

I will post outcomes of my experimentation soon...

Digital Artwork by Andy Gilmore

Andy Gilmore's artwork will suck you into a vortex of swirling colours and transport you to a parallel universe... 

Have a look at Andy Gilmore's blog to see some more...