3. Circular Open Source Fashion¶
Research & Ideation¶
For the circular fashion topic, I wanted to create an accessory/jewel at first inspired by fabulous patterns and structures from nature, such as succulents plants. The idea was to create a "living" structure that would cover the body like an ornament, with the idea that the wearer would be devoured by the material, his own skin merging with the jewelry/accessory. The poetic and romantic idea of a plant and its roots that would cover and engulf the body.
References & Inspiration¶
I did'nt get inspired by a designer in particular, but mostly by art or nature itself. But here are some designers working with modular fashion that I find rather inspiring; Threeasfour or Issey Miyake for example.
Process and workflow¶
Honestly, this process as been quite organic and natural, I didn't expect to have this very object and let it become without predicting everything.
Here is the process :
I started with the idea of a succulent plant, then I started to draw and cut petals in paper and try to find a way to combine them together. I modellized the drawing in 2D with the help of Illustrator and used laser cutting with different faux leather fabrics.
I do not have a proper picture reminding me the parameters I have used in Rayjet manager software of the lab's computer. I would say by memory stengh (puissance) : 80 and speed (vitesse) : 95. I didn't change the parameters nor the process of lasercut during all the following experimentations, that is why I'm going to write it once here.
To laser cut, create a file with your drawings (I used illustrator to draw) and export it in pdf. Open the file with Inkscape and in the parameters, in the contour style section, change the thickness to 0.001 pt .
Then select "print" and choose your laser printer. Rayjet Manager opens with your file on the list to process. Select your file and drag it on the grey surface. choose the parameters that suit you. Meanwhile, place the leather in the laser printer in coordination with the file placement in the software. You can click on the "play" button when everything is ready and let the magic operates!
I got some leather petals to assemble which created a kind of lotus shape form altogether. It also reminded me of middle-aged aesthetics. At this stage, I honestly didn't know what to do with it but I thought it could be beautiful as a sleeve or bracelet. I also have to say I prefere working into details so a smaller size seemed better for the preciosity I wanted to explore.
I started to draw only the shape of the piece to have a single form. Additionnaly,I tried to find a way to associate it altogether with the idea of it being able to replicate it till infinity. The forms intertwined created a structure which made the project evolve : the first plant-inspired form started to take shape and resemble some fossils agglomeration or fish scales.
I see it as an ornamental flower, baroque, growing, engraved into the skin to become an aesthetic scale. In some ways, it also reminds me of Antique armors made of metal.
By the time I had reduced the scale and it was about 10cm wide. I also subtly changed the shape here and there so that the hanging system would hold.
At that point, I reduced the size a bit more so that the shape would be 7cm wide. I used a dark brown faux leather as a sample. I choose a silver faux leather and started to laser cut as much forms I could, the more I would get, the better. I have got about 150 laser cut shapes to put together.
I did not have much leather left, so I used another one (the brown one) for new tests : Even if the structure is sufficient to be an autonomous form, I wanted to explore another way to close it. By using the same shape, and just changing the cutting patterns, I've got two clasps. In my opinion, It can bring a more precious finition to the object.
Then I used the very small piece of silver leather I had left to make the two clasps and the jewel was born. Or should I say, the jewelS, as the modular structure allows a variety of applications. It can be a choker, a bracelet, a belt, a second skin accessory..
Even if I find the silver leather finition very satisfying, I was surprisely inspired by the result with the dark brown faux leather therefore I've also created another smaller version, 4,5cm wide, with this fabric.
Results¶
I have found the process and the result rather interesting to explore, and I think that in some way I succeeded to incorporate my aesthetics into the exercise even if of course I would have prefered to have more time to work on it.
I would like to explore with other fabrics this idea of jewelry, as I used the fabrics from the fablab for now. I also would like to explore different shapes and variations, it seems to just be the beginning of something.
I've quickly tried to laser cut other different shapes, and my logotype. Here are the result :
To be continued