Mr. March Mistler Art + Design
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Fashion Design

In Fashion Design, students learn about the basics of fashion design while studying professional fashion practices. Students draw croquis', sew, and construct garments.
Course Expectations

Trend Forecasting

3/22/2016

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Background
A trend forecaster predicts the colors, fabrics, textures, materials, prints, graphics, beauty/grooming, accessories, footwear, street style, and other styles that will be presented on the runway and in the stores for the upcoming seasons.

This assignment will challenge you to explore fashion merchandising and hone your business skills. Very often, fashion design courses will not show you how to start your own business or teach you very valuable business skills. 

Assignment
Your assignment is to work in a group of 2 people to create a trend forecast for the 2016-2017 fashion season. Half of the class will forecast the Fall 2017 Season and the other half will forecast the 2017 Spring Season. You will create a design board, a croquis board, 2 full outfits, and a video describing the assignment. The video above is an A+ example of this assignment. 

Specs (what needs to go in the video)
  • Target demographics (ie men aged 18-34)
  • Design/Inspiration Board
  • Croquis Board (like your midyear)
  • Color swatches 
  • Video should include
  • Magazine covers (digital)
  • Professional photographs of your 2 outfits 
  • Evidence of why you have chosen your trend

Steps
  1. Spring 2017 or Fall 2017
  2. Research past & upcoming trends
  3. Choose your forecast
  4. Research magazines and online resources
  5. Choose your colors & fabrics (how will you show this on the video?)
  6. Make an inspiration/design board
  7. Create a croquis board
  8. Complete the Trend Questionaire
  9. Create your garments 
  10. Create your video (this may be done throughout the entire project) 


Grading (this project will count as 2 project grades -- 1 for the video and 1 for the garments)
  • Creativity
  • Evidence
  • Quality of garments
  • Quality of video
  • Collaborative & individual working habits

Resources
​FIDM Design Challenge
​A Beginner's Guide to Trend Forecasting Article 

Fashion Snoops (trend forecasting company -- paid services)
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Draping Fabric to Create a Garment

1/27/2016

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Background
Fabric draping is the process of positioning and pinning fabric on a mannequin or dress form to develop the structure of a garment. Fabric drape is defined as the way that fabric falls to the floor. Fabric bias, rigidity, stiffness, type of fabric, weight, and thickness can all be factors in determining drape. Many professional fashion designers use fabric draping to design garments (and then usually leave the dirty work to interns or other workers!).

Description
Your assignment is to create a Couture garment using drape. You may choose to do a dress, pants, blouse, skirt....essentially -- any garment. The theme of your garment is "texture in nature." Please TRY to use the fabric I have extra in the classroom. 

Steps
  1. HW: Find 5 different textures in nature. Pin them on your Pinterest board.
  2. Sketch out your croquis.
  3. Use your sketch as a basis for the draping. You may also want to use photographs of your texture or photographs of similar garments to see how draping works.
  4. PLAY with the fabric. Experiment with different positions of the fabric to understand how it will lay.
  5. With masking tape, tape parts of the mannequin to define your garment and/or the body.
  6. You may need to create a foundation piece to hold your textures together. Think of this as the lining. 
  7. Pin the fabric to the mannequin. Here, you will want to use a fabric pencil or chalk to mark the fabric. 
  8. When you are satisfied with your garment, baste the fabric together with a hand needle and begin sewing on your machine -- you may need to do this in pieces.  

Grading Criteria
  • Creativity/Risk taking
  • Design
  • Technical Quality
  • Participation

Resources
Read this article about drape factor

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MIDYEAR: Design Challenge

1/4/2016

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PictureA perfect example of a presentation
Background
A design challenge in fashion is when designers are faced with creating a clothing line based around a theme. 

