Motivation Letter For Master Program Fashion Design

Since a few years I have a growing interest for technology and technical items. This started at secondary school by my interest for mathematics and science, and grew to computer technology and my graphic design education in university. Finally workplace environment in Apparel motivated to pattern making as well as haute couture/dressmaking. From this point my interest shifted to the field of technological materials in textiles and wearable electronics. In the last few months i have been orientating at the latest development at different companies. I searched different kinds of website whose work for textile development and innovator in the field of textile such as TNO textile development, Saxion Commercial Textile Management and Kwintest KLM work wear, Ten Cate Advanced Textiles and Ten Composites. All of these companies are not rally in fashion, but are innovators in the field of Textiles.

I am interested in the fashion branch, especially to work with textile and making forms on the human body. However, I am even more attracted to the more timeless branch to textiles. The fast production and the “no-time to waste because then this fashion is out”, what is made by the big fashion concerns is what i do not like in fashion. This does not correspond with the current trend of a sustainable world. I think the focus is fashion should be on protection, functionality, sustainability, quality and advanced capability of cloths.

I think it is very interesting to develop a collection with a technically high classed material (materials with very specific qualities). In my collection I would like to have a special focus on these qualities. Ten Cate Composites is producing a very special aramide and carbon material. This is used in airplanes and space industry. I would like to do research to see if these materials can be used for cloths. Because of the special qualities of the material, i would like to make it for a specific target group. For example safety clothing, work –wear in the medical world or uniform of airplane personnel. But i would like to design shapes out inspired by material research. I would like to collection to become an inspiration for other designers to use more innovative materials or for technical innovators to look for more applications for these materials.

For my thesis i could research some historic subject, like what has been happening in the last 200 years in textile development? Or a technical market research, like who is producing what? Or may be a more specific start: How will the shape of an airplane change when they built out of new materials? Can i find the same changes when there are new textile developed in fashion’s?

I would like to be involved in designing clothes for physically challenged people. In particular people that suffer from disorders concerning their upper body parts. In this case missing limbs and deformed chests. The people that suffer form theses disordered are part of our society and have the need for fitting, fashionable and functional clothes just as others do. Translated to a theme in fashion, we would be talking about tailor made garments from all perspectives. I would like to make out an inventory that should point out: a) Where demand lies for special garments concerning the target group; b) what solutions can be found to answer these demands and whether these could be catalogued on different levels; c) how far these solution can be taken visually and to what extent they will still be accepted by both the target group as well as by society.

The inventory will be based on a number of interviews with member of the target group, big enough for further exploration. Clothes that are both fitting and contemporary as well as functional. I presume most solution will be found in relatively simple adjustments to the ready made patterns. The choice of materials and the use of seams will have its effect on the style of the garment. This could be either stylish or casual. I would prefer to use both styles in a collection. The more casual items could be related be sub-culture of for example , Skating. In the first instance i would want to keep the research separate from the final collection. The emphasis of the research can be put on people’s disorders and whatever special treatment these require concerning their garments. The out comes can then become a source of inspiration for the eventual collection, that can be worn by a large part of the population.