Rowan Mersh

For my final piece for the skills for making brief, I had to make a piece of wearable art, which I have to say did not turn out the way I had hoped! However, through my research for this module I discovered the designer Rowan Mersh and found I loved his work. He took a big roll in helping to inspire me in this unit.

Rowan Mersh, An extract from collections
shown with Valery Demure (Paris), between 2007-2008

Rowan Mersh, An extract from a collection
presented by Rossana Orlandi at
Maison et Objet, Paris, Autumn 2009.

Rowan Mersh, An extract from a collection
presented by Rossana Orlandi at
Maison et Objet, Paris, Autumn 2009.

Looking at his work reminded me of the medals and rosettes with tassels that I had seen the soldiers wearing on there chests in my research into military, and this inspired me to use some of the techniques such as fabric flowers and  smocking circles, to make my piece of wearable art influence by the medals and rosettes.  

Decon/Recon

As part of the fabric manipulation workshops, I completed a Deconstruction/Reconstruction workshop using a garment I found in a charity shop ,which was to do with my military theme. I used a quick unpick to deconstruct and then using some of the skills I had learnt from the other fabric manipulation workshops, I tried reconstruct it into another garment. I really enjoyed the workshop and working on the mannequin!

Garment from a charity shop

Experimenting with pleats

Pinning onto the mannequin
and trying out furrowing!

Slashed tucks on the shoulder

Fabric Manipulation

I produced a collection of samples from the fabric manipulation workshops I went to, using the military theme as a source of inspiration for colour and fabric. I really enjoyed the workshops as I’ve learnt a lot of new skills and it gave me time to practise and improve the skills (hopefully!) that I’ve already got. I particularly enjoyed the extra workshops in the sewing room which taught me a lot of new skills that I found I could apply to my work for the brief and helped made broadened my ideas. The module has also inspired me to get out my sewing machine again at home, it’s been too long, but I’m really enjoying working on it again! Here are some of the samples i've made for this module...

Sample Board

Close up of patchworked 
suffolk puffs 

Fabric flower with a
suffolk
 puff in the centre!

Sample board

Raised ball manipulation
using buttons and beads

Slashed Tucks

Kanzashi flower

Sample Board

Ruffle puff

Close up of
cross-stitched tucks

Close up of smocking circle

Sample Board

Discovery Museum

For the last brief, which was called ‘Skills for making’, I chose to research the military trend for my starting point. I started by taking a trip to the Discovery Museum to see their military exhibition, which I found really interesting seeing there displays of different uniforms and medals etc from different periods in history.

Continuous line drawing using fineliner of a samurai soldier

Continuous line drawing

It was during this module that I have realised how much I love drawing in continuous line and usually with fineliner.

Constructed Textiles

For one of the previous modules this year, I had to start by researching a current trend, for which I chose traveller. I looked at catwalk designers who were inspired by the trend, and from looking at the catwalk looks and researching the traveller trend in more depth, and also thinking about what I thought traveller might mean, I took my research further by looking at Africa and the clothing they wear. When starting my research I looked at a collection by designer Paul Smith because he had tribal inspiration and I enjoyed the colours he had used and the unique necklaces. I also admired the way he had designed his looks which have layers of fabric wrapped over each other, which reminded me of African clothing so I thought this would be an appropriate starting point for my research.

Paul Smith Spring/Summer 2010

Paul Smith Spring/Summer 2010

For this brief, we explored a number of textile techniques through workshops, some of which I have done before and some which were completely new to me but I really enjoyed learning new skills and developing my old ones.  I found that I particularly liked reverse applique and I tried knitting for the first time.  Using the techniques I learnt and my research as a source of inspiration for theme, colour and fabric, I had to construct a garment front.

Final Garment front design – knitted fabric, braided straps, applique, reverse applique and a ruffle

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