THE PROCESS (JOURNAL 2)
FINAL PROJECT 2
Full Name: Siti Nur Hasyimah Binti Ismail
Student ID: 0348369
Program: Bachelor in Fashion Design Technology
INTRODUCTION
collection is inspired by Richard Sweeney, a paper sculpture artist whose work really challenged the way I think about structure and material. I’ve always been drawn to things that feel expressive and emotional, but also technical — and his pleated forms felt like the perfect balance of both. To me, this project represents patience, unpredictability, and finding beauty in the process rather than just the outcome. It started with the idea of layering and repetition, but along the way, it became more personal — almost like translating my own emotions into folds and forms.
COLOR DECISION
I started figuring out the designs for this collection last year, so this year has been more about improvising and building on what I already explored. Even though the final looks turned out really different from what I first planned, the core principles stayed the same — I just pushed them further. I exaggerated the forms and pleating because, for something this experimental, I wanted the outcome to feel unpredictable. Originally, I had a few color concepts in mind, but eventually I decided to go all black. Still, as I started choosing fabrics, I realized that black alone might look too flat, especially when layering different textures. I wanted some dimension — but since I’ve always been kind of scared of color, I played it safe and added white. Even then, I wasn’t fully confident working with plain white fabric, so I decided to paint over it instead. It still keeps things safe, but also adds a twist — which honestly reflects how I am as a person. I’m not someone you can read from the surface. I’m layered, unpredictable, and I do things my own way, even if it’s not perfect.
KEY ELEMENTS
The key elements in this collection revolve around layering, structure, and abstract surface design. I wanted the pleating to feel rich and dimensional — not just decorative, but layered with intention. Each look is built on solid, asymmetrical base pieces that give the garments structure and shape, while still allowing for spontaneity. To bring in a bit of edge and style, I added belt straps with eyelets, which helped break the softness of the folds and gave the designs a tougher feel. I stuck to a black and white palette, but even the white fabric isn’t left plain — I painted over it to make it feel less predictable and more emotionally raw. Altogether, the collection is a combination of sculptural layering, structured form, and abstract textile play.
DESIGN IDEAS
These are the illustrations for the collection — six designs in total. While the actual outcomes didn’t turn out exactly like the sketches, I used these illustrations as a rough guideline to help me locate the pleats and structure the overall silhouettes. I wanted the forms to resemble birds or swans in motion — something graceful but also sharp, structured, and fierce. The base pieces you see in the drawings remain the same in the final looks, but the pleated elements evolved naturally during the process. Everything here was more of a starting point rather than a fixed plan — and honestly, that’s what makes this collection feel alive.
CHOSEN 4 DESIGNS
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
FABRICS
For the fabrics, I started with the idea of going fully black, which made me feel the need to mix different types of textures so the designs wouldn’t fall flat. Even though everything was black, I used multiple kinds of fabrics to create dimension — and later on, I added silver accents to bring the whole thing to life. Some of the fabrics I used include black velvet (which I love because of how dark and rich it looks in person), cotton drill, metallic stretch fabric, and duchess satin. Most of the materials I chose were soft, especially the metallic foils and glossy black fabrics, but I experimented with different kinds of interfacing to stiffen them up. I realized that once the fabric becomes thin and flexible enough, you can basically turn it into paper — something you can fold and pleat and shape with control. That discovery became a big part of my process. Besides painting over the fabric, I also used foil transfer on top of the black paint, which gave it a more layered, unpredictable feel — and made the surface look a lot cooler.
ACRYLIC PAINT + FOIL TRANSFER ON VELVET
ACRYLIC PAINT + FOIL TRANSFER ON DUCHESSE SATIN
PAINTING STATION
THE MAKING PROCESS
LOOK 1
VELVET CROW
LOOK 4
ARMORED SWAN
REFLECTION
This collection really tested my patience.
Every fold felt like a risk, like I was blindly trusting something that might not work out — and honestly, most of the time I didn’t know what I was doing. But somehow, that became the beauty of it. I was just taking it one fold at a time, letting the design guide me instead of the other way around. Nothing was ever predictable, and I think that reflects not only my process but also the emotional space I was in. It wasn’t perfect — far from it — but it still turned into something I’m proud of. And I guess there’s something poetic in that: letting go of control, trusting the mess, and watching it slowly become something meaningful.
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