Define your Uniform

Hey y’all! We’re busy here in the (open) studio at Sew Co. prepping for our 2022 pattern launches. As you may know, we’re doing it a bit different this year, by designing a CAPSULE collection (we like @sustainablychic‘s definition of capsule wardrobe here). This way, you can really use your makes more like a uniform. The concept of a uniform may sound rigid, but we think it’s liberating - freeing you from daily decisions AND creating clothing that really works for how you plan to use it. Yes, I’ve been reading our book club book, Craft of Use again ;)

Summer of 2019 Design Your Own Uniform class at Penland - what a bunch of dream boats!

A few years ago, our teammate and design director for Sew Co’s in-house brand Rite of Passage Giovanni Daina-Palermo, along with myself taught a Design Your Own Uniform class at Penland School of Crafts. I’m reminded of a writing assignment we gave our students, as we work to define this capsule collection, and I thought you might enjoy pondering it too . . . .

The inspiration came from an exhibition commissioned by Artangel for the Blythe House at the V&A entitled Dictionary of Dress. We asked students to chose a word to define their uniform - what did they want their clothes to mean. And then, create a unique definition of that word, not the conventional definition but a poetic embodiment or interpretation of their chosen word. As we were learning skills and designing our uniforms, we reflected on how this word informed our designs, or how our designs further evolved our definitions. It provided intention, but also meaning and connection to our makes.

Here’s an example - Lets say I want my 2022 wardrobe to be “fresh” . . . .

fresh: carefully selected, tended to, full of vitality

So, as you plan your 2022 makes, think about how you want to define your wardrobe. Chose a word and define it in your own words, make it your own. Share it with us here, or tag @openstudiopatterns. We’ll let you know what we come up with for ours!