Design Pages

Boys Collection

Girls Collection

For the background of my design sheets I have used sections of patchwork quilts, of which images from the internet. I resembles the concept and theme of miss-matched fabric and quirky style, tying in with the kitsch theme.

Concept and initial line drawing

Collection Moodboards

I have created 2 moodboards for the childrenswear collection, one for boys and one for girls. This is beacuase boys and girls differ in requirements for clothing. Such as colour, fit, shape, pattern and garment type.
These are the moodboards I have created using CAD, using images taken from the internet and the colours from exsisting trend boards.

Boys Moodboard

images:

star print, coloured pencils,check shirt, SizeSmall fashion images, lego, football, stars,toy car, japanese children fashion image, panda image, chosen colour palette.

Girls Moodboard

images: Flowers, fruit prints, paint, SizeSmall fashion images, Japanese fashion images, icecream, hearts, chinese dress girl, chosen colour palette.

Collection Customer profile

The Customer for my collection is a modern, busy mum, looking for affordable, comfy and durable clothing for her children.
Her children are aged between 3 and 7 years, including boys and girls.
The children are looking for comfy, cool, stylish and easy to wear clothing.
I believe my collections cover all aspects required from my customer and the desired wearer of the garments.

Collection Colours

I have researched into colour trends in childrenswear for Spring/Summer 2012. In have taken a selection of colours from my chosen trend boards.

Boys Colours

Girls Collection

Both the boys and girls collection have the use of 11 different colours.

Collection Theme

I chosen to use 2 main themes for my Spring/Summer 2012 childrenswear collection.
The first is "KITSCH"
Despite meaning "trash" in German and can be reffered to tacky or cheap items, it has a modern meaning of something quirky and a bit unusual. It is different and stands out, this is the idea and sense I am looking at to inspire my collection.

Kitsch Colour Palette

Kitsch trendboard

Kitsch common themes:

fruit

tropical

flamingos

cupcakes

ice cream/sprinkles

bold/pastel colour

cats

religion

red lips

1950's/housewife

This is an example if Kitsch

This is Kitsch fashion on the catwalk. 

I have been gathering images and research from books and internet on kitsch Japanese street fashion.

"Over time the boundaries between Japanese and Western fashion styles merged into what is reffered to as Wa-mono: traditional items such as kimono obi belts, zanzashi hair pin or geta sandles combined with western clothes.

Images taken from Fruits- Fruits is a collection of Tokyo street fashion portraits from Japan's premire street fanzine of the same name. 

Fruits- photographs by Shoichi Aoki 

"My interest in fashion stems from the way people express themselves through the clothes they wear"

These are the patterns/print I am going to incorporate into my designs to add to the kitsch theme

Mix’s childhood love of LEGO has been well and truly reignited with the bright building blocks popping up all over the place.

From Danish architectural practice KRADS travelling workshop ‘playtime’, to British artist Finn Stone’s LEGO stilettos, our favourite toy has been making a big impact on the design world and has even adorned the curves of Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie at the Nickelodeon’s Kid’s Choice Awards. Of course LEGO heels and dresses are not the most practical of items but if you want to inject a little nostalgia in to your life LEGO have created a fantastic range of drinking flasks.  We’ll have one in every colour please!   http://emixblog.wordpress.com/

The second is "ORNATE"

Ornate Colour Palette

Ornate trend board

Inspirational images from internet

Theme and colour inspiration Research

I have researched trend boards, moodbaords and colours palletes for Spring/Summer 2013. Through various websites I have chosen a few trend boards to use as inspiration for my collection. I have chosen each of them as each has a unique quality about them that I think can be incorpoated into the collection, making it modern, fresh, appropriate for spring/summer and most importantly have the SizeSmall copenhagan feel to it.

Spring/Summer 2013 colour prediction for childrenswear

I really like the idea if Kitsch for childrenswear. The miss match and contast of colour, tecture, pattern and style. The combonation and clash of different influences create a brand new look.

I am very much interested in ethnicity. The use of it in fashion adds interest, excitement and variation from the expected colour palette of the western world. Exotic colours and shapes are perfect for the childrenswear Spring/Summer collection I'm designing.

