I always enjoyed fun and colorful prints but sometimes hesitated to combine them in a garment. As I am learning more and more about fashion and my aesthetic as a fashion designer, I am testing altering patterns and combining them to create new and visually appealing combinations.
Here is one of my latest creations. I studied the traditional ways of dress construction, e.g., I looked into poncho-style dresses and kimono sleeves. I ended up designing a dress that looks into how an over-sized piece of fabric behaves on the body. The core of the dress is a rectangle - the side seams go past the shoulder line and thus collapse when I wear the dress. The sleeves are rectangles attached to the core - they are wide and kimono-inspired.
While I had fun exploring the shapes and how they work in a dress, I found it even more enjoyable to combine different fabric patterns. I took a traditional paisley print and combined it with an animal print. And it worked! The limited color scheme of the sleeves picks up on black and grey areas of the paisley and instead of clashing, the two patterns compliment each other.
Here is one of my latest creations. I studied the traditional ways of dress construction, e.g., I looked into poncho-style dresses and kimono sleeves. I ended up designing a dress that looks into how an over-sized piece of fabric behaves on the body. The core of the dress is a rectangle - the side seams go past the shoulder line and thus collapse when I wear the dress. The sleeves are rectangles attached to the core - they are wide and kimono-inspired.
While I had fun exploring the shapes and how they work in a dress, I found it even more enjoyable to combine different fabric patterns. I took a traditional paisley print and combined it with an animal print. And it worked! The limited color scheme of the sleeves picks up on black and grey areas of the paisley and instead of clashing, the two patterns compliment each other.
Here is a detail of the kimono sleeve attached to the main piece of fabric. While the sleeve is obviously an animal print, it almost looks like an abstracted version of the paisley. It is a visually natural extension of the main body fabric.
Here you can see how both fabrics meet and drape and create an interesting collapsed shoulder effect. As you can imagine, the dress is comfortable - the kimono sleeve is roomy and allows for a full range of movement.
I have very much enjoyed wearing this dress - the print combination is unexpected and yet it works. The silhouette is comfortable and pleasing. Apparently, I am getting braver with prints!