9 O'Clock Tales Clutch Bag by Szetiong Soh |
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| DESIGN DETAILS | |||||
| DESIGN NAME: 9 O'Clock Tales PRIMARY FUNCTION: Clutch Bag INSPIRATION: The Minaudière collection was designed for the female business jet-setter in mind. For the first collection, sartorial wool tweed were laminated in hard glass acrylic, molded into a faceted and asymmetrical form. The idea of the 72 Smalldive minaudière was to juxtapose, what is seemingly ‘masculine’ in the context of the corporate world and use these masculine elements to create accessories with a glamorous appeal for the female professional. The second collection takes inspiration from building materials such as marble, alabaster, and copper that are often used in creating dominant and masculine facade for office buildings. This once again erase conventional wisdom of masculine and feminine aesthetics. In all the clutches, Swarovski elements are affixed minimally as the clasp of the clutch, instead of simply playing its usual role of an embellishment item. UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Form and structure are often neglected aspects in bag accessory design due to constraints caused by cost criteria in the fashion trade. Ironically, designers take the conventional approach of embellishing bags as a means to add 'depth' to their design, which is by no means costly. The clutch possesses a structure which is both utilitarian and aesthetical where light reflectivity adds blink to the bag. The structure is also versatile to take up different textures and visuals through lamination and print. On the contrary, Swarovski Elements play a utilitarian role in this bag design. OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: Two common and immediate reactions from visitors during our trade exhibition were visitors reaching out to touch the clutches and enquiring about the material used. I believe their curiousity was aroused by various common design aspects they could 'identify' with: Textile and geological prints that connotate a luxurious lifestyle are juxtaposed onto an asymmetrical faceted surface that incurs light reflectivity. Users also immediately recognize the function of Swarovski crystals as the clasp due to its intuitive positioning. Overall, the accessory engages with the user on an emotional and also intuitive level. As a brand that advocates product provenance, having users asked about the material used is already a design objective accomplished. PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: For the first collection, the project plans started in 2012. This collection is an ongoing project of 72 Smalldive. FITS BEST INTO CATEGORY: Fashion, Apparel and Garment Design |
PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: Material 1: Tweed and Tartan laminated in Acrylic Glass, Material 2: Printed Acrylic Glass in Geological Motifs (e.g. Marble, Alabaster, Jasper) Material 3: Swarovski Elements Flat Back Crystal The form of the clutch was molded from glass acrylic. SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: Product Dimension Width 220 mm x Depth 30 mm x Height 90/115 mm TAGS: Minaudière, Fashion Accessory, Clutch, RESEARCH ABSTRACT: 72 Smalldive was one of the 11 brands invited by Swarovski Elements Singapore to present a collection using Swarovski Elements. The objective of the exercise was to present various possibilities with regards to the use of Swarovski Elements in the world of apparel and accessory design. My first immediate reaction is to avoid jumping onto the wagon of embellishments, which otherwise would turn the showcase project into a 'embroidery contest'. Hence to avoid the conventional approach of simply using Swarovski Elements as an accessory for embellishment, the approach taken by 72 Smalldive was to dispel conventional notions about Swarovski Elements and fashion accessory design. The first and foremost is pertaining to Swarovski Elements, the sponsor of the project. I wish that my approach would show that Swarovski Elements are not just accessories for embellishment but also of utility. The second notion is with regards to fashion accessory design. As fashion accessory designers, cost and resource constraints often limit us from experimenting with forms and structures, resulting in often flat and almost 2-D like aesthestics. As a designer working for a label with a preference for minimal aesthetic, my challenge is also to justify incorporating Swarovski Elements into the label's design and also ensure the product befits the lifestyle profile of our clientele; a well traveled female professional whose busy schedule erases any distinction between work and social entertainment. To satisfy these conditions, the following approach were taken: 1. I've used an existing bag design in the past collection as the 'seeding' platform to create an entirely different 'genre' of bags. That bag design was a day wear / sports wear clutch purse and would be converted into a modern day evening/ formal wear clutch. 2. Instead of employing leather, which is the core material used in most of my collection, I have chosen glass acrylic in view that it is a material that could be easily molded, thus making my experiment with more complex forms more accessible. Glass acrylic is also a compact and durable material that responds well with light reflection. 3. Faceted Swarovski Flatbacks were used in the design. These flatbacks are primarily used to serve as a clasp of the clutch. Adding context to this is the molded form of the clutch; departing from the asymmetrically shaped bag, facets were added to the 'surface'. CHALLENGE: Light reflectivity plays a strong factor in the aesthetic of the clutch. As a novice without prior experience in the study of light and how its impacts visuals of textures and colours, I have to spend a fair amount of 'observational study'...in public places and in self-made photography light box. The other challenge is the lamination of textiles where many factors, such as heat resistance, wool micron, and thickness of glass acrylic impact the compactness and uniformness of the end product. ADDED DATE: 2014-09-25 10:29:33 TEAM MEMBERS (1) : Sze Tiong, Soh IMAGE CREDITS: All product still photos are owned by 72 Smalldive (S) Pte Ltd. Photographer and Artwork: Soh Sze Tiong |
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| Visit the following page to learn more: http://www.72smalldive.com | |||||
| CLIENT/STUDIO/BRAND DETAILS | |
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NAME: 72 Smalldive PROFILE: At 72 Smalldive, concepts of life’s pleasures and comforts are rigorously challenged, sought for, and redefined. The aim is to build a deluxe nook where speculative philosophy meets passion so that an indefinitely lasting style will be conceived. |
| AWARD DETAILS | |
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9 O'clock Tales Clutch Bag by Szetiong Soh is Winner in Fashion and Travel Accessories Design Category, 2014 - 2015.· Read the interview with designer Szetiong Soh for design 9 O'Clock Tales here.· Press Members: Login or Register to request an exclusive interview with Szetiong Soh. · Click here to register inorder to view the profile and other works by Szetiong Soh. |
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