2. The little things in life: Graduation project

“LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE’

BRAND STUDY

SWGT’s design philosophy stems from the conversations with the self, interaction of the self with the surroundings enabling balance within the landscapes of creativity and inspiration.

Aesthetic expressions of the designer with the artistic skills are communicated in the form of indigenous techniques and abstract fabric stories.

Design practice of the studio involves amalgamation of Indian craft traditions with a contemporary outlook. It aims to acquire an aesthetic milieu between abstract nuances of art and fashion.

In the span of the work we have developed at SWGT, we have devised a process that allows for a creative journey from start to finish of a garment collection.

These stages help us define a collection –– beginning from its mood. A trip to the mountains help us do exactly that.

SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE / HILLS AND MOUNTAINS THEME BOARD

The brand officiates affection and intimacy with a mountain life.

A stroll among the mountains enables them to put their love for the very environment in their work that is perennial, utilizing the millions of years that nature put in its development.

Over the years, they have grown to believe in the luxury of nature, often seen among the scarce life among the mountains.

- SWGT

WANDERER

GATHERER

THINKER

WANDERING SOUL

“SWGT’s muse is a seeker, Seeks wonder in the mundane.

A wanderer in the pursuit of adventure.

A gatherer of inspiration, She is a thinker, Shaping her purpose.”

- SWGT SWGT’s inspiration comes from the founders childhood among the hills of Uttarakhand. A humble youth spent relishing nature in its essence and the grace with which its elements change over various seasons.

They at SWGT are in awe of the pine leaves, the succulents, the dew that are synonymous with a life that is close to the natural world, away and above the packed city life.

OVERALL DESIGN PROCESS

RESEARCH & MARKET ANALYSIS Research on inspirations, market, design and customer.

A process that allows for a creative journey from start to finish of a garment collection. These stages help us define a collection –– beginning from its mood. A trip to the mountains help us do exactly that.

A series of objects collected in our trails among the ranges inspire the next phases of textile design, pattern making and technique development.

PROCUREMENT OF RAW MATERIAL Weavers in Chanderi, who have been our long time partners in this journey initiate weaving cottons and silks as we share our findings with them each time we embark on constructing the textile story of the season.

Other fabrics are sourced from places in Delhi like chandni chowk and nehru place for the trims at a reasonable price.

SAMPLING Once the fabrics and threads are dyed sampling beings.

Design iterations are made and put into making with the supervision of the design team, masterji and the artisans.

Once developed it is open to feedback after which further modifications are done.

PRODUCTION Costing Time taken Quantity Export Production process Muslin sample Master sample Buyer sample Spec Sheets for buyer, master and studio

MERCHANDISING MUSLINS Silhouettes are iterated within their already existing styles.

They are further modified according to the Collection and techniques.

Exhibitions, stalls, clusters

PROJECT 1 : LITTLE THINGS

Brief : To develop a collection of 6-8 garments Theme : the little things in life Motifs : flower, the simplest form in nature Mood : gratitude Season : spring summer Category : dresses, tops, tunics Target : womenswear Style : casual yet dressy Techniques : applique, embroidery, patchwork, gathers, tucks Fabric : chanderi, linen, cotton silk

RESILIENCE IN NATURE

Being resilient is about having the ability to recover after disturbances or significant, unpredictable changes in the local environment, such as those caused by a fire, flood, blizzard, or injury.

The image shows a flower growing in between rocks, inhabitant for its growth.

The gladiolus flower shown in the image is a symbol of strength and overcoming difficulties and disturbances in life because of their association with gladiators.

From the market analysis we understand that this season the dresses category is showing signs of a rebound. The increased popularity of dressing up for casual get-togethers has led to the rise of easy wardrobe pieces.

As outdoor gatherings start to gain in importance, consumers begin to focus their spend towards social events.

We understand that there is a want to dress up casual yet dressy in the target age group

WAKING UP TODAY IS A GIFT, EVERYTHING ELSE IS A BONUS

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The little things in life The inspiration comes from finding gratitude in what we have The flower represents the simplest form in nature, The forms and motifs were ideated to show beauty in the basic

Nature has an inbuilt resilience. Things which appear to be dead are merely dormant and spring back to life once the conditions are right.

It gives us hope that in the river of time, no matter how difficult the circumstances, we just have to wait for the water of life to come back and restore our fragile but precious sense of aliveness.

Once the dyed samples are received :

While the fabrics are sent for dyeing, the ideation starts.

We ideate on the existing silhouttes of the brand.

Dresses, tops, tunics, pants Techniques : applique, embroidery, crochet, tucks.

IDEATION

we start making swatches As applique was never used in the brand, we started from the scratch.

Fabrics : Cotton silk Cotton voil Poplin Textured fabric

After the inspiration and colour palette is decided, we go for sourcing fabrics that match our ideology.

SOURCING AND DYEING The brand also has handlooms from which they get their chanderi fabric.

The rest of the fabrics in this collection are sourced from nehru place and the trims from chandni chowk.

From the dyed fabrics, a small portion of the fabric is cut from each and pinned to 4 sheets in the form of swatches.

We visited more than 50 shops which helped us gain knowledge on various things like market prices, quality, stores etc.

sheets for : Office Designer Dyer reference Design team

Once the fabrics are received, we make the dye program.

The colour palette is sent to the dyer in the form of shade cards, threads, pantones or swatches.

The dye program includes : The dates, quantity, colour palette, price etc.

Swatch ideations and working with the artisans

Once the dyed fabrics are received, the fabrics are ironed and checked for colour bleeding, spots etc.

The ideated designs are drawn in the cut fabric using steam pen.

