Circular Open Source Fashion ♻️👗

Can you believe we're already in Week 3 of this amazing Fabricademy journey? Time is zooming by faster than a laser cutter on max power! ⏩🔥 After an intensely laborious Week 2, I'm super pumped to dive into this week's learnings.

Session Nutshell 🌰🐚

The global session was an absolute mind-blower! 🤯 We delved into Open Source Circular Fashion, and let me tell you, my brain was doing cartwheels with all the new knowledge. I was simultaneously amazed and a tad overwhelmed—but in the best way possible!

Highlights of the Session:

1. Openness & Inclusiveness Making knowledge, resources, and technology accessible to everyone. 👐
2. Richard Stallman's Four Freedoms The pillars of open-source philosophy.
3. Fashion Supply Chain Deep Dive Unraveling the complexities of how fashion gets from concept to closet. 🧵👗
4. Assignment References Loved seeing past student work—always a great source of inspiration! 🌟

Some works that stood out to me were absolutely phenomenal!

References from the global session

Assignment Deep Dive 📝

Our mission, should we choose to accept it (and of course, we do!), was to create a modular wearable using pattern making—aka Tessellations! As a graphic designer, this is right up my alley. I love tessellations, and I was confident in my software skills and newly acquired laser-cutting prowess. My goal? Create a zero-waste pattern as much as possible! 🌿

But before I get ahead of myself, let's consult the trusty Fabricademy Student Checklist. ✅

With all that pumped-up energy, I dove straight into research and started sketching ideas right after the session! 🖌️

Internal Mentor Session & Moodboard 🎨

With my research and sketches in hand, I eagerly awaited our session with Rico, Mina, and Kae. They provided so much clarity! I felt like I was on the right track, especially when Kae mentioned traditional/narrative patterns. That sparked new ideas, and I whipped up a quick moodboard to capture my thoughts.💡

Concept💡

As my moodboard started coming together, I couldn’t help but get excited about how this project was evolving! The idea of tessellation shapes, inspired by traditional Indian Rangoli patterns and floral designs, was taking shape beautifully. Rangoli is such an important part of Indian culture, where intricate designs are created with colored powders or flowers to celebrate festivals and special occasions. 🎨🌼 This connection to tradition really resonated with me, and I knew it would form the foundation of my concept.

References from Pinterest

Executional Idea: Traditional Meets Modern 👑 The execution of this concept revolves around creating a series of jewellery pieces that bridge the gap between traditional and modern aesthetics. Traditional, because Rangoli and floral motifs are deeply embedded in Indian culture and ceremonies. Flowers are woven into so many aspects of Indian traditions—whether it's adorning the home with Rangoli or using floral garlands during religious rituals. 🌸🙏

References from Pinterest

On the modern side, I want these pieces to be versatile, wearable in contemporary settings while still honoring their cultural roots. The tessellated patterns will give the jewellery a modular, geometric feel, allowing the pieces to be both intricate and clean-lined, perfect for traditional ceremonies or even a chic night out! ✨💍

A Godly Twist & Celebrating Femininity 👸🌸 As I dove deeper into this project, I started thinking about how I could give the concept a more godly twist. The idea of goddesses, particularly in Indian culture, is so powerful and ever-present. And of course, that ties back to the eternal beauty and strength of being a woman.

Whether it’s through the grace of floral motifs or the symbolism of powerful goddesses like Lakshmi and Durga, I want this project to celebrate the multifaceted nature of femininity—both soft and strong, delicate yet unbreakable. 🌺💪

References from Pinterest

With this in mind, the pieces I’m creating a —necklace, earring, bracelet,ring —will not only serve as beautiful adornments but also as symbols of the beauty and power that all women carry within them. The patterns and floral designs will be a tribute to the goddess in every woman, celebrating her strength, elegance, and grace. 👑✨

Understanding the Tools 🛠️

This week, I worked with tools I was familiar with:

Adobe Illustrator 🖌️ A vector-based design software that allows for infinite scalability without loss of quality. Perfect for creating precise tessellations! Available on desktop, iPad, and even as a web app in beta. 🖥️

Laser Cutter 🔥 Think of it as a real-life lightsaber! It uses a high-powered laser beam to slice through materials with pinpoint accuracy. Great for bringing intricate designs to life. 🌟

Experimentation Phase 🎨✨

With moodboards, ideas, and research ready, here's how I tackled the project:

Step 1: Sketching! ✏️ I filled pages with pattern ideas, from basic shapes to animals, and gradually honed in on designs that aligned with my concept.

Step 2: Digitizing with Adobe Illustrator 💻 With my sketches as a guide, I started digitizing my work:

Import Sketches: Took photos of my sketches and imported them into Illustrator.

Tracing the Design Used the Pen Tool (or Pencil Tool) to trace my designs meticulously.

Smoothing Edges: Made sure to smooth out any bumpy edges for organic shapes. Precision is key! 🔍

Playing with Shapes: For geometric designs, I used the Pathfinder Tool to merge shapes.

This is how I merged my shapes

These were all the shapes I created from my sketches

Creating Tessellations: Arranged the traced designs into tessellations, experimenting with different layouts.

I was particularly drawn to a flower-like pattern that resonated with The Lotus Bloom concept. 🌸

I explored with colours that I originally want to create this design in

This is how I formed the pattern

Adding Buttonhole Slits: To interlock the flowers, I added slits everywhere and played around with repeating patterns.

I noticed that some arrangements resulted in more waste due to small pieces(Even though it looked beautiful as a pattern), which I wanted to avoid. ♻️

So, I decided to stick with the earlier layout design that not only aligned perfectly with the minimize waste concept but also allowed me to creatively utilize the beautiful negative spaces. It was the best of both worlds—efficient and aesthetically pleasing! 🌿✨

The Green shape in the middle I plan to create something with

Step 3: Paper Prototypes 📄

With the digital design ready, it was time to test it out in the real world!