Assignment
Your assignment is to design a clothing line based around your favorite literary novel. Choose 1 character from the novel (male or female) and design 5 outfits based for that character as if you were the fashion designer for a movie based on the book. You must also write a 1 page summary as to how these outfits represent the character. Be sure to research current design trends to keep this character relevant. I will provide you with your board. Board must include the following:
  • Title (traced to perfection from a printed computer font)
  • 5 croquis with garments (same croquis for each garment)
  • 5 full-outfit flat garments
  • Colors to block out sections of the board
  • Color swatches
  • Any other flair or flounces

Tips:
  • Research the character: what is her/his name, her/his inspiration, style, etc?
  • What colors represent the character?
  • Is the character strong willed, mean-spirited, kooky? Colors, shapes, and styles should reflect that.
  • Craftsmanship is very important in creating a professional design board. You must follow the craftsmanship tips below to create an amazing board.

Craftsmanship Tips
  • Cut off ALL extra white on models or anything you put on the board. Use an x-acto knife if you are not a good cutter. (The white in between a model's arms should DEFINITELY be cut out)
  • Outline croquis in black pen or thin black sharpie
  • Leave the faces off of the models -- they distract from the overall design
  • Stencil all letters. Print the font you want, cut it out and use it as a stencil. (No handwriting the title)
  • No excess glue on the board -- use scrap paper
  • Break down the sections into distinct areas on the board
  • Trace the croquis from the croquis library but change the hair. Spend time on these - they should be perfect.
  • All printouts should be matted with colored paper (1/8th inch around)
  • If you have straight lines, cut straight! Use a ruler! 
  • Flat garments should be symmetrical.

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Recycled Fashion Project

11/2/2015

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Jessica Poirier used water bottle labels and caps
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Kailee Abeshaus used muffin cups & coffee filters
Background:
America as a society is obsessed with Consumerism. Pop artist Andy Warhol showed us this with his highly reproduced prints. Fashion garments are also reproduced and thrown away after years. Our goal is to take non-textile items and create garments from them.

Assignment:
Your assignment is to choose an item and create a dress from the repetition of the item. Pattern will be apparent in the dress, but you must also think about the silhouette of the figure. 
  • Think about what kind of fashion styles inspire you? You can design a garment based off of those styles you chose. 
  • FIT: this dress must fit someone for the fashion show. It also must be taken off of the mannequin. Decide what closures you will use (zippers, snaps, buttons, etc)
  • OPTIONAL: you will receive an extra 10 Points for creating a high quality accessory that coordinates with the dress.

Objectives:
  • Analyze the artwork of working fashion designers in order to create a recycled fashion dress.
  • Use your workings skills of croquis illustration to create a 9-head croquis drawing.
  • Study textile design and how it can be manipulated and changed.

Steps:
  1. Choose the material. What is easily accessible to you? What materials speaks to your style? Start collecting! How will you adhere or attach the pieces together?
  2. Choose a style. Create some loose sketches.
  3. Draw a 9-head croquis with pen and watercolor. Turn it in to Mr. Mistler so we can talk about your design.
  4. Start constructing. 80% of this garment should be constructed by hand. You MAY use a muslin lining constructed by you but it may not show in any part of the garment. The garment must be a dress. It can be multiple pieces but it must stand on its own, meaning that you cannot pair other designs with it (ie a pairing leggings underneath).

Grading Criteria:
  • Concept
    What sets yours apart from other recycled fashions?
  • Design
    In what ways did you use your materials to create an interesting design and translate it into a 3-dimensional garment?
  • Technical Quality
    In what ways did you use the materials?
  • Participation
    How did you work during class? 

Homework Assignment:
  • Using non-traditional textiles, create 3 different treatments (textures) that you could use for your recycled dress. 
Picture
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El Anatsui, Black River, 2009
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Gustav Klimt, Portrait of Adele Bloch Bauer
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Gustav Klimt, The Kiss

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The Simple Skirt

9/25/2015

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PictureSimplicity 1856. Click the image to view the link.
Background
Learning to sew is a vital skill of any fashion designer. A simple skirt will help us to understand the specifics of working with patterns and how they are used in fashion.

