“SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT” Collection
While creating a virtual “utopia”, where all humans would be leaving under the values of Hip Hop, what the designer is trying to pass through this collection is that when two contrasting ideas are used in the right way, they can co-exist. Light and darkness, good and evil are mixed in balance to come through visually in the color palette and the combination of light and heavy weight fabrics. Prints play a vital role in the collection and they are inspired from classic elements of the culture, also representing the two contrasting ideas. This collection is for everyone despite of age, color or culture…just like Hip Hop!
During the last century, clothing has become increasingly casual, enabling more relaxed silhouettes to be used in a variety of occasions (Craik, 2009). The term sportswear is not a term used exclusively for clothing to be used in sports. These are referred to as active sportswear (Warner, 2006).It has even become acceptable that sportswear can be worn in formal or evening occasions. Hip Hop is hugely responsible for this development, the culture made sports clothing a fashion statement,, excluding this way its actual usage.
In my mind, for something to be working properly either is a society, a feeling or an action, it needs balance. Therefore, I had to use elements from both sides, the negative and the positive. Darkness and light. This is going to come out through the collection as an idea. I chose four elements, which are considered classics for the culture and whoever sees them, they will remind him of Hip Hop.The first two, are developed as line work giving me the design detailing I need for the clothes. They have been translated into seaming, paneling and shapes for pockets and other details. The other two became the base for the prints, also serving the contrast and combination of the “good” Hip Hop and the “bad” Hip Hop.
With these three outfits I will try and explain the story of this society by showing in line the “bad” (first outfit), the cover up of the “bad” from the “good” (second outfit) and finally the “good” (third outfit). The first outfit is consisted by four garments, all of them black except from one made out of the black and white print. For the second outfit, the main garment is made out of white fabric layered over black and the mouth grills print. Coming to the third outfit, all the garments will be white having some black details on the print and seams.
