My Process
INITIAL INSPIRATION
My design process starts with curiosity and playfulness. I do not start with an end vision in mind - I know what type of product I want to make but that is all. This allows me to fully embrace the design process and be playful whilst immersing myself in my inspiration creating mood boards from my design research and playing with colours, textures, shapes and more!
This is some research I collected whilst finding inspiration to create my signature GINA handbags. I hope this shows you how from the images collected, as a designer, we experiment with these to create new items. In my case, the textured effect of my handbags was inspired by images of Brain Coral.
PATTERN CUTTING
Once I have decided on the product I am going to make and have chosen the colours and fabrics I am going to use, I design and create my own patterns so I can start to turn what is in my head into reality - make it 3D. Pattern cutting is one of the first steps involved in turning a sketch or bringing an idea to life. My pattern pieces are in essence templates for cutting out my fabric pieces which I then sew together to create my accessories.
CUTTING OUT IN FABRIC
So my pattern pieces are made and mounted on cardboard so I can use them again and again. Every time I make an accessory for example a handbag, I need to use my pattern pieces each time to cut out my fabric. So I take my roll of fabric that I have purchased from my wonderful, local fabric suppliers and I lay it out on my table. I then need to strategically place my pattern pieces onto my fabric so I know that I can cut every single piece out that I need to make my handbag, while leaving as little waste as possible. I use weights so nothing moves and I then start cutting my fabric out. I like to use a rotary cutter as I find this is a lot more precise than cutting out with fabric scissors.
HAND-STITCHING TIME!
I’ve cut out all the pieces I need to create your handbag and now it’s time for my favourite and most special part - the hand-stitching technique! In order to create the unique, textured surface of my handbags, I carefully and skilfully hand-stitch each panel using an adaptation I designed from a form of fabric manipulation called ‘Smocking’. Each handbag starts off as one large piece of fabric which I then hand manipulate using a needle and thread. This process can take a very long time and cannot be replicated on a large scale meaning that my products are very different to anything you can find on the high street! I love surface manipulation and being able to change something into something completely different just by using needle and thread.
SEWING & FINISHING
I’ve designed the handbag, made the pattern, cut out the fabric pieces needed to create your handbag and created my signature touch of hand-stitching panels…now is the time to finish your bag. I take all the pieces that I have cut out and get to work behind my sewing machine. This means sewing together all the different components that make the handbag - the front & back, the sides, adding straps and inserting the lining. To ensure that your handbags are strong and durable, I also use a machine called an ‘Overlocker’ which I use to create a stitch on the edge of your handbag panels. This stitching gives a lovely finish to my work and adds strength whilst preventing any fabric from fraying. It means that your handbag is made well, is strong and will last a long time. The process of sewing can actually be quite therapeutic for a lot of people - I find it really enjoyable but the real excitement comes towards the end for me when your bag has been finished and I know that I’ve created something special for you. I finish your handbag with any fastenings and then I lovingly pack and send your gorgeous handbags out to you to love and cherish for a long, long time!