week three: second skin...

During the formulation of my 'Formed/Deformed' leggings I came across a few challenges, as special consideration was needed to insert my halved bouncy ball. This involved the temporary placement of it using pins before sewing on the back circular panel and stuffing it through the opening I had left. This flat panel which closed the feature ensured that the materials would sit in position, packing the hobby fill tightly to form the most plump shape possible. This process was fiddly as I used the zig zag foot to seal the attachment of the ball, as it provided a better grip onto the small seam allowance that remained, whilst averting the bulk.

The choice to construct my ‘deformed’ leggings using a flesh-tone fabric evolved from the idea of the legging becoming a second skin. I have never worked with pale flesh like fabric before and felt it appropriate for this task, as leggings cover a large portion of the body's skin. Many designers today work with sheer flesh-toned fabrics, suggesting the effect of nudity. This subtly entertains the concept of exposure within the design, amplifying the element of seduction. This represents the subject of femininity, in which I have become fixated on during the research and development of our generic garments. The shape I have created emphasizes a females natural contours using proportion to exaggerate the hips, as well highlighting the slender and smooth extent of the legs. The design lines I incorporated into the generic pattern were a result of my 'body experiment' photos. They represent the flowing, symmetrical curves of the leg muscles when tense. The definition shown by my model when she extended her limbs, created fluent shapes through her calves and thighs that drew my attention. From this the trial and error of design lines and their placement transpired.

There was a distinct connection between my findings and the increasingly popular compression clothing called 'skins,' worn by athletes all around the world. SKINS gradient compression has been engineered to provide the correct level of surface pressure to specific body parts, enhancing circulation and delivering more oxygen to active muscles. The fabric in SKINS is warp knitted using multiple fine quality yarns to give superior performance. Warp knit fabrics have no natural stretch, instead, the spandex mix ensures specific levels of elasticity and perfectly controlled compression. I felt as though my choice of a Lycra blend fabric related to bio acceleration technology used for these athletic purposes, as they retain high stretch properties. Not only does this developed technology allow the wearers skin to breath, but its affect on the body is much deeper than the skins surface. This all correlated with my notion of growing a 'second skin' during the wear of this specific garment.