Origami For Fashion - The Designers

 Here, I have collected some brief information on fashion designers that use creative cutting techniques such as TR; discussed in the 'Origami for Fashion' section of this blog. These designers are very different in their thought processes but each uses unusual cutting and construction methods that create wow-worthy garments.  

Shingo Sato 

 The father of TR; Shingo Sato, is a couture designer whom specializes in transformation reconstruction. Sato designs for private clients, teaching and giving workshops in different parts of the world such as USA, Japan, UK and Italy. He recently gave a TR masterclass in 2010 at Central Saint Martin’s School of the Arts, London and opened a TR Cutting School in Milan, Italy in 2011. . Transformational reconstruction is a more creative and original take on the traditional metric pattern cutting process and is often a technique that involves a lot of trial and error before you can arrive at the desired outcome. Sato works with paper patterns on the stand to create a 3D pattern of a garment to achieve creative style lines and eliminate the need for darts etc. A basic block pattern is adapted into a TR design on the stand and then becomes the base for further design development. This really is origami in fashion form, who knew fabric could be manipulated and moulded to the body like that?

Julian Roberts

 Julian Roberts is a fashion designer, lecturer for MA Mixed Media Textiles at The Royal College of Art, London, and creator of creative pattern cutting method. ‘Subtraction Cutting’. Roberts has shown 13 collections at London Fashion week and has a vast history of workshops and lectures given across the world. He gives demonstrations of his cutting technique in front of large audiences and purchasing a garment from him is not possible without a pattern cutting master class from the man himself.  Each garment Roberts makes is unique and made specifically for the client. SC involves designing with the pattern rather than creating the actual pattern itself primarily by 2D illustrations. The technique focuses on the pattern’s representation of the negative spaces within the garment that make it hollow. SC involves experimenting with hollow shapes that often flow from the designer’s thought process and become something new and fresh rather than emulating previous styles. Subtraction cutting takes the maths and measurements away from metric pattern cutting and replaces it with creativity, balance, body and movement. A bit of a confusing concept but who cares when you can have one of these amazing dresses AND a masterclass from the man himself?!

Iris Van Herpen

 Iris Van Herpen is a Haute Couture Designer whose works are based on creative pattern cutting, unusual materials and scientific matters. Her works focus on representing the soul and character of a woman whilst exaggerating the female silhouette. Van Herpen’s garments are more like works of art that not many people would find wearable due to the sheer weight of many of the garments and the uncomfortable materials used. She often collaborates with artists and science in order to create new shapes, materials and focuses for her collections. Collaborations have included architect Daniel Widrig, milliner Stephen Jones and visual artist Bart Hess. Iris is a must must must designer to research. Definitely look at some of her shows and collections, the garments are just crazy and the inspiration wild.