Vocabulary
  • Godet
  • Staystitching
  • Seam allowance
  • Grain
  • Bias
  • Selvage

Objectives
  • Study the dress pattern and understand how to read a pattern
  • Analyze sewing techniques in order to create a skirt
  • How to measure the natural waist

Grading
  • Craftsmanship (loose threads are cut, sewing is straight and follows seams)
  • Technical Quality (skirt is slightly above the knee and waist fits correctly)
  • Participation (your work ethic in class)

Steps
  • Measure yourself
  • Find your size on the pattern envelope (see image below)
  • Trace the pattern pieces on white paper (use your size). Be sure to trace the arrows, the pattern piece number, and what the piece is called.
  • Buy your cotton or cotton blend fabric (or use fabric from the class). You can see how much fabric you need based on your size. Do not buy extra fabric -- you don't need it.
  • Wash and dry your fabric to pre-shrink it.
  • Lay out your pattern pieces on the fabric. Pin them on. Have Mr. Mistler check it.
  • Cut out your pieces and begin sewing.

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Skirt Reflection Questions
  1. Describe the process of making the skirt (in detail) starting with purchasing of fabric.
  2. What difficulties arose when making the skirt? What could you have done differently?
  3. How successful was your design? Be prepared to back yourself up with evidence.
skirt_directions.pdf
File Size: 1703 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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Embroidered Self Portrait

9/3/2015

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Grading Criteria
  • Concept
  • Design
  • Technical Quality
  • Participation
  • ***See the Art Department Grading Rubric
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Background
The self portrait is integral in art history. Artists have drawn, photographed, and painted themselves for years. What better model to use than oneself? We will study the self portrait and how it relates to art history, and also fashion design.

Description
Your task is to create an embroidered self portrait using both hand stitching and sewing machine techniques. Be creative with this project; the objective is not to finish with a perfectly recognizable portrait. You should work with shapes, lines, colors, and patterns to create a fun and interesting self portrait while simultaneously learning how to use the sewing machine. 

Objectives
  • Study the self portrait and create a personal self portrait using fabric in the pop art style
  • Study hand stitching and machine techniques to embroider 
  • Analyze how pattern, shape, line, and color can be used to create a 

Steps
  1. Take a selfie in a 3/4 view. Frontal view is more difficult.
  2. Print out the portrait (full size page) in the mac lab.
  3. Lightly trace the photo onto another piece of paper that I will provide. 
  4. From the scraps pile in the fashion room, take patterns and colors that you like. Cut them into shapes to create the shapes in your face.
  5. Sew the shapes on (watch for my demo).

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"Marilyn Monroe" by Andy Warhol 1962
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"Girl with Hair Ribbon" Roy Lichtenstein 1965
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Design by Emily Sateriale
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Textile Design & the Printed Scarf

9/1/2015

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Pattern Steps
  1. Mark out an 8x8 square in your sketchbook. Create 3 patterns in your sketchbook and 3 on your iPad using a free drawing app (I recommend Adobe Sketch or Adobe Draw). Create these patterns in black and white. I would suggest you have 50% white and 50% black.
      • Geometric pattern
      • Organic pattern
      • Delicate pattern
      • Bold pattern
      • Free pattern
      • Free pattern
  2. The class will help you choose your best pattern.
  3. Photocopy your pattern on transparency paper.
  4. Go outside, bring a piece of glass, the fabric, and the transparency. 
  5. Place the fabric on the ground, put the transparency on top, and finally the glass will weigh it down.
  6. Let the sun expose for 10 minutes.
  7. Bring the fabric inside and wash it out in the darkroom. Let it dry.
  8. Repeat 4x for a total of 5 squares

Sewing Steps

  1. Sew the squares together to create a long scarf
  2. Choose a colored fabric backing and cut to the size of your scarf
  3. Putting the wrong sides together, sew the backing to the scarf on three sides.
  4. Turn inside out, fold in the last side and TOPSTITCH the entire scarf with a stitch width of 2.5.
Background
Textile design is the process of creating designs for woven, printed, or knitted fabric. The word "textile" refers to fabrics and materials used to create fashions or other fabric related constructions. Textile design is another way to have a career in the fashion industry. These designers study fabrics and learn how to use patterns and designs properly on different fabrics. A textile designer works with fashion designers and clothing producers to create the perfect pattern. These artists are in high demand in the fashion industry.

