Mycelium
CAPSTONE * SPRING 2022 * ICC
CONCEPTUAL FASHION
“It’s no longer enough to do less harm. We want to make clothes in a way that actually makes things better.” -Eileen Fisher
For my capstone project, I chose to research the innovations in sustainable materials and design a product to apply them.
The way that we design and manufacture products today is often very harmful to the users at the beginning and end of the product’s life-cycle.
Fashion, in particular, is one of the most damaging industries today. Since fashion is a crucial part of how we interact with our world, we need more attractive solutions to inspire lasting change.
Materials like “vegan leather” attempt to give users an alternative but ultimately switches one problem (outpacing demand for standard leather) for another (shorter lifespan plastic goods).
What if we could design like nature does?
LEATHER JACKETS
The leather jacket is a powerful symbol. From James Dean’s classic “bad boy” look to political movements like the Black Panther Party, the leather jacket is more than the sum of its parts. To represent the rebellion against the status quo, I chose to apply my material to a leather jacket.
CMF MOOD BOARD
By using the innovations in biomaterials like mushroom leather, this jacket uses significantly less water than standard leather, uses food waste to grow, and avoids plastic pollution.
JACKET DESIGN
In designing the jacket, I researched the history of fashion, and the role that different garments have played in representing a movement. The clothes we wear not only impact our style, but how we carry ourselves. By wearing a garment, it represents an association to identity- a shortcut for the brain.
I wanted to design a piece that would represent a conscious step away from rapidly cycling trends and a step towards conscious consumption. As you put on this jacket, like many previous leather jackets, it symbolizes a subtle shift away from what’s been done before while staying grounded in its roots.
SEWING THE PROTOTYPE
PATTERN SOFTWARE
By using CLO 3D, I was able to easily explore multiple iterations on the initial jacket design and meet deadlines.
RUNWAY ANIMATION
PROTOTYPE IN USE
For sustainable design to be attractive, it needs to offer more meaning not just less waste. Mushroom leather is more than a trend, it represents a much larger philosophy shift in design.
If we can create more like nature does, through transformation rather than manufacturing, then we may be able to leave things better than we found them.
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