Major
Textiles, Fashion Merchandising, and Design
Advisor
Lacoste-Kapstein, Claire
Advisor Department
Textile, Fashion Merchandising and Design
Date
5-2011
Keywords
Fashion; Design; Women; Apparel; Tailoring
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License.
Abstract
A well-tailored jacket is considered to be a staple item in a working-woman’s wardrobe. Generally characterized as a garment with notched collar and lapels and a lining, these “tailored” garments are expected to fit appropriately and be constructed to a high level of quality. Classic tailoring, also known as bespoke tailoring in the UK, refers to the methods and techniques used to build a completely original and unique suit for your client.
For this project, each of my clients are members of my family: my younger cousin, myself, my mother, and my grandmother. Presenting four generations in my family, I examine the various needs and desires of each age group and translate that into a unique jacket design that will flatter both their body shape and personality. The design is constructed using classic tailoring methods including but not limited to: pattern drafting, fitting, cutting, hand and machine sewing, and careful finishing and pressing. Using luxurious wool and silk fabrics, each design is brought to fruition as a complete wearable garment.
By taking this applied research project from concept to garment, I am better able to understand the design process and the labor-intensive work involved in custom-tailored garments. While still applying the high-quality bespoke techniques, I explore both conventional and unconventional elements in tailored jacket design in an attempt to redefine the concept of a “well-tailored jacket”. The final product is four beautiful suit jackets, custom-made for each client using classic tailoring techniques.