Toiling and Sampling

The process of bringing a collection together. . .

I am inspired, I have a feeling, a mood, a vibe for the collection; shapes and gestures present themselves to me.

My job is to interpret these into garments - I drape, I sketch, I look back and reflect. The collection needs to be a continuation of the last, bringing together the things that my clients already have and love with new thoughts that are going to move them forward - that are going to help their wardrobe grow and evolve as their lives do. I need to understand how each piece in the collection relates to the others - to those from previous collections and the other styles in the new colelction, everything needs to be able to work together in life off a catwalk and showroom hanger. Women need to be able to pull together whatever they have from anon. women with the confidence that it will work.

As this all starts to come together in my head, on paper and in drapes and folds on my half sized mannequin the process of toiling (pronounced twarling) begins. This is the process of making full sized patterns, either by expanding my scaled drapes, working from flat shapes or draping directly onto my full sized mannequin (I call her Parker after Suzy Parker a mannequin from the 1950's). Once the initial shapes are drafted they are cut and made in calico, to test the balance and proportions of shape and fit. Adjustments are made and the pieces re-made, the process continues until I am satisfied with how the garment is working. From here initial samples are made, showing the exact construction and finish of the garment, after this I will then choose the different colours, fabrics and versions i want each style to me made in for the collection. I will start pulling all the looks together, making them work as both a collection and a wardrobe for my customers.

And who knows, at the last minuite i may decide something is not right or something may need more emphasis and race the clock to get it all finished for the show!