THIS COLLECTION WAS INSPIRED BY A PERSONAL JOURNEY. there is A TREMENDOUS LOCAL NATURAL RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO all in portland, OREGON - FOREST PARK. DURING THE 2020 QUARANTINE, I MADE IT MY RITUAL TO GO OUT INTO THIS FOREST FOR TWO OR THREE HOURS OF LIGHT HIKING SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. WHILE WALKING IN THE WOODS, MY DESIRE TO FIND FUNCTIONAL, COMFORTABLE AND DURABLE RECREATIONAL CLOTHING WITH SOME PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY THAT FIT ME TOOK HOLD.
I WAS INSPIRED BY THESE WANDERINGS TO CREATE THIS CAPSULE FOR CUSP-SIZED WOMEN (THOSE OF WHO FALL IN BETWEEN STRAIGHT SIZING AND PLUS SIZING) WITH A TENDENCY TO FLUCTUATE IN SIZE. THE FOCUS OF THIS COLLECTION IS ONE-PIECE OUTFITS AND BOTTOMS, AS THESE CAN OFTEN BE THE HARDEST ITEMS FOR WOMEN IN THIS SIZE GROUP TO FIND. THE PIECES HAVE A FREEDOM OF FORM AND ARE ADJUSTABLE, SO THAT THEY CAN BE WORN ACROSS A RANGE OF TWO TO THREE SIZES, if THE WEARER’S size FLUCTUATES.
AFTER THE MAJORITY OF THE COLLECTION WAS FULLY REALIZED, I MADE THE LAST GARMENT, THE OVERALLS, THE SUBJECT OF A 3D APPAREL DESIGN PROJECT. IN THE END, I DECIDED TO RENDER THE GARMENTS I HAD PREVIOUSLY MADE AS WELL.
3D RENDERINGS, AS WELL AS INITIAL SKETCHES AND FINISHED GARMENTS ARE SHOWN below.
THE DESIGN PROCESS WAS AN EXERCISE IN RESOURCEFULNESS. AFTER INITIAL SKETCHING, I BEGAN DESIGNING THE COLLECTION BY DRAFTING PATTERNS FOR SIMPLE SILHOUETTES AND ALTERING HOME SEWING PATTERNS. NOT HAVING ANY MATERIALS ON HAND OR ACCESS TO FABRIC STORES, I USED MATERIALS I WAS FAMILIAR WITH OR HAD USED PREVIOUSLY. THE FABRICS I CHOSE were MADE IN THE USA, LIGHTWEIGHT, WRINKLE AND WATER RESISTANT AND WICKING -PROPERTIES THAT ARE PERFECT FOR A SUNNY AFTERNOON HIKE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. TO ADD FLAIR AND VISIBILITY TO THE ALL BLACK COLLECTION, FUNCTIONAL REFLECTIVE TRIMS WERE PURCHASED AT THE LOCAL HARDWARE STORE.
THE FINAL RESULT IS A CAPSULE ASSORTMENT THAT I WEAR EVERY DAY, NOT JUST ON HIKES.
