Creative Design: Professional

Transformative Bloom

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Abstract

Modular design is a design approach that features small standardized units that can be independently combined in various configurations to create different forms and provide multiple functions. This design was a part of a cross-disciplinary creative collaboration between an apparel designer and printmaker. The purpose of this partnership is to explore transformable design by integrating the concept of modularity and engineering prints, which feature continuous tiling of artwork. Inspired by hydrangeas, the themes of sustainability and transformation were explored and embodied through the design and the concept. Hydrangeas are hyperaccumulator plants that remediate soils contaminated with heavy metals. Their color changes depending on the contents of the soil. The challenge of this design was to create modules that can not only be combined independently in a variety of ways to create garments or accessories, but also function as closures to join engineering printed fabrics to create dynamic and changeable surface designs.

Keywords: modular, design

How to Cite:

Chen, C. & McMahon, T., (2019) “Transformative Bloom”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 76(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.8776