handheartthread

Before I begin to show you some of the embroidery work I've been developing with Ashok and the artisans I want to give you a little background into where I hope to use this work.

I intend to apply my menswear collection concept to this trip and experience, as a bit of a background we have each been given a designer in which to emulate within our designs. I am working with a Japanese designer called Miharayasuhiro (I have to think about it everytime I say it). His work is quite utility and workwear inspired and he uses a lot of beautiful fabrications. He often creates a lot of texture within his digital prints but he also plays around with quite beautifully worn and distressed pieces too.

Mihara often uses very traditional techniques in new and surprising ways, an example is the creation of a camouflage style textile which was woven the traditional way kimono silk is made. It is not until you see it up close that you realise he has used traditional Japanese cloud iconography to create this 'camouflage' design..

As well as emulating Miharayasuhiro I have developed a concept to tie in with his aesthetic. The beginning point is the below quote from a favourite John Steinbeck book, The Winter of our Discontent: 

' In June man, hustled by instinct mows grass, rifles the earth with seeds, and lock sin combat with mole and rabbit, ant, beetle, bird, and all others who gather to take his garden from him. Woman looks at the curling-edge petals and sighs, and her skin becomes a petal and her eyes are stamens. '

Taking the above quote and imagery I am creating a Fifties workwear inspired collection and the beginning point for this trip has been the above image. I have explored multiple ways of playing with this floral motif as I want it to end up quite abstract and undone, not obviously a flower, it will be interesting to see where this adventure takes me...