Meet GFF Talent, Saveliin Uuskula, a fashion graduate from Coventry University. Her final major project is a womenswear collection inspired by the book "The Craftsman" by Richard Sennet. The focus of the book is about building deeper connections with our belongings, which Saveliin has translated into her handcrafted techniques. “I wanted to make a meaningful collection of functional and aesthetic clothing focusing on telling a story about nurturing our clothes, show appreciation of craftmanship and ways to prolong the life of a garment,” she says. Learn more about Saveliin’s work and plans for the future below!
What is the most valuable thing you have learnt at university?
These four years at university have been the most transformative period in my life so far, therefore it's hard to choose the most valuable thing. However, building up my resilience has been very beneficial especially considering the current climate. It helped me get through multiple national lockdowns, the constant change between face-to-face and online learning, the uncertainty about future career prospects, finding other opportunities to develop my skills and build my portfolio after the internship being cancelled by the global pandemic. It has been amazing to see that I have been able to make the best out of every new situation.
For example, adapting to work at home in a small space with limited equipment, utilizing digital tools to develop and experiment with my ideas and finding alternative ways to source my materials. Creativity does flourish when we are faced with challenges! Resilience is such a valuable skill to have in the fashion industry, which is changing constantly and requires immediate reaction to stay relevant as well as to be successful. Also, I learned the importance of finding a balance between self-care and work.
Most of the times I felt the pressure to give my very best by overworking and cutting down on my precious sleep, which leads me to burn out, feeling disappointed in myself and failing to achieve my goals. It is crucial to give myself a break sometimes and fill my soul with what makes me happy in order to enjoy the journey to my dream career. I saw such a huge difference in my development along with my creativity when I took care of my mental and physical health. Now I am more motivated, positive, coming up with new ideas doesn't feel forced and I enjoy the whole process of creating a garment from research, sketching up ideas, toiling to sewing the final garment.
What was the starting point of inspiration for your final project?
The starting point of inspiration for my final project was Richard Sennet's book "The Craftsman". He argues that the convenience of getting rid of objects damages the deeper connection we have with our belongings. As a designer, I believe we should treasure every piece of clothing and the unique story behind it. Therefore, I wanted to make a meaningful collection of functional and aesthetic clothing focusing on telling a story about nurturing our clothes, show appreciation of craftmanship and ways to prolong the life of a garment.
Embroidery is a craft technique I am passionate about and see myself doing as a career in the future, hence I wanted to feature it in my project. Nature is my favourite source for new ideas, it has so much to offer in terms of texture, colours and shapes. I used photographs of plants from the visit to Fairchild Botanic Garden in Miami 2018. Instead of replicating the plants and flowers, I concentrated on the textures and how I could achieve them with different embroidery techniques like goldwork, bead and hand embroidery. It was so helpful to have an archive of images ready to use considering the restrictions of COVID-19, not being able to visit exhibitions nor travel safely.
For my garments, I wanted to create oversized and voluminous shapes, which would allow me to experiment with transformable elements that change the shape, style or length of the garment. Amazing contemporary ceramics seen at Collect 2020 modern art & craft fair were my starting point to develop simple silhouettes of my garments. Keeping the silhouettes plain will help me highlight my intricate surface embellishments as well as digital prints. Visiting Collect 2020 also allowed me to appreciate the potential of creating this powerful connection between the artist and the client, by sharing unique stories and processes behind their creations.
What form will your final project take?
In the beginning, the idea was to make a traditional 6 outfit womenswear catwalk collection, but then I realised it is not realistic due to the limited access to university facilities and the uncertainty around having