Recycled Fashion Project

Jessica Poirier used water bottle labels and caps

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. 

El Anatsui, Black River, 2009

Gustav Klimt, Portrait of Adele Bloch Bauer

Gustav Klimt, The Kiss

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