DSGN 329 Industry Collaboration
Working in a group of three and a mentor from Under Armor, we worked on a collection inspired by the up-rise of Tennis wear!
Processes:
Design:
Patterning:
Construction:
When Brainstorming for my design, I did many different types of research. Since I was pretty unfamiliar with the sport and how the garments were being used, I found it easiest to talk to someone who plays tennis. I wanted to see what their struggles were with their current garments and what they liked. I found they need better pockets and shorts long enough to not roll up. In my design, I wanted to make it function yet have a flare. Combining personal research and online, I came up with this dress shorts combo. There is a hidden pocket on the right side for the tennis balls it also fits a standard phone. The shorts had added length, and the sleeves have flare added to allow for proper movement when swinging. An outfit you can wear to play and then go get coffee after.
Patterning this design was a journey as we each had to work on another’s design. This project was in the first handful I’ve done, so I had little experience starting. We also worked with knits, which I had never done before. We focused on draping the fabric and patterning from there. I had difficulties moving the darts out in the correct way; however, three samples later, I was able to get the desired fit. I learned how to do a raglan sleeve and cold shoulder on the top. The skirt was a bit more complicated as it was asymmetrical in its original design. The panels were not laying right in the construction, but after troubleshooting, I scrapped the right panel and used two of the left, and it laid on the body perfectly. I am happy to see my work go from extremely baggy to form-fitting in a matter of three iterations.
Lastly, we worked on constructing someone else’s pattern. I enjoyed this section of the project. This design had a few different components, like the pleated skirt and a seam in the middle of the sleeve. Figuring out how to connect the two sleeve pieces was exciting, and I like how it turned out. Sewing knits differs significantly from wovens, and basting the pattern pieces can be challenging. I used a large zigzag and finished the edges with a cover stitch machine. Sewing the shorts into the skirt was my favorite part. Seeing how these pieces came together and fit on a person was very rewarding. Adjusting the construction was also a learning curve, as it was very important to have big enough seams to make the deconstruction more accessible. Doing this helped the more samples the end product come together in a professional-looking manner.