Project Description
Your task is to create a textile design or pattern and print it on cyanotype treated cotton fabric. Printing a pattern works best on natural fibers like silk and cotton. 

Objectives
  • Study the career of a textile designer and relate it to fashion design.
  • Use pattern, contrast, repetition, and rhythm to create a design to be used on a silk textile.

Grading Criteria
  • Design
  • Technical Quality
  • Creativity
  • Participation

Resources:
  • Zandra Rhodes
  • Textile Designer career info
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Collection by Ermie
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You will transfer your pattern onto transparency paper
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Fashion Design Final

6/2/2015

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Picture
Mel (left) and Amanda shopping for supplies at Joann's
Due Date for the Posterboard & Eval: Monday 6/22
Your final project for Fashion Design
  • Two FINAL adaptive garments from your group (one for Steph/Taylor's group). See the previous assignment for project. 
  • Evaluation on this project
    -Write about your entire experience with this project (planning, making patterns, sewing, . It should be 1 page. Print and tape on the back of your presentation board. 
  • Posterboard 
  • Participation in the presentation
    -You must be present when we submit our designs to Shannon and her students.

Posterboard:
The posterboard should be made with the utmost quality and the highest craftsmanship. It should include:
-Title (traced from digital letters)
-Flat garments
-Croquis'
-Photos of you/your group working
-Photo of the final design
-Fabric swatches (little squares from your actual fabric
-Anything else you think should be included


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Adaptive Clothing Design

5/11/2015

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Picture
Resources:
  • Read this article about how MIT students designed apparel for a man with a spinal injury.
  • Read this article about adaptive clothing for someone with a wheelchair
  • Silverts Adaptive Fashion
  • IZ Adaptive
Background
It can be difficult for people with a disability to find clothing that is both accessible and fashionable. Common department stores or big box chains do not carry adaptive clothing.

It's important to learn about people with disabilities. We focus on the PERSON and NOT the disability. Please try to remember that during this lesson. It's important to be sensitive to the needs of others.

Project Description
Your assignment is to work in pairs to create a garment for a child with a disability. We will be working with Ms. Conroy and her students in order to suit the needs of kids who have disabilities.

Steps:
  1. Learn about adaptive fashion. 
  2. Come up with questions you may have for Ms. Conroy and/or the students.
  3. Meet with Ms. Conroy. Be sure to ask lots of questions and find out specifically what she needs.
  4. Meet with your partner; brainstorm and sketch out 2 different designs.
  5. Meet with the class at Joann's fabric to purchase materials as a class (date TBD).
  6. Begin your design. 

Guiding Questions:
  • What types of clothing do these students need?
  • What modifications to current clothes can you suggest?
  • What types of clothing would be best (even if it doesn't exist quite yet)?

Grading Criteria

  • Design
  • Creativity
  • Function
  • Group habits
  • Technical Quality
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Blizzard Bag Assignment: Fashion Designer Inspiration Board

4/14/2015

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Picture
Alexander McQueen, Spring 2013 collection
The blizzard bag assignments are meant to replace the work of TWO snow days. You must complete the assignment below by JUNE 1st and turn into the Google Drive hand in folder titled "Blizzard Bags Assignment". The assignment should take you about 90 minutes to complete from start to finish. If you do not complete the assignment, you will be marked two days absent. If you have any questions during the assignment, please see me in class or email me. Seniors are exempt from the blizzard bag assignment because they are not restricted to the 180 day school year from the DESE.

Project Description:
Research a famous fashion designer (your sewing machine's name) and create a moodboard of the designer's style using the moodboard app. Then, download Polyvore on your iPad. Create a collage of 3 different outfits based upon the designer's personal design style for people who cannot afford a runway look. You are essentially creating designs on a budget -- many fashion magazines do something similar to this. Print out both sheets in color and submit into the Google Drive folder titled: Blizzard Bag Assignment.

Objectives:
  • Study fashion designer's style and apply it to current fashion trends

Materials:
  • Moodboard app (free)
  • Polyvore app (free)

Grading Criteria:
  • Inventiveness
  • Visual impact
  • Creativity
  • Layout
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