Fashion designers do a fine job of turning ordinary fabric into stunning outfits that transform their clients and bring out their personalities. For each outfit a designer churns, there is a creative process that goes into it.
In understanding the creative process behind the making of various outfits, we have interviewed the creative directors of brands like Ninolastyles, Wunmmiescouture, Khad Apparels, and Rosie Young amongst others on how they made different stunning outfits. This week, we interviewed Teni Wilson on the creative process behind her 2-in-1 Cornflower Blue dress.
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Teni Wilson is the creative director of StyledbyZerah. StyledbyZerah is a womenswear brand that helps the working-class lady show up her best to work and make heads turn at events.
At StyledbyZerah, she leads her team in the whole creative process of garment production, starting from the conceptualisation of designs to actual production of clothes.
What was the Process of Making the Cornflower Blue Dress like?
The Cornflower blue dress is a 2-in-1 outfit. It consists of the dress itself and a corset.
The upper bodice of the dress was created from a flowery lace material. In creating the bodice, we tacked cut-outs from the lace material to cover the cleavage area. Then, we created the circular flare from a different fabric – Duchess silk.
Each pleat on the skirt of the dress is of the same equidistance from the one next to it, giving off a neat and striking appearance. The lace bodice was merged with the pleated circular flare with a running stitch.
The corset was made with the duchess silk fabric and breast cups and velvet trimmings were added to it to make it more structured and appealing to the eyes. We also attached some of the flowery cut-outs to the cup area of the dress.
The corset was fitted with a detachable zipper that allows it to be worn over a dress.
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What Inspired The Cornflower Blue Dress Design?
I was looking for a timeless dress that had a very contemporary feel to it, so, I decided to merge both styles. Moreover, I also wanted to give my client more options in a single piece.
“Coming up with styles for each of my outfits requires a lot of research, as nothing is new under the sun, and a mix of my personality.”
This means that today she can decide to wear the dress with the corset, or wear it without the corset, or, better still, pair the corset with a crisp white shirt on skinny or boot cut jeans.
“Generally, when it comes to fabric combination and extra detailing on outfits, I decide on what to do based on the effect I want to create on the outfit. If it’s a drapey effect, I would look out for light, sheer and stretchy fabrics. I also use flounces to balance body proportions.”
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What Factors do you Consider when Making Ready-To-Wear Outfits?
I consider many factors when making ready-to-wear outfits. I think some of the major factors are;
Garment Sizing.
Ready-to-wear outfits for the working-class woman come in various sizes. It is not possible to make just one size and expect it to suffice for all the clients that will want a piece.
When making ready-to-wear outfits I always consider garment sizing to make sure to include sizes for a wide range of clients.
Fit.
The outfits I make must fit my clients well and flatter them. I always consider how the outfits will look on my client’s body shapes when I’m making ready-to-wear for them.
Accessible Fabrics.
Since ready-to-wear outfits need to be produced in bulk unlike with bespoke outfits where you make the outfit specific to one person, the accessibility of the fabrics used is important. I always consider how accessible the fabric I want to use for an outfit is so that I know I can easily buy it when I need to make more pieces.
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What Factors do you Consider when Making Bespoke Outfits for Clients?
There are so many factors to consider. Some of them include;
The Occasion.
When clients come to sew bespoke outfits, more often than not, they want to use it for a particular occasion. I always consider what the occasion is in making an outfit for her.
Is she going for a wedding ceremony, a birthday party, or a funeral? Knowing what occasion she intends to wear that outfit to determines to a large extent what I will make for her.
Her Budget.
Every woman has a price in her head when she wants to sew an outfit. I always consider this. Her budget determines what I will add to her fabric and how blinged up the outfit will turn out to be.
It is always important to discuss her budget ahead of time to avoid future disputes.
Her Silhouette.
Every woman has a body shape that is unique to her. I consider my client’s silhouette when making an outfit for her. I want what I make to sit well on her and flatter her, highlighting her best features only.
Her Skin Tone.
Some fabrics and accessories go better with certain skin tones. In making bespoke outfits for clients, I always consider their skin tones to know how best to advice them.
In closing, she said, “Examine the design intricately before you start sewing.”
