About
Product Runway is a nationwide annual event sponsored by the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), in which Interior Designers are given the opportunity to express their talents beyond the professional office environment. To participate, a firm or team of designers is paired with a manufacturer of interior finish materials, like carpet, tile, wallcovering, etc. Then, emulating television's popular reality show, "Project Runway", each team is charged with creating a couture ensemble that is constructed of and showcases the products of their specified manufacturer. Finally, weeks of design and fabrication culminate with a fashion show of each team's garment walking a runway in front of a panel of judges.
Product Runway
The mission of Dress for Success is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.
Dress for Success
OM Workspace is a full service, national office furniture dealership that offers all different types of workspace solutions. OM Workspace is the only national dealership in the office furniture industry; they can contract with the top furniture manufacturers and have more than 350 local service representatives. Furniture manufactureres include Hon, Maxon, Izzy, Krug, National, Global and Teknion.
Our Sponsors
OM Workspace
Teknion is a leading international designer, manufacturer and marketer of mid to high-end office systems and related furniture products. Our integrated product portfolio encompasses several lines of systems furniture, mobile furniture, architectural wall systems, seating, storage and filing, freestanding casegoods and accessories. Teknion products address the full range of workplace criteria: supporting the complex integration of people and technology, facilitating productivity and creating an attractive workplace for millions of people working in Teknion office environments around the world.
Teknion
The design is intended to communicate an individual's physical and emotional response to a disaster. A disaster can come at the most unexpected moment. It ruptures, twists and severs everything along its path leaving behind an unbearable burden. Slowly the layers of weight are shed to reveal the re-growth of the community spirit.
The story begins in the initial destruction, which is represented by the chaotic rubble pile that forms layers of emotional weight carried everyday of the individual's life. It is constructed of Teknion laminates and acrylics that cut into the dress at hard angles. These materials disintegrate in color while crawling up the harsh lines of the dress to represent the slow healing process to emotional recovery. The harsh line divides the dress in two, seperating the dark times with the black mesh from the road to recovery seen in the white leather. The sleek form shows a slow riddance of psychological damage and a readiness for change.
The orange fabric outlines the black mesh signifying not only the fire of destruction, but also the passion it takes to overcome an emotional disaster. It is used sparingly on the front of the dress as it battles with the weight of the initial destruction. However, it shines on the underside of the train to show how the individual's strong spirit will eventually overcome these dark times.
A black screen-weave removeable collar conceals the individual's face, making it difficult to live during this everyday struggle. When the collar is removed it illustrates the physical shedding of this devastating weight. In the end, "Light always overcomes the darkness."
Concept Statement
Individual sketching and group discussions helped our team to develop the ultimate dress design. It was important that every element of the structure and materials related strongly to the concept to convey destruction and re-birth. The common element that was carried throughout the conceptual process was the long train, which is shown in the sketches below.
Conceptual Development
Since our team consisted of nine members, we were successful when dividing the responsibilities amongst the group to meet deadlines. The important tasks in the construction phase included:
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Deconstruction of materials
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Design and construction of accessories
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Overall construction of dress
The deconstruction phase was an important part of the process to show the harsh impact that natural disasters have on environments. The materials used to construct the dress are as follows:
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Various translucent plexi-materials in Ribbed, Frosted, Translucent and Bronze.
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Aluminum acrylic work surface edge trim, panel gasket trim and PVC work surface edge trim.
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Laminate anodized samples
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Bronze-Mica accent paint samples
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Panel screen weave material and panel fabric
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Chair mesh fabric
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Leather upholstery
The Process: Design Development & Manipulation
Thread, velcro, snaps and glue gun were included in the 20% of materials and resources used outside of Teknion products.
The sample materials used were burned, cut, hammered and scrapped to create a dramatic appeal to the dress train. After destruction of materials, drilling holes was necessary in order to connect each piece to the black mesh fabric. We collaboratively attached the destructed hard materials to dress using fishing wire and showed a progression of dark materials to light from the bottom up. The images show a sequence of pictures from this process.
The sewing process was the most time consuming and technical part of the construction phase. Measuring and recording our model's body features was the first step. It was important that the model was present during this phase so that fitting could be adjusted accurately. During the sewing process, we also concentrated on hair, makeup and accessories. Creating cut patterns and having experienced sewers on our team helped transform Teknion materials into the final outcome.
The Event: Lights. Camera. Action!
The Da Vinci Award represents the team that best transformed and conveyed their initial concept in the final garment. Our team had symbolic meaning to every design decision made, from the shoes to the hair, to describing the destruction and regrowth transformations influenced by natural disasters.
Da Vinci Award