Keywords Woman Comfort Costume Red and Black |
The brief for my project was to design a collection of women’s uppers for Autumn-Winter 2011 that would cater to the Indian market. The project involved extensive research on traditional costumes, including stitches, drapes and knots, from all the states in India. User-research was conducted to understand the garments’ usability, the locals’ daily activities and their comfort and discomfort zones. The discomfort caused by the garments, by hampering the movements of various joints, was documented for design intervention.
My collection, “Abho – In search of finer comfort”, was inspired by Mughal and Persian-era clothing. It emphasized on silhouettes and fine comfort. I used traditional methods of pattern-making for developing these silhouettes. Contrasting red and black silks from Varanasi were used for the entire collection. My target client is a woman of or older than 26 years, who is modern, upwardly mobile and yet rooted in tradition. I also cater to tourists who want to have a colourful Indian experience. A single garment from this collection may be worn by women of different shapes and sizes. This unique feature was brought in through simple yet powerful means.
The project helped me step out of student life into the professional world and take up new challenges with ease and enthusiasm. It helped me understand a brand; its design, customer base, competitors and future goals. |