The human body is three dimensional and not flat whereas
clothing is made of flat material called fabric.

By manipulating the pattern and adding darts and/or tucks, it is made
into something three dimensional that fits the body and feels good to wear.

Other than this, darts and tucks are used to make the joints like
knees and elbows bend easier and also to prevent fabric pull when bending.

The pants called DRAWERS utilize this.
It is three dimensional around the knee to the hemline because of darts;
you can feel the garment keep up with the movement of the knee.

Yukiyoshi Shimada / Production

Finally the exhibition started from yesterday.

There was some gap in between
but almost every other day adjustments to the samples were made,
everyday over and over detail checks and meetings with the factory,
and for the final stage handling the graphics which the designer starts
dropping like a bomber from up above,
then wait for the samples to come up.

During the waiting time for the samples to get done,
The necessary documents for the exhibition get organized.

It is simple, but because of these days,
yesterday we were able to start to the exhibition with no complications.

It is still not quite summer, but I can’t wait for the cold season already.

Yukiyoshi Shimada / Production

In the 2009 Spring/Summer LAMF
featuring work wear and military wear
which will be released from March 20th
the sewing process of “kan nui” is used effectively.

When stitching using “kan nui” the backside of the stitch looks like
a chain so in some cases it is also called chain stitching.
There are “kan nui” specific sewing machines;
the ease of changing out the base thread helped increase production
and was widely used
in the era for mass production work wear.

Even up to now at WTAPS
the leg opening hem for the denim pants BLUES utilizes this
and this is something common;
but for places like you see in salvaged military wear
it is hard to stitch using the currently available sewing machines
so this is a time consuming process that is not done easily.

To express the characteristic feel of the shrinkage of the material
that happens from everyday wearing and washing,
we take special consideration of the underside also
which you would only see normally when putting it on.

Yukiyoshi Shimada / Production

One day after lunch
in the far end of the atelier where the patterner’s workspace is,
the designer was making a toile.

When put into words it sounds normal,
but usually the designer does not make a toile.
Because the designer’s role is to check and make adjustments to the toile.

FYI
a toile is a temporary stitching
which a patterner usually makes
creating a pattern based on a design
using a cotton material called sheeting
for the silhouette, the size and placement of pockets,
position of hems, etc. to check the whole balance.

I have seen the designer on the sewing machine several times
adjusting the hemline on pants or
sewing patches on
but making a toile was a first and it was unusual;
so actually doing this I feel that
the distance between the one giving the instructions and the one receiving
will become closer.

Since this is the case,
I am thinking about what we can do for the other end
to close the gap.

After doing this for about 90 minutes, I asked how it was and
the reply was, “I was surprised it was pretty analog.”

Analog? This made me think also.

Yukiyoshi Shimada / Production

Right now at a pace of around twice a week, we are working
having fitting models wear the samples
and deciding on adjustments for details and dimensions.

There are things that you find out actually wearing it
like the ease of use for the functional parts like pockets and hoods;
adjustments needed for places that are hard for hard numbers to express
and checking lines that were made by the patterner’s feel.

Eventually becoming a product and worn several times,
some things are noticed during the everyday life
and these points are reflected in the next season.

The morning time frame ends many times
as a product gets made and worn each time
while talking about that product;
I feel this time is very meaningful.

Soon the products for the new season will be produced
and more of this time will continue.

Yukiyoshi Shimada / Production