Golden Fleece Sheath Dress Brianne Crist Liberty University

International Textile and Apparel Association 2014: Strengthening the Fabric of our Profession, (ITAA) Annual Conference Proceedings Association, Legacy and Friendships!

Jan 1st, 12:00 AM Golden Fleece Sheath Dress Brianne Crist Liberty University

Matalie M. Howard Liberty University, [email protected]

Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/itaa_proceedings Part of the Fashion Design Commons

Crist, Brianne and Howard, Matalie M., "Golden Fleece Sheath Dress" (2014). International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) Annual Conference Proceedings. 63. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/itaa_proceedings/2014/design/63

This Event is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences and Symposia at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) Annual Conference Proceedings by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected].

Charlotte, North Carolina 2014 Proceedings

Golden Fleece Sheath Dress

Brianne Crist, Liberty University, USA Faculty Design Mentor: Mrs. Matalie M. Howard, Liberty University, USA

Keywords: Design, Eco-Fashion, Up-cycle, Green

In designing the Golden Fleece Sheath Dress, my main goal was to move out of my “comfort zone” of using actual fabrics. I desired to create something extremely dissimilar to other pieces I had created before. In the research that I conducted beforehand, I did not come across any dresses made out of puzzles. Beyond that, I was certain that I could construct a puzzle dress in a different way than had been attempted before and I believe that my dress accomplished that goal. Another goal that inspired this piece was to support the growing cultural trend of “going green.” As people are becoming more aware of their own personal impact on the environment, upcycling has become a major trend; that is, using and reusing items that would otherwise be thrown in a landfill for new purposes. In my piece, I was able to exemplify that by repurposing an old puzzle and turning it into a unique garment. Therefore, this piece was inspired by the fact that when puzzles are recycled they lose their use due to lost pieces. In designing a garment with puzzle pieces, tape, and thread, the seemingly useless puzzle pieces were given a new purpose in which their usefulness is left intact. In constructing this piece, some of the puzzle pieces were first spray painted gold for a more uniform and fashion forward look and then they were self-laminated with strips of packing tape. During this part of the process, certain of the puzzle pieces were separated for their specific color and used as a design detail on the front of the dress. After this, the strips were sewn together into two long puzzle panels with a sewing machine using a basting stitch so as not to tear the tape. Lastly, strips of puzzle were then attached on the tops of the puzzle panels for straps and strips of tape were attached to the sides of the front panel to act as fasteners when tied in the back of the garment. As a final design detail, I used an old tie and sewed it up the inside to form a belt for the garment to add interest at the waist. This garment is a prime example of how any object can retain its usefulness in the field of textiles and apparel design.

Page 1 of 2

2014 Proceedings Charlotte, North Carolina

Reference: The complete photo guide to sewing. (2009). Minneapolis, MN; Creative Publishing International.

Page 2 of 2