The Process:
First, we were assigned six-person groups where we had to decide on a luxury brand to develop a line for based on the theme for the course: transformative denim. Our first big task was to define the direction of the line through mood, inspiration, and a detailed customer report. On the right, you can see our original concept before it was refined. We decided on group roles, mine as project leader. In our first couple weeks, we went through the typical stages of group formation: “forming, storming, and norming.” Once we reached the “norming” phase, we worked together efficiently and couldn’t wait to see where our project would go.
First Design Package:
We were asked to create 30 looks for our first design package, which would then be winnowed down to a final eight. We presented these 30 looks to a guest critic, an industry professional, who discussed the marketability of each look and why we should go with certain looks over others. One of my group members and I led the design-heavy parts of our project, but for our first design package, we each created five or more looks. After creating looks on our own, we all came together and decided on the final 30 to move forward with. My group member and I then completed the final drawings together, as seen on the left here!
Julia Fox
Since Julia Fox was the face of the Scylla collection, we asked her to film a video for our project. We thought it was a long shot but decided to try, and to our surprise, she answered! We ended our presentation with an endorsement message from Julia, seen on the left. View the full presentation at the top of the page!
My group members and I on the day of the final presentation!
Second Design Package:
After choosing eight final looks, our next step was to create flats for each garment and present them as a line to the guest critic. Before meeting with him again, we ensured his feedback was reflected in our work. He expressed concern for the amount of skin showing in certain garments, as some customers would feel deterred from wearing them, so we created a line of accessories to create options for customers: bandeaus, pasties, and micro bras branded with the Jean Paul Gaultier logo and the collections signature motifs, which can be seen at the end of the presentation.
The Ask:
The team will choose a luxury brand to prepare a complete and detailed presentation to focus on key elements of the line development process, including an 8-look collection.
We chose to create a line for Jean Paul Gaultier as a group of guest designers known as “Designers with No Names” producing a collection inspired by sirens and dark femininity.