Doing two live projects in second year with
fashion company Dashing Tweeds and interiors and scarves company Wallace Sewell
has helped me to think about the context of my final year work. I feel that my
work fits with in a fashion context and in particular men’s fashion, suggested
by the weight and colourings of the fabric. I’ve looked in to both high street
and high-end fashion, but at this stage I don’t think I could put myself in to just
one of these categories.
Topman suiting
appeals to a certain audience, but the collaboration with Harris Tweed shows
that modern companies are using woven heritage fabrics to try and help sell
their products. These woven 2 piece suits are retailing at around £180, but as
they are for the high street, the colour and pattern are quite subdued. The low
price may be an indication to the quality of the fabric and tailoring due to mass
production at a cheap cost maximising profit for the company, however, they are
likely to sell in high quantities.
Alexander McQueen has a very different
audience to Topman, with prices increasing by around £1600 per 2-piece suit,
but these high-end prices can be seen in the quality of the garments. The
colours are even more subdued than Topman, but for the market, I think that they work.
My work currently feels like it could fit
in to a range of categories in menswear. There is the possibility to work for
both high street and high end producing fabrics that are much more commercial with
a focus on quality. However, the samples containing the fluorescent green feel more daring like they might be made in to one off
pieces, aimed at men wanting to invest in a made to measure statement piece. This
certainly suggests creating 2 collections - couture and ready to wear.
Fig. 1 - Topman. (n.d) Men's Tweed Suits. [Online image] [Accessed on 3rd January 2014] <http://www.topman.com/en/tmuk/category/suits-1950628/tweed-suits-2205389>
Fig. 2 - Alexander McQueen. (n.d) Ready to Wear. [Online image] [Accessed on 3rd January 2014] <http://www.alexandermcqueen.com/gb/alexandermcqueen/online/men/suiting>