Spring/Summer 2013 Research

In order for me to design a childrenswear collection for Spring/Summer 2013 I had to do some research into trend predictions, moodboards and colour predictions. I reasearched on the internet and come across various trends boards, which included the colour pallette for that season.

This is one trend board for 2013 that I thought would be suitable for SizeSmall's Spring/Summer collection for boys and girls wear.

The colours are bold and exciting. It would fit perfectly with SmallSize's past collections.

Bright Bold Colours are predicted for 2013

Forecast Courtesy: Lenzing

Lenzing recently came up with trends for Spring/Summer 2013. Here they are.

DEMOCRATIZATION:

Fermentation is going on in the crossover between different skills and capacities, in labs and workshops. Designers, scientists and many more are throwing lots of ideas in the melting pot:

things changing shape and size …

more benefits from the same item / material …

making complex technology accessible, e.g. 3D printed clothing …

download original designs, make the object yourself or have it made by a local craftsman …

many, some very creative, ideas for re-applying all waste …

ideas to be self-sufficient on a basic level …

How to reduce the environmental footprint is fundamental and initiator for the ongoing research in textile production e.g. replacing traditional processes with enzymatic ones, cutting water consumption, eliminating solvents in micro-fiber making, using old jeans as insulation in buildings …

Lightweight is becoming imperative for environmental reasons:

material consumption, quantity of waste, transportation

Public spaces, urban gardens and user-driven design are some of the issues in the current discussion.

FLUID / slender

Experiment with a hybrid mode, trying new junctions between the city and sport, with new dynamic fluidity at the intersection of technology and silky.

What children are wearing right now

I have reasearch in the childrenswear market to see what children are wearing right now. I researched into what has been fashionable in the past couple of years, what is selling in shops and online now and what is predicted for Spring/Summer 2013. I looked at themes, colours, shapes and styles.

What I discovered
Boys:
T-shirts- Bold block colours, stripes, plain or with a graphic print
Shirts- Bold colours, 5/6 buttons down front, 1/2patch pockets on front
Hoody- Pullover or zipped, Large central pocket, single coloured with different coloured stitch
Jumper/cardigan- Jeresey/wool, stripped, buttons
Trousers- Jeans, buttons, smart, casual, patch pockets
Shorts- Board shorts, 3/4 length (uncommon/unfashionable to be above knee now), box pocket

M&S- Cotton Rich Long Sleeve Hooded Top From £9.00 - £10.00      

Girls:
T-shirts- Block colours, strips, polkadots, flowers
Dresses- Sleeveless, hem line knee length, patterned, bold colours
Leggings- Bold block colours, stretch fabric, ankle length
Trousers- Loose fitting, light weight fabric, straight leg/slightly flared, patch pockets
Skirt- Knee length,light weight fabric, pleated, patterned/strip/polksdots
Cardigan- Knit, Plain block colour with slight detail e.g embroided flower/buttons, 5/6 buttons

M&S- Pure Cotton Floral & Block Striped Dress From £14.00 - £16.00

Childrenswear Trend Research

I have researched into childrenswear trends and themes, to inspire me in my designing for the Spring/Summer collections. I have done this by sourcing information from books, internet and fashion magazines such a Vouge Bambini (spring/summer 2012).

Looking through these sources I wrote down all the childrenswear themes and thends that I could see and that came to mind-

Boys:

• Polo
• Army
• Street
• Jeans/denim
• American football
• Racing Cars
• Stars
• Football
• Preppy/school
• Logos
• Checks
• Shields/coat of arms
• Lions
• Teddy bears
• Stripes
• Bunnies
• Nautical
• Maps
• Graphic prints
• Green/eco
• Robot
• Alien/Space/Rockets

Girls:

• Floral
• Numbers
• Street
• Preppy
• Cowgirl/country/Wildwest
• Hippy
• Disney princess
• Army girl
• Animal print
• Logos
• Applique
• Colours
• Shields/coat of arms
• Fur/Fluffy/Wool
• Knit
• Stars/diamante
• Ballerina
• Fairy tale
• Paisley
• Barbie
• Fruit
• Hearts
• Nautical
• Polkadots
• Animals e.g owls, fox, rabbit, cat, frog

Health and Safety regulations

I have researched into the health and safety regulatins of childrenswear clothing. I Have done this to inform me of certain fastenings etc I can or can't use in my designs. In my research process I have found iut that childrenswear designers must keep to laws and regulations and that these differ in different countries.

