Skip to main content

Georgian fashion design: a sign of intelligence



Not known for my fashion evaluations, I was nevertheless impressed with the collection of Georgian designer, Tiko Paksashvili.


She won three prizes at the June 2013 BE NEXT Fashion Design Contest for her ‘structured cuts, innovative use of fabrics and feminine style’ (reported the online fashion magazine by MUUSE). The contest aimed to showcase 25 new design talents from Georgia and the region. Paksashvili was the outright winner of the contest, winning a scholarship in Milan at the Domus Academy and a MUUSE contract for her graduate collection. The international judges were fascinated with her ‘distinct signature details, her knowledge on how to treat fabrics, and the way she skilfully combined contrasting structured cuts with feminine waves of cotton.’ Titled ‘Unknown’ the collection was hand-made textiles of cotton and silk in white.
In a MUUSE interview with Paksashvili (October 30, 2013), Tiko said she liked to create illusions, using soft and strong fabrics together, and that people should feel comfortable in her clothes, as well as special.
With the dress I bought (photographed) from the Materiel Fashion House, Paksashvili took the white cotton and silk theme into navy blue with grey-white silk capped sleeves. Showing the same attention to detail as her winning collection, the dress had silk lined pockets and was semi-lined in grey silk. Cut on the bias, the dress flows effortlessly while retaining its structured shape.


Garments cut on the bias (i.e. against the natural grain of the fabric) are difficult to work with when designing and sewing (as I know from my private sewing lessons). Instead of straight up and down, the fabric is rotated at 45 degrees to the warp and weft of the weaving (my geometry training in university mathematics makes me appreciate this angle). Cutting fabric on this angle requires precision because it could easily be mis-cut, depending on the thickness of the fabric. Not all fabrics are amenable to this type of cutting. However, the bais cut has a distinctive look and feel, and tends to flow more easily – keeping it strong, but feminine and ‘floaty’.


Paksashvili’s desired effects of strong and soft, light and structured, comfortable and special, were well-achieved – and yet without being ostentatious or too dramatic. It does indeed show intelligence in her design knowledge, with a simple understated style and elegance.


http://muusings.muuse.com/designer-feature-tiko-paksashvili  


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh  (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. ...
1 comment
Read more

Flaws in the Glass, a self-portrait by Patrick White: book review

The manuscript, Flaws in the Glass (1981), is Patrick Victor Martindale White’s autobiography. White, born in 1912 in England, migrated to Sydney, Australia, when he was six months old. For three years, at the age of 20, he studied French and German literature at King’s College at the University of Cambridge in England. Throughout his life, he published 12 novels. In 1957 he won the inaugural Miles Franklin Literary Award for Voss, published in 1956. In 1961, Riders in the Chariot became a best-seller, winning the Miles Franklin Literary Award. In 1973, he was the first Australian author to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for The Eye of the Storm, despite many critics describing his works as ‘un-Australian’ and himself as ‘Australia’s most unreadable novelist.’ In 1979, The Twyborn Affair was short-listed for the Booker Prize, but he withdrew it from the competition to give younger writers the opportunity to win the award. His autobiography, Flaws in the Glass...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sister cities discussed: Canberra and Islamabad

Two months ago, in March 2015, Australia and Pakistan agreed to explore ways to deepen ties. The relationship between Australia and Pakistan has been strong for decades, and the two countries continue to keep dialogues open. The annual bilateral discussions were held in Australia in March to continue engagements on a wide range of matters of mutual interest. The Pakistan delegation discussed points of interest will include sports, agriculture, economic growth, trade, border protection, business, and education. The possible twinning of the cities of Canberra, the capital of Australia, and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, were also on the agenda (i.e. called twin towns or sister cities). Sister City relationships are twinning arrangements that build friendships as well as government, business, culture, and community linkages. Canberra currently has international Sister City relationships with Beijing in China and Nara in Japan. One example of existing...
1 comment
Read more