Watch the video 👆🏼 as I walk through my mood boards and inspiration for the season.
Do you ever wonder where your clothes come from and how they're made? I've always been concerned about this since I started sewing. On top of that, the climate impact of the fashion industry has always concerned me as well. That's why I started my clothing brand Modern Shibori that's stylish, sustainable, and eco-friendly.
The Journey to Creating Sustainable and Stylish Clothing
In this blog post, I want to share with you my journey to creating clothes that make us look good and feel good. I want to give you a behind-the-scenes look at my design process and go thorough all the elements I create. I'll talk about where I get my inspiration, how I research trends, and how I design silhouettes and color palettes my own collection that we all want to wear. I hope to share with you my love for creating sustainable and stylish clothing.
How Do I Get My Fashion Collection Inspiration
Sometimes people ask me where I look to get fashion inspiration. Inspiration is everywhere, but I find mine in nature, abstract art and culture. I'm inspired by the colors and textures of the landscapes and the stories and traditions of different communities. I love to look in a fashion history book and find an old embroidery technique. I'll take that pattern and mix it with a contemporary color combo. I used to go to vintage archives on the East Coast and may do that again in the future.
Photo credit: Instagram feeds of Lumie Glass, Bode, Textile.mixologist, High Tea with Mrs. Woo, Khrungbin.
Historical clothing can be a great inspiration too. I also love to look at indigenous cultures’ garments and their zero waste garment cutting. They created efficient, non-wasteful garments out of the need to conserve materials. That’s so exciting to me.
Nature Inspires My Clothing Collection
If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you can see that I'm always going for walks around my neighborhood. So it's natural that the fashion collection inspiration for my clothing brand often comes from nature. Everything from the colors of the ocean to the patterns found in flowers, to beautiful gradients of color from plant to plant.
Photo Credit: Michael Enslow. Jenny taking fashion inspiration photos in Morro Bay.
When it comes to researching trends, I look at both fashion industry forecasts, fashion designers whom I love and sustainable fashion trends. Trends are constantly evolving, but I focus on the ones that align with our values and aesthetic. I look at the Tokyo, Paris and Copenhagen fashion shows, read fashion magazines, and follow fashion bloggers to get a sense of what's current and relevant. I set aside research time and collect images and save them in a folder called "Inspo" for future ideas.
I pay attention to what is on the runway, but I also study sustainable fashion movements like slow fashion, vintage clothing, and upcycling. I believe that by staying on top of trends, I can create pieces that are both stylish and timeless.
Fashion Designers Who Inspire Me
There are so many fashion designers in the fashion world with so many voices that it can make finding your own style overwhelming. I'm here to give you my filter of fashion designers whom I always find inspiring because of their techniques, creative process and specific point of view. A fashion designer who's always at the top of his game is Dries Van Noten. I love every fashion collection he produces.
Also, Rick Owens is a singular voice. His fashion collection always pushes boundaries for me. On the more comfortable and wearable end, I also love Margaret Howell, Toogood and Bode.
Other fashion designers that I always look for are Yohji Yamamoto and Issey Miyake. Since Mr. Miyake's unfortunate passing last year, we'll see how the fashion collection inspiration and clothes change. I also go through menswear and collect images. You never know where you'll find inspiration.
Designing Ideas For Clothes
Silhouettes and color palettes are the core of a clothing brand's identity. They represent its style, mood, and message. I often sketch and experiment with different shapes and cuts to see what flatters the body and enhances the personality. Sometimes I’ll drape on my dress form, othertimes, I’ll start with a sketch. I’m always thinking about what my customer needs next in their closet.
I also consider the versatility and wearability of each design to appeal to a wider audience. As for the color palette, I choose the colors that evoke certain emotions and complement each other harmoniously. I try to keep a balance between neutrals and pops of color to cater to different tastes and occasions. For this collection I have one color story that’s elegant, neutral with a pop of yellow and pink. The other color story is called “Quirky Color” and it features cobalt, which is a color that’s trending for 2023, and a beautiful grass green. These are all created with natural dyes. But that's not all to my creative process.
What Is Sustainable Fashion and Does My Customer Want It?
I also observe the behavior and attitudes of society towards fashion and sustainability. For example, I noticed that more people are interested in buying organic cotton and clothing that lasts because they're aware of the harm of conventional cotton and virgin polyester to the environment. Therefore, I prioritize these ideals in my collections and educate my customers about their benefits. Also there are those big brands that just do it right such as Stella McCartney 2 and Eileen Fisher 3, who have shown that fashion can be both stylish and environmentally responsible.
Clothing Collection Ideas From Customer Feedback, Conversations and Observations
I also look at my customers' feedback and preferences to understand their needs and desires. I listen to you and your needs. I also observe how a customer's interacting with the garment. "Do they smile?" "Can they find the pocket easily?" "Is it a struggle for them to put the garment on?" It's important to balance between uniqueness and practicality, so I also ask myself, "Is this product sustainable, affordable, and marketable?" “Is this garment filling a need in their closet?”
Well-designed Clothing That’s Made To Last
I also consider the supply chain and production process of each material and supplier to ensure that we're ethical and transparent. Modern Shibori’s fabrics are GOTS-certified organic and constructed with the highest quality trims and internal seams, guaranteeing that garments are made to last.
A Holistic Approach To Clothing Design
Creating sustainable and stylish clothing isn't easy, but it's worth it. It requires patience, dedication, and creativity. It also requires a holistic and collaborative approach that involves all stakeholders in the fashion industry.
As consumers, we have the power to demand transparency and accountability from fashion brands and to support those who prioritize sustainability and ethics. The fashion industry is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and waste, but it can also be one of the biggest solutions if we shift towards a circular and regenerative model.
I hope this blog post has given you an insight into my world of fashion collection inspiration and sustainable clothing creation. It's not just about looking good or feeling good, but also about doing good for the planet and the people who make our clothes. I have to admit I consider myself more a clothing designer than a fashion designer. More on that later.
At my clothing brand, sustainability and style go hand in hand. I am passionate about creating pieces that are not only fashionable but also ethically made and environmentally conscious. I strive to create products that are timeless, functional, and responsible. I'm constantly learning and improving, and I value your feedback and suggestions. Together, we can make fashion a force for good, and redefine what it means to be fashionable.
Are you looking to make your wardrobe more eco-friendly? Ask me about sustainable style and we can help get you started on a greener path!
Resources:
1. https://sewingnpatterns.com/fashion-collection-inspiration/
3. https://www.eileenfisherrenew.com/learn-more