First Prototype: Cut out the design on paper to see how it fits together.

Adjustments: Realized that my slits weren't measured perfectly—they needed to be more uniform. Back to the computer for quick edits! ⏪

Second Prototype: Tested the revised design, and it worked like a charm! ✨

Step 4: Laser Cutting the Felt 🔥

Feeling confident, I moved on to laser cutting:

Material Selection: Chose felt with 1mm thickness for its texture and flexibility—perfect for jewellery!

Testing Settings: Googled optimal speed and power settings for cutting felt and did a test cut to prevent any fiery mishaps. Safety first! 🧯

Going All In: With a successful test cut, I proceeded to cut the full tessellation pattern. Watching the laser cutter work its magic never gets old! 😍

I worked with various sizes for my shape

Project Assembly 🛠️

Now, with all the pieces ready, it was assembly time—the moment of truth!😅😅

Layout Experimentation: Played around with different compositions, layering shapes to find the perfect look.🧩

Assembling the Pieces: This was the most therapeutic part! Sliding the pieces together and seeing my vision come to life was incredibly satisfying. 🧘‍♀️

Finalizing the Designs

1. Maala (necklace)

2. Earrings

3. Bracelet

4. Maang teeka

5. Ring

I even added some embellishments to add a bit of bling

I also explored how to incorporate the negative space pieces into other accessories.✨

I incorporated a central cut to form the male pattern, which emerged from the negative space created during the tessellation process. This pattern was then used to attach the flowers, seamlessly blending structure with design.

This really proves that the design I’ve created is incredibly modular! The possibilities are endless. It all depends on how I choose to interlock the pieces, making it both versatile and customizable. 🌟✨

Concept Note: The Lotus Bloom 🌸💫

The Lotus Bloom is a collection inspired by the timeless beauty and symbolism of Kolam Art—a traditional Indian art form that dates back over 5,000 years, originating in Tamil Nadu. Kolam designs are intricate, geometric patterns drawn on the floor using flour, often created for both religious and ornamental purposes. ✨ The religious significance lies in welcoming goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, into homes while warding off evil spirits. On an ornamental level, these patterns add beauty and a sense of tradition to the home. 🌼

References from Pinterest

The inspiration also comes in from the Goddess Lakshmi, often depicted sitting on a lotus, symbolizes wealth, beauty, and good fortune. In ancient Indian scriptures, all women are seen as embodiments of Lakshmi herself. This connection between women and the lotus flower served as the guiding force behind The Lotus Bloom project, which reflects purity, prosperity, and the beauty of femininity.

References from Pinterest

This symbolism is particularly prevalent in traditional Indian wedding ceremonies like Haldi, Mehendi, and Sangeet, where the bride-to-be is adorned with flower jewellery, including maang teekas, maalas, and bangles. 🌸💫

References from Pinterest

Color Palette 🎨 For the colors, I embraced shades of pink and green, representing the lotus flower and its connection to purity and prosperity. The pink symbolizes femininity, grace, and beauty, while the green signifies growth, renewal, and wealth—both of which are inherent qualities in the goddess Lakshmi and the women who embody her spirit. 🌷💚

Design Execution & Final Outcome ✨ The final collection brings together traditional symbolism and modern design techniques, resulting in a range of accessories that can be worn during traditional rituals Each piece—whether it’s the necklace, earrings, or bracelet—echoes the purity and prosperity of the lotus, while the interlocking nature of the design reflects the strength and unity of women.

Multiple Interlocking Techniques

Me adorning the jewellery in tradtional attire

These pieces can be adorned not only as part of these significant rituals but also in a contemporary fashion, showcasing their versatility and timelessness. ✨🌸

Me adorning the jewellery in western attire

Reflections 🪞

Tessellations are my jam! 🎨

As a graphic designer, I’ve always loved working with patterns, but tessellations took that love to a whole new level! The process of figuring out how shapes interlock seamlessly (while aiming for zero waste 🌿) was a fun and satisfying challenge. It reminded me that design can be both functional and beautiful.

Kolam art + modern tools = magic 💫

Incorporating Kolam Art—an ancient tradition—into a modern design process using software and laser cutting was a powerful reminder of how beautifully old and new techniques can blend together. There’s something so special about taking centuries-old symbols and making them accessible in new ways. 🕉️✨

Laser cutting is basically therapy 🔥🧘‍♀️

Okay, maybe not actual therapy, but watching that laser cutter do its thing is seriously mesmerizing! Once the designs were locked and loaded, the cutting process was so smooth (after a few test cuts, of course—let’s not set anything on fire!). It made me appreciate the precision and power that technology brings to the creative process.

Assembly is where the magic happens 🧩

Sliding all the little pieces together? Therapeutic. Seeing my tessellations come to life? Incredibly satisfying. It’s one thing to have a design on screen, but watching it transform into something physical makes the hard work so worth it! It’s like putting together a beautiful 3D puzzle that I designed myself! 😍

Traditional meets versatile 🌸

What I loved most about The Lotus Bloom project was its versatility. The jewellery could work in both traditional wedding ceremonies and modern events, showing that cultural designs can be adapted for any context. It’s a perfect reminder that as designers, we can honor tradition while also making it fit the now. 👗✨

Fabrication Files 📁

Interested in creating your own Lotus Bloom pieces? You can find my pattern on oscircularfashion.com.

Let's spread the love for open-source design and circular fashion! 🌐

---

This week was a rollercoaster of creativity, culture, and craftsmanship! 🎢 I'm thrilled with how everything turned out and can't wait to see what the next week brings 🚀