The Plusan
Part of an entry for a competition presented by Télio, the Plusan is one of the first coats I made. The design was limited by the materials provided by Télio and the theme of the competition: "Lux(e)."
The process started with a lot of sketching that focused on playing with combinations of the provided materials. In this stage, I researched the topic and began to understand what I felt could respond to a theme based on light and luxury.
This design was inspired by the illusionary flow of light-paintings. Their unique shapes, playfulness, and ambient contrast are expressed through the movement, soft shapes and sophisticated glow of this garment.
Luminosity, sexiness and easy movement express the elements of this design, illuminating it as a grand celebration of the human body.
Clever draping exalts the liquid shimmer of the crush velvet, making this coat an ode to everything luxe through its impression of flow, scintillation, and elegance.
With the guidance of my apparel construction professor, I worked through the sketches to identify the best designs to develop further. By making more detailed illustrations, I could more clearly communicate my ideas to the judges for consideration.
The competition format was in two stages. First, entries had to be submitted as illustrations with technical drawings for the consideration of a panel of expert judges. Of the hundreds of entries received, the panel of judges selected 25 designs to proceed. If yours got selected, Télio would send you the fabric and you had about one month to make it.
My consideration for selecting the best designs to put forward focused on the uniqueness of the design, my ability to sew it, and how well it fulfilled the theme of the competition. I had a lot of fun creating the illustrations. I experimented with multi-media techniques - pushing myself to do better and improve on my presentation skills over what I submitted the year prior.
I was so thrilled to learn that one of my sketches was selected to proceed. It's hard to believe that I almost didn't submit this illustration. I had made three others and felt I had done enough. But, I stayed up late in the night to finish one more illustration just before the deadline.
A colleague at the time told me that she loved the initial sketch and in honour of her support, I named this design the Plusan. This coat is a fusion of the past and the future. Inspired by shadows, this simple silhouette is elegant and illuminating.
Once I got the fabric, I set to work constructing the garment. It required a great deal of precision and care to achieve the symmetry in the design with the selected materials.
During the construction process, the technical drawings became more of a guideline than a blueprint. Having little experience making clothing, I learned along the way how the garment needed to come together. In a way, the design process continued through production.
Sewing the coat started with the creation of a fit block, according to the measurements provided by Télio. Following this, I created a toile to develop proportions and map out the appliqué.
Finally, once the prototypes were completed, I began sewing the final garment. I took a great deal of care placing the appliqué to ensure it would be symmetrical and clean. Ultimately, what the judges recognized with this design was the attention to detail, the quality of its finishing, and the clever way the appliqué cast shadows on the garment.
Finally complete, the garment was sent to Montreal to prepare for judging and the fashion show. In the end, I received "Technical Mention" for the design, which came with a generous scholarship and a wonderful experience.
