Trunk Show Reflection : Yaya Xion

The trunk show went extremely well. It was easier to do my elevator speech with my garments next to me. I found the show super exciting and definitely my scene. I felt that Express Yourself Clothing’s staff did a great job of putting everything together. The judges provided me with great feedback that will help me continue to grow and improve as a designer. The feedbacks were definitely encouraging for me to reflect on my work and design ethics. One thing that could be improved on is the communication process with Express Yourself Clothing’s staff. When Sabrina requested for our original sketch, she should have asked for our final sketch instead. Some of my colleagues and I submitted our first original sketch, instead of our final sketches, so people were slightly confused when viewing the flyer. Overall, I was satisfied with the show!

During the process of designing and creating my sustainability garment, I found the journey to be much more difficult than expected. It taught me how to be strategic and frugal with my fabric usage. I learned to place my pants pattern pieces on the fabric in a thoughtful manner, so that I will have enough fabric available for my blouse. This is crucial for my understanding of fabric usage when cutting out fabric pieces for future projects, which will prepare me for industry’s high demand of saving time and money. Before this project, I was not considerate of placing my pattern pieces in a manner that will save fabric. I also had a very different ideology of second hand garments, such as soiled or for low-income individuals only. This project gave me the skills to transform my unwanted garments in my closet into completely new garments. This encourages me to view secondhand garments and the environment from a different perspective as I continue to grow as a designer.

             I became extremely passionate about the idea of sustainability throughout my process of construction. Due to this I found ways to strategically use a majority of my secondhand fabrics with only minimal scraps left behind. Although the fabric usage went extremely well for me, I need to further improve my sewing skills. There were some construction aspect that I could have done a better job on, such as hem finishes, or applying the lining. Overall, the design and creativity aspect strongly signified my inspirational perspective. Though, I do need to balance out my design aspect. I learned that simplicity tends to speak better for itself than an overwhelming design. I also learned how to put my personality into my work, which became my favorite part of this project. Having the ability to put my creative mind, whole heart, and personality into my work was exciting. This experience will help me continue to improve my work in sustainability, sewing, design, and creativity.