The fabric quantites are measured, put in the excel sheets and separated to be kept in the racks.

Then the fabrics are cut for surface sampling. (everytime we take out fabric, it is to be updated in the excel sheets)

We then communicate the ideations with the artisans : Threads, stitch types, measurements, colours, negative spaces etc.

Ideation, modifications are done simultaneously for efficient working.

Making samples helped us understand the colour combinations, threads and other details from which we developed further.

TAKEAWAYS Everyone perceives instructions differently. When asked to draw a flower, not everyone draws the same flower.

Clear articulation and sitting with the artisans for every step gets the best out.

KHAKHA PROCESS :

Once the swatch ideation were finalised, motifs were made on the khakhas.

Motifs are made in illustrator or is hand drawn directly on the khakha paper.

The motif is then printed in the actual size and sent for pinning to the machine embroider.

Then the solvent for khakha tracing is made :White or silver for darker fabrics Blue for lighter fabrics

Chapai : It is then traced to the fabrics

INITIAL SWATCH ITERATIONS

Started with basic applique and patchwork

Experimented with textured fabric and anchor threads

Worked with simple flower motifs

Both hand and machine embroidery

Swatch iteration for cuffs and collars

Basic anchor threads and pintucks combine with embroidery

Further applique development

Experimentation with colour combinations, kaantha stitches, patchwork.

COLLAR 1

Pattern making

Assignment : To make two detachable collars using the same techniques.

Techniques : Applique Anchor threads Kaantha stitches patchwork

COLLAR 2

Fully hand embroidered Time taken : 2 days We took the motifs from the floral khakhas and drew fillers in it.

Balancing negative spaces we marked the stitches with steam pen.

MUSLINS

Muslin fits : The silhouettes are ideated from the earlier collections of SWGT.

We sit with the head designer and ideate.

The ideations are the illustrated by the fashion design team.

The ideations are sketched on iPad and printed out for feedback.

The final ideations are put up on board for the designers feedback.

We note the points for each adjustments

The fabric swatches are pinned to the sheets for each garment and categorised.

We sit with the pattern master and go through the changes from the given feedback

Final patterns are made and the garments are sent for production.

TUNIC Fabric : Linen Trims : Cotton silk patches Textured cotton fabric Dyed anchor threads Crochet buttons Colour : Beige Techniques : Patchwork Machine embroidery Hand embroidery Crochet Size : Medium Ideation Process : Placements made with steam pen Compositions Sample geometric swatches Time taken : 12 hours

DRESS Fabric : Single ply Chanderi Trims : Beads Chanderi patches Dyed anchor threads Crochet buttons

Colour : White Techniques : Patchwork Machine embroidery Hand embroidery Beadwork Gathers Size : Medium

Ideation Process : Motifs Hand drawn placement khakhas chapai

Time taken : 16 hours

DRESS Fabric : Linen Trims : Textured fabric patches Dyed anchor threads Crochet buttons Colour : Onion Pink Techniques : Patchwork Machine embroidery Hand embroidery

Size : Medium

Ideation Process : Motifs Hand drawn placement khakhas chapai

Time taken : 8 hours

TUNIC Fabric : Poplin Trims : Textured fabric patches Dyed anchor threads Crochet buttons Colour : Onion Pink Techniques : Patchwork Machine embroidery Hand embroidery

Size : Medium

Ideation Process : Motifs Hand drawn placement khakhas chapai

Time taken : 6 hours

DRESS Fabric : Cotton silk Trims : Cotton silk patches Dyed anchor threads Crochet buttons Colour : Blue Techniques : Patchwork Machine embroidery Hand embroidery Gathers

Size : Medium

Ideation Process : Motifs Hand drawn placement khakhas chapai

Time taken : 8 hours

DRESS Fabric : Chanderi Trims : Crochet buttons Ribbon sleeves Colour : Mint green

Techniques : Machine embroidery Pin tucks

Size : Medium

Ideation Process : Motifs Digital khakhas chapai

Time taken : 18 hours

DRESS Fabric : Chanderi Trims : Chanderi patches Golden threads Crochet buttons Colour : Pink Techniques : Machine embroidery Hand embroidery Patchwork Gathers

Size : Medium

Ideation Process : Motifs Hand drawn placement khakhas chapai

Time taken : 16 hours

TOP Fabric : Chanderi Trims : Chanderi patches Crochet buttons Colour : Pink Techniques : Machine embroidery Hand embroidery Patchwork

Size : Medium

Ideation Process : Motifs Hand drawn placement khakhas chapai

Time taken : 5 hours

DRESS Fabric : Cotton Trims : Cotton silk patches Textured fabric patches Anchor threads Crochet buttons Colour : Green Techniques : Gathers Machine embroidery Hand embroidery Patchwork

Size : Medium

Ideation Process : Motifs Hand drawn placement khakhas chapai

Time taken : 6 hours

MY OVERALL LEARNINGS

- Spec sheets Taking measurements on dummy .

- Interpreting the brief : To catch key words and understanding what the designer wants.

- Sourcing Fabric relevance Prices Quantity Exploring places in Delhi

- Working with the artisans How they interpret your instructions Clear articulation Sit with them for swatches and explain step by step

- Target consumer It was a new target audience for me, entirely different from what I have worked on What sells in the market

- Surface techniques Time and skills it requires to make a garment from scratch .

- Costing Excels and markings Swatch boards with store and price tags .

- Overall design process From inspiration to ideation to surface development to final

- Fabric selection Fabric properties and what to choose best for the fuction - Constraints How and if everything ideated can be made.

Time and expense requirement

THANK YOU