Prototypes - from the vision to the finished garment
First of all, the path from the designer's idea to the finished garment is a complex and non-linear process - creativity, technology and organization have to be combined.
It often begins - as with so many other things - with a thought. Sometimes political and often personal themes flow into the process - the ideas and inspirations at the beginning are diverse.
Sometimes the artist has a narrative in mind to which they want to dedicate their collection. For example, abstract concepts such as "emptiness" or "destruction" may be at the center and the ideas are constructed around them.
But sometimes there are also very tangible inspirations that are absolutely tangible - this can be an intense color in your favorite drink or even a newspaper clipping that is particularly appealing and is transformed.
The idea then slowly becomes tangible and many designers work with mood boards. This is followed by material studies in which the question arises as to what is possible and whether it will look the way you imagine it and whether it reflects the core of your own idea. Then comes the drawing phase. Hand sketches or digital drawings are now the central focus of the creative phase, and there are often several designs and variations for one item of clothing.
Before the sketches are made, or at the same time, materials are selected: Fabrics are felt and tested and the first drapes are created on tailor's dummies. Experiments with different dyes, coatings and deconstruction are also part of the material search.
This is where it is often decided whether an idea is wearable or too radical or sculptural. Now the cutting technique comes into play: the designer's sketch is translated into technology. This is the central moment in which the designer's idea becomes real or fails.
This is where the very first prototypes are made - usually from inexpensive cloth - to see if the pattern basically works. Small changes are made immediately and the pattern is updated if necessary.
If the pattern passes the test, the real prototype is made. This is now the sample for series production. Here, the designer often lends a hand himself and checks whether his vision has become reality and will be included in the collection. A lot of manual work and attention to detail goes into these prototypes/samples, as they form the basis for series production.
The model is now optimized, wearable and ready for the final step - series production. Samples are something very special. These samples contain the entire history of the garment or shoe and have been checked down to the last detail by the designer himself.
We are pleased to be able to offer you samples by LOFINA and SORT AARHUS.