Peer Review 001 - Kelly Chapman

Kelly Chapman –Model/Laser cut group -http://www.kelly-nicoletti-that-office.blogspot.com/

What is it?
Using a blazer/dinner styled jacket Kelly’s trash can system involves attaching pieces of fabric (including metal chain and some usually un-wearable fabrics) to the inside of this jacket. Kelly’s design allows for storage of materials that have inspired her and/or hold specific meaning to her. The material’s act as patches for her jacket and are free to be placed anywhere she desires (no fixed path) allowing for versatility and variety. By using materials there is almost no limit on the ideas (fabric) that can be attached to Kelly’s jacket, meaning she can continue to use it and add to it.

The design is inspired by the childhood story “Wild Rose” in which a young girl wears black clothing with fabrics of all different colours on the inside as an expression of indecision and personality. This links to Kelly’s design as she use colour as representation of ideas and through the way numerous ideas are allowed to come together in one garment.
How did she use relevant technologies?
As Kelly’s design is fabric based she did not use make excessive use of the laser cutter. She did however experiment with fabric and the laser cut, to intentionally damage the fabric (of the jacket), but instead of using the laser cutter in her final design she opted for a more randomised way of damaging her jacket (through wear and tear).

How is the design informed by the literature?
This elimination of controlled damage linked to the prescribed text as it eliminated “joes”. Other than this Kelly’s design linked to the ‘trash-can’ theme and reading though the simple idea of a trash-can in which nothing is thrown away but reintroduced and recycled into a wearable garment.

Critique
Personally I liked Kelly’s design as it offered a different solution using wildly different materials than many of the designs and have no problem with only a light use of. The design is quite personal as it comes into physical contact with the body but has the potential of being subtly public if worn open (unbuttoned). Possible problems would occur when attaching a model – although parts of a dismantled model were attached and made to mould to the shape of Kelly’s body.
As a system of reintroduction of it may also have problems – as usually people pay little attention to the inside of their clothing and it could be argued that the garment would be used more as a dumping ground than a system of reintroduction for ideas – which to me was a fundamental element in the reading. This is to a degree counteracted by the highly tactile nature of the design and its recycled nature (possibly a different interpretation of the reintroduction idea in the text). Furthermore sowing fabric onto the jacket is time and effort consuming, meaning it may not appeal or be useful for a lot of people wanting more efficient designs. It is also not a communal solution, but that may be to the benefit of the wearer.
To conclude the jacket is well made, sculpted to fit Kelly’s own body, and would work well for tactile people, those on a limited budget or with space concerns.