Realizations and Re-Emergence
Letting creativity speak differently
So outside of our regular programming….lol
I just realized the other day that I have been so heavily focused on the information of things lately that I haven’t shared anything about the design sphere I’ve been living in. (*insert face palm)
I’ve been doing a lot of varied work lately, but what brings me joy is designing. Period. It doesn’t matter whether I’m redesigning or thinking of something from deadstock fabric. (In all reality at this point, I use clothes or deadstock for my fabrics unless it’s a commission with fabric that my client brings in.) This past week, I found myself smiling while I was putting pieces together and sitting in the euphoria of feeling like I’ve stepped back into my design style.
I’m not sure how many designers have also gone through this, but I feel like I’ve been chasing and trying to rediscover my design style. When I moved into manufacturing my pieces when I launched my brand, I was told by my consultant at the time that my designs needed to be more commercial. Which to me sounded like I needed to simplify my design styles so that they could be produced and sold in stores. Small design details that were different were good, but anything more may not have been the way to go….So I toned it down, especially when finding most of the men’s boutique stores that I wanted to sell too were somewhat, not all, a bit more traditional or casual in style. And I’ve struggled with that, so one of the last styles I produced was closer to how I’ve known myself to design over the years, but it was still “commercial”.
Well in chasing my style, circular design has helped me get back into it a bit with stretching my creative brain. But this past week! Woo! Let me tell you!! I felt great and like I could dance and do the thing. However, looking back at it. I have been dropping little design nuggets for myself like this over the past few months, just not three consecutive pieces at a time. What made me realize this or get into the groove? I’m sure you’re wondering where this came from and this spur of creativity.
In the midst of the impending winter storm (of which was not on my radar until Tuesday), I planned to be in Dallas, TX and Norman, OK for the weekend. I wanted to walk the floor and make connections at Dallas Men’s Market and then would be visiting school for OU’s annual Sustainability Summit. And since I would be in Dallas, I planned with my brand’s prime signature model to have a shoot and get some new pieces to him. Voile! The opportunity arose to design something tailored to his personality that also represents his business and more. Yet, I didn’t get to work on it until a week ago...aka last Saturday (*cough*)…
It was redesign heaven! I made a knit lounge fit out of the backs of Tune from my collection and a long cardigan that was donated and a vest from donated denim and deadstock upholstery fabric. By far, I don’t call myself a denim upcycler/designer or even a knits designer, especially since they’re not materials I typically work with. But I dabble from time to time. But these pieces taught me a few more things.
Designing is getting to play with things that are running around in your mind and putting them to form. Shaping them into what you envision. When I started with the knit outfit, of course ripping was the first step to getting started. But I had a vision for how I wanted it to look, minus the sleeves, other than carrying the black into the right arm. As I envisioned this for my signature model, I wanted it to be bold and something that could also speak to his brand’s identity in the colors I chose. He’s minimalistic in the colors that he wears with black and white being his first choices. He also likes comfort and as we spoke about the clothes he typically wears or owns, it came down to ease of movement, especially as he is an athlete and has ever changing measurements. That’s when I started with the joggers (I’ll have full outfit photos later). By using the knit material off the back of a shirt, there was some patchwork that ended up happening, probably a lot more than some. I like how they turned out overall with a few tweaks needed. Mainly, I wasn’t happy with the hem of the shirt…hence, why I don’t really work with knits often. But overall, the fit came together nicely.
And for the vest, I loved how it came out. It looks even better on. But of course, I’m still my worse critic with small details no one else may notice. But it was here, that I found myself in the zone smiling and then dancing saying, “Ooooo, I’m back!” I love to design with insets and differences in texture. All of these pieces opened me back up to just channel that energy into my design process. Did I feel behind, rushed, and out of sorts a few times? Yes, but not as much as I felt like I was in the flow and at ease. And that’s what I’ve been chasing, but have finally rediscovered it. Now, when I feel like I need to scale something back, I’m just going to stop. Take a breath. And tell myself to keep going in the direction I am heading.
Circling it back to the overall design process and my favorite thing to talk about…circularity…There are times I notice too with how I construct things that may not seem the most economical or best way to do it. Then again, I also made both of these using scraps from other offcuts, as well as discarded and already deconstructed jeans. In thinking about it that way, it is still economical because I tried to use what pieces were already available instead of cutting more pieces. I mean that also happened, where I then had some smaller pieces from the already cut pieces. But those will go into my scrap bags that are accumulating for another project.
Either way, I hope that, if you’re also a creative, my sharing the chasing of my style to reinvigorate myself and renew my confidence in that style, helps you to do the same.
But until next time, rediscover the piece of you that’s been missing. <3