Design Report

Final year design report
Word count:1672

Research & Development The theme of my final year project is “Line of the body”. Once, I saw Comme des Garcons 2012 RTW F/W in a fashion magazine. Their 2012 series that has a creative and stereoscopic cutting which lure my attention. It prompted me to think how can a design stand out human body shape.

Firstly, I started to do some research in the Internet about humans’ body shape. Then I developed my theme idea mainly from the research on human body structure, the theory of evolution, hominid and the mean of clothing. Secondly, I started to draw some sketches to help me to think widely. I drew some sketches that like plankton, cells and microorganisms that showed how it would be when a body has no shape. I am interested in this strange shape and got some of inspiration for my outfit. Moreover, in my research, human evolution is one of the most hotly debated areas of biology. An evolutionary split at between 6-8 million years ago is believed made Hominids came into being when our ancestors finally parted company with the apes,. We developed from Gibbon, Orangutan, Chimpanzee, Gorilla and lastly become a human. In different stages of human evolution, the body figure and shape got different degree of change. Furthermore, human body shape is a complex formation with sophisticated details and functions. The skeletal structure as well as the distribution of muscles and fat defines the general shape or figure of a person. Human change in different stages in evolution physically inspires me about the shape of my outfit. Evolution is a gradual process of chemical and physical change that began even before fully-fledged life appeared, and that still continues now. It has left its imprint in everything that is or was once alive, including our distant ancestors and ourselves, it is responsible for the way we look, the way we reproduce, and some would argue-even the way we behave. In the early period in evolution, Gibbon and Orangutan have strong muscle with bushy hair. Evolution is believed to occur since there are needs for improvement for enhancement of living standard. For example, Gibbon use four foots to walk and nowadays we use two foots to walk. So there were changes in body structure and curve in order to match up our need. From then on I think body curve and structure is just so amazing. Besides the theory of evolution, Charles Darwin’s theory on natural selection also go a long way toward helping me to develop my ideas on my design. Bones coordinate with muscles let human being move , walk and even run. Bones and muscles give us a body shape. This close relationship can related to the theory of evolution by Charles Darwin. Charles Darwin is one of the most well known scientists of the 19th century; his theories are still important and even today the subject of continuing debate. He is chiefly remembered for his theory of natural selection (theory that natural processes cause the survival of living things best suited to their environment) Darwin’s transmutation theory believe that all animals had evolved from a common ancestor over a long period of time, because the world had changed a great deal during this time living things had to change in other to survive. At above we can see Evolution is biology’s big idea. Ushered into life nearly 150 years ago, it is more relevant than ever in today’s changing world. In my viewpoint and base on the evolution and natural selection theory, I think human body will continue to change in the future. Unluckily, I think there are many threats on human being in the future such as huge natural disasters and serious diseases. Also, the enhancement of living standard may lead human being to become consumerism and hedonism. Human no longer concern their health since they think money can solve any health problem. Genetic variation may also occur in human body that our bodied may inflate and veins and bones may expose. In conclusion, these illusions help me further develop my idea of my design.

Inspirations from plankton, cells and microorganisms:

Inspirations from evolution:

Collection Description As many other design development, I divide my designs general directions into five parts respectively including line and shape, texture, pattern, color and curve. For the line and shape, my designs will have a strange and weird shape. It is very different from normal clothing. I hope the cloths can have grotesquery, apparel appearance. So the cloths are mainly in large size and in ball shape. For the texture, I will find some special material that is elastic to give out a special tactile impression. Mainly I use flannel fabric because it have most characteristics that I want. For instance, it is hard but have high flexibility and it can easily maintain the ball shape of my cloths. For the pattern, I keep it simple because I don’t want my design have too many elements. So I use plain color including deep cobalt green, light cobalt turquois and cadmium yellow. I will further explain why I choose these colors in the next paragraph.
For color, I think interesting color combination can stop my customer eyes tracks. Also, it can change their perspective or make them look at my product in a whole new way. So I use Complete Color Harmony skill when designing the color of my six outfits. Complete Color Harmony is divided into sections to show aspects of color and color combinations that visually explain the effect color has in our lives. I mixed the color conversion chart; color wheel and color cards to develop unique color possibilities. Complete Color Harmony helps me to explore color terminology, the aspects of color, color schemes and also color combinations. It serves as a great practical guide for accurate and positive results when I’m designing with color. Moreover, I also use monochromatic scheme and tertiary triad scheme. From monochromatic scheme, I use one hue in combination with any or all of its tints and shades. From tertiary triad scheme, I use or two combinations: yellow orange –blue green and blue violet-green, all of which are equidistant from each other in the color wheel. Color not only can attract people eyes but also create different kind of mood. It affects our senses, our outlook, even our behavior. I want color of my designs can bring out a friendly, refreshing and topical mood. Color schemes that convey friendliness often include orange, orange combination. These combinations have all the elements of energy and movement without a sense of power or control. Color combinations that are considered refreshing usually include cool blue-green paired with its complement, red orange. Blue-green, or teal is fresh and invigorating. Refreshing color combination, which provide a sense of soothing calm, sparkle with lightness. And tropical hues on the color wheel always include turquoise. Blue green is lightened to turquoise by the addition of white and is the warmest of the cool colors. Staying with the lightest tints of the blue green family will increase the feeling and message of tranquility. In conclusion, I’m using red orange, the complement of turquoise; they are in a perfect match.
At least, my designs have many curves. I want to use a lot of curve line to present deformation of the body, this will cause a great breakthrough of visual.
Inspirations from human body figure:

Inspirations from blood vessels:

Use the color skills

Conclusion In this project, I hope to express the close relationship between human body shape and clothing. This is one of the reasons why I like fashion. I hope cloths are not just being a necessary but a kind of attitude to life. Also, I have a special shape cutting on my new series. I hope it can remind everyone to think out of box and it is to be creative. There are many problem occur in everyday life, solutions can be work out if we think in different perspectives. We developed into human being by evolution. In summary, first, my theme will focus on the evolution of the human stature. Base on the theory of evolution, the human origins body type and shell constantly changing, so I think the people in the future will completely difference with nowadays people. I hope my design theme can lead everyone to explore how did the future people look like. Second, in today's society, substances are sumptuous, technology well developed let we found more strange diseases, modern people’s body seam getting worse. Will the human body degraded or progress? We don’t know but I estimate human bodies will develop to a spherical shape. Third, human backbone will be variation, it may expose on the skin, concave into skin or look like a pointed shape. These variations make people's re-appearance and advancement into an advanced body. Fourth, because too much fat, the blood vessels become hypertrophic, they twisted heap and raised above the skin. I am glad I achieved some of the goals I set before stating of the designing process. I am pleased that in the draft idea presentation, there are already some people interested in my subject. However, I still have to face many challenges in making these designs. For example, I have difficulty in making the cloths in 3-D. The production of paper cutting is not that easy. A lot of difference part in my design. Therefore I find a lot of reference book to solve the problems. Finally I find a paper patterns book by Tomoko Nakamichi, it help me a lot. And there is conflict on whether to exaggerate the cloths.
Although, my ideas are complicated to explain, I hope through this essay I can note down my process of idea development. I think these design can express my illusion completely so I really hope this design can become real product. No matter facing any problem, I will try my best to finish it.