My way of working
Here, I will give an overview of my process when developing a new collection. Naturally, this varies depending on the brand I’m working with. For our in-house brands, my work is largely guided by sales results and the existing collection. In these cases, the focus is on identifying relevant new pieces to complement the current bestsellers. The concept is more predefined, and the creative framework is fairly narrow — both in terms of garments and overall expression.
The example I’ve chosen to present here is my work on the Autumn/Winter 2024 collection for WHYRED. While certain boundaries still need to be considered, there is significantly more creative freedom when it comes to expression.
Before each season, I start with a thought or feeling that I want to translate into a collection. This inspiration might come from something I’ve read, a film I’ve seen, music I’ve listened to, or other cultural experiences that have resonated with me.
My cultural intake plays a crucial role in shaping the ideas and direction of the collection, influencing everything from mood and silhouette to fabrics and colors.
From there, I create a moodboard, gathering inspirational images and materials that I believe will capture the mood I want to convey, along with a color chart that supports and enhances the overall feeling of the collection.
Next, I start piecing everything together — deciding which fabrics work with which styles, adding or removing elements, and, above all, building a cohesive collection that communicates the idea and emotion I set out to express.
At the next stage, the framework is set and all the styles are defined. That’s when the real design work begins. In almost every case, I find it best to start with a model that’s already proven to work, since you can usually add or remove details to achieve the desired result. For the double-breasted coat in WHYRED’s AW24 collection, I began with a style I had created previously for another brand—one that had the silhouette I wanted. From there, it was just a matter of simplifying and adjusting it to match the vision I had in mind. In this case, I aimed to create a coat that was as clean and minimal as possible, without decorative seams or unnecessary details. The silhouette, the material, and the color were meant to speak for themselves.
Once the concept and overall look are defined, I move on to sketching and compiling all essential information into a tech pack. This document specifies materials such as fabric, buttons, and lining, along with other construction details. When it’s completed, I usually meet with the buyer and pattern maker to review the design and ensure everything is aligned before moving forward.
After a few fitting stages, the coat is now complete, and I’m pleased with the result, a classic double-breasted coat with a clean aesthetic and modern feel. Playing the part of a main character in the AW24 collection.
