The base of the product was always an oversized black sweatshirt. A classic, versatile item which seemed to be a good starting point to develop from. We wanted to take this simple item and utilise understated, yet compelling details.
The fit of the sweatshirt was very important. Sweatshirt's rarely fit how we wanted them to; if they were oversized the waistband was too wide and often the material didn’t facilitate the shape. Imagine an oversized sweatshirt with a thin composition which sags over the body creating an effect of someone who has picked the wrong size rather than a purposeful aesthetic. In this case, we kept the body wide while tapering the waistband & sleeves to create an oversized, but neat look. The ribbing on the neck, cuffs and waistband are a more elastic material allowing it mould to the owner’s body. While it remains big, it can be worn long or more cropped by means of adjustment.
The material is a 475 GSM organic French Terry, in layman's terms a heavyweight premium cotton. This was essential for several reasons; to be durable, long lasting and to maintain structure and shape.
For the artwork, initially our plan was to use embroidery of a full colour portrait. However, it quickly became apparent that this wasn’t viable at a limited price point. We wanted to make the product as accessible as possible whilst maintaining our conceptual vision. We stripped out the portrait to a linear shell which we formed via a continuous line.
This was a much better option as it directly depicted our theme of continuity; the embroidered lines twisting, turning and overlapping adds a layer of depth. The type of embroidery was also an important consideration, we wanted it to be a type of stitching that could be bold, show detail whilst being fluid.
To emphasise these themes, the embroidery begins at the top left shoulder seam and ends at the waistband giving an appearance of continuation. On the front it features two simple lines. We wanted to avoid over branding items, while still maintaining identity within our design. Embroidered, in continuity between the front and rear.
This first product aims to set a benchmark for quality and originality for the future. Thought-out quality items that are durable, pragmatic and versatile intent on incorporating the world around us and influencing unity.
