On the first day of our Major Studio 2 class, we were asked to come up with a project idea and make it for the final, one project one idea and to take it as far as we wanted
What were you thinking?
During the previous semester, I would make what a friend would describe as “Hacked Clothing” clothing with extra pockets or small functions. From being part of Parsons MFA Design & Technology progeam duality is part of our nature. I had this constant phrase in my head saying, cowboy. I hate plastic silverware I usually carry metal silverware in my jacket or bag, the clinking constantly makes me think of cowboys. Cowboys roam town to town on their horses with their entire lives packed in a saddle bag. I was thinking what if there is a garment that the user can live in?
This was the basis of the garment versatile, physical computing, efficient, light weight, multifunctional, camouflage
Okay, now what?
Great question! what I was told to do was to not think, and just prototype as much as possible and learn on the journey. My first prototype was to make a tinfoil jacket and hold them together with pins and name tags:
Prototype 1:
Okay, what did that do for you?
Working with tinfoil helped me understand the layering needed to make outer wear. As well as how much one needs to sculpt the garment and how useful pinning things on the garment is.
Next steps?
After prototype 1, I felt confident enough to work with fabric. I wanted to construct a jacket out of wool so thats what I did:
Prototype 2:
What did you learn?
Working with fabric was so different vs tinfoil. It had its ups and downs, for example you can’t resculpt fabric, using a sewing machine is different. sewing and cutting is so hard. I bought a rotary cutter for this one and it made cutting everything much easier. I loved working with wool and this color specifically. Working with fabric is really fun.
Prototype 3
Now knowing how to sew properly. The plan was to make a longer garment and understand how it drapes:
Prototype 4
Now understanding how to make a longer coat. I wanted to experiment with fabrics. I needed something light weight, durable and something water proof here is what I found:
I want the garment to be a long jacket, with Zippers on the font and back of the garment. With a battery powered heating system inside as well as ventilation zippers too so the garment can be worn in all types of weather. I want their to be a belt inside it as well. I want the user to be able to unzip the garment and wear it half way. I want the user to be able to wear this as a sleeping bag as well. The idea is I want the user to be able to live in the garment. I want pockets everywhere.
I used a GU jacket to mimic the pattern I cut it. I incorporated zippers, as well as padding in the garment too. I wanted to curve the zippers and see how it would work when it came to sewing it, it was definitly a challenge but it worked out in the end.
What else is left?
In total I made 36 versions of the jacket.
Great question, whats left is. When it comes to a final design I still was not 100% sure. I reached out to a great fashion design professor and her suggestion was to make multiple versions on paper cut them up randomly and put them together see what kind of combinations you get. I took her advice to heart:
What spoke to me the most was this. I wanted to include camouflage I wanted traditional Uzbek motifs as well. Representations of the sun and evil eye. The collar is based off the pattern of the indigenous butterfly that is found in that area. I also like how loud the garment is I wanted it to feel like someone in their early 20s would want to wear.
Final Sketch
photographed by Martin Seck
Out of all the fabrics I’ve experimented with i found that blue nylon is waterproof and light weight. I worked the best. With knowing this I made a final sketch on the silhoutte and this is what it looked like:
Final Prototype
photographed by Martin Seck
This is the final version. I used a pattern for this garment as well as batting. The inside of the garment has these heating pads. This project was also featured in an exhibition NYCxDesign. I’m extremely proud of this work
A small physical run-through of what lead me to the idea to final prototype.