Saline collection
The Ask
Conceptualize, illustrate, and design a ten piece collection relating to the themes of “Discovery and Resilience” with one design to be made and displayed at the Santa Reparata International School of the Arts’ Fashion Show.
Ideation
My inspiration for this collection came from my surroundings- I took my Fashion Illustration and Construction course while studying abroad in Florence, Italy. Our first weekend there, after an exhausting few days of unexpected travel mishaps, we took a long bus ride out to the coast of the Ligurian Sea. I basked on the rocks underneath the swelling heat of late August, dived into the salt water, and matched the still current. Having grown up in near the Atlantic in Virginia Beach, the presence of the sea felt particularly calming in what had, up until that point, been an overwhelming journey. I remember the warmth of the day matched with the coolness of the water- a memory that stuck with me while I crafted these twelve pieces.
An alcove on the Ligurian Sea where I swam and lounged and dived
I sat with my water inspiration, turning over the idea, trying to draw a line back to the reality, the tactile nature of a garment. I kept returning to the concept of a reaction to the water, almost a humanization of a piece. I focused on how a piece will fill with air, almost appears to be floating, when worn and submerged underwater, only to cling onto the body when reemerging to air and land. This became the soul source of my “Saline Collection”- a floating, bubbly, organic movement of layers of volume that mimicked the feeling of being underwater. With an emphasis on the whimsical, undiscovered elements of the ocean, alongside the strong force of nature that I was alluding to, I found my concept to fit the prompt of "Discovery and Resilience” perfectly. I began my process with a moodboard and color story, reflecting these core components and giving me something to return to as I continued designing.
Moodboard
Color story
The Design Process
Never having taken a fashion illustration course, nor sewn anything remotely close to what I proposed, I was quite intimidated by this project. I decided quickly that if there was a skill I wanted to learn, I would have to commit to difficult process of learning and failing.
The studio course met six hours a week for almost nonstop illustration instruction. I spent about five to ten additional hours in the studio each week trying to perfect my straight lines and proportions during the designing portion of the semester. I was persistent in learning more about illustrating correct anatomy, designing good composition, and accurately rendering fabrications. I spent days moving the collection around, trying to get each piece to tell a harmonious story. I brought my illustrations to bars, museums, and restaurants- the collection soon became a living documentation of both the development of my project and my time abroad.
The Construction Process
I poured over this capsule collection for the first half of the semester. For the second half, it came time to construct a look from my work. I chose one of the most difficult- a shift dress adorned with endless layers of tulle ruffles, a detachable ballon sleeve, and a pair of matching bloomers.
After drafting my patterns, making mock ups out of muslin, and taking the bus to an Italian fabric warehouse, sewing quickly became my obsession. Any free time I had in the last six weeks, I would spend nesting in the studio, meticulously bringing my vision to life. With such delicate fabrics and design, I dedicated myself to hand stitching each and every ruffle- the most challenging yet rewarding task I took on. I ended up sewing on one hundred and seventy six.
The Product
Modeled at the biannual fashion show for the Santa Reparata International School of the Arts, my work illustrated a clear example of determination, artistry, and persistence. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to build and develop my garment illustration and construction skills and hope to further my textile work in the future!