"When designing children’s clothing, it is essential to take into consideration the behaviour of children"

http://shop.bsigroup.com/ProductDetail/?pid=000000000030149683

The regulations that are set up for the tiny parts are applicable to the play toys of children, snaps, plastic materials, metal items, buttons, zips etc. Some of these parts can come loose and pose a choking danger.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Safety-Regulations-for-Childrens-Wear&id=6125564 

Regulations applicable to children's clothing

The rules and regulations you should be aware of include:

• the General Product Safety Regulations 2005
• the Children's Clothing (Hood Cords) Regulations 1976
• the Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985
  http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?itemId=1078164828&type=RESOURCES
  
  
  BS 7907 gives recommendations for the design and manufacture of children’s clothing to promote mechanical safety. This standard is applicable to clothing intended for children up
  to 14 years of age.

  
  

  
  

  BS 7907:2007 also gives recommendations on safety aspects of the packaging and display of children’s clothing, including guidance for retailers.

  
  

  
  

  BS 7907:2007 is intended for use at all stages of the clothing supply chain, including use by designers, specifiers and manufacturers of children’s clothing. It is also intended to be used by importers, distributors and retailers to assist them in the selection of clothing that does not present a mechanical hazard.

  http://shop.bsigroup.com/ProductDetail/?pid=000000000030149683

I have filtered down key information and hazardous items on clothing, that should not be incorporated into my childrenswear designs due to laws and regulations. I have found this information out  from reading articles from these websites:

http://www.leics-staffs-scientific.gov.uk/uploads/files/Childrens%20Clothing%20Case%20Study.pdf 

http://www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk/news/archivestory.php/aid/656/The_facts_about_the_childrenswear_standard.html 

Not to include in my childrenswear designs-

1. Non fire resistant material
2. Non washable material
3. Toggles on elasticated cord (can cause injury to eyes and teeth lose)
4. Toggles that aren't properly secered/that can come loose and be a choking hazzard
5. No zips
6. No buttons sewn on badly
7. No trimming e.g sequins
8. No draw string around neck/hood
9. No sashes
10. No loose decorative fabric that could be choking/suffercation hazards, trip hazzard or get cought and cause injury.

"those aimed at very young children with attachments such 

as decorative buttons, cords and trimmings that could be 

detached and present a choking hazard and clothing that 

may present entrapment /strangulation hazards for older 

children such as draw strings, cords and sashes"

http://www.leics-staffs-scientific.gov.uk/uploads/files/Childrens%20Clothing%20Case%20Study.pdf

Market and Brand Research for my designs and blog

I have used all my market and brand research of childrenswear to create myself a brand called Kernowkids to present my designs and research on. When considering the brand name I listed other meanings/words to describe/used to say "children" and the word "small":

• Dinky 
• Diddy
• Little
• Small
• Teeny
• Mini
• Tiny
• Wee
• Junior
• Kids/Kidz
• Child
• Kiddy

From my list of ideas I come up with combonation ideas for names:

• kidscuteclothing
• kernowkids
• tutticutie
• kidiclothing
• aj'sfashion
• juniorcothing
• juniorfashions
• amy'sdinkydesigns
• adinkdoo

My Top 3 Brand Ideas Were:

• adinkydoo
• kernowkids
• tuttiecutie

I decided Kernowkids was the most appropriate as it states in the brand name "kids" implying that it's childrenswear.

Kernowkids Meaning behind the brand name?

Kernow means Cornwall in the Cornish language. As I am from Cornwall I thought it appropriate to combing it into my brand name, as I am a Cornish designer. I also thought the alliteration sounded fun and quirky, fitting in with my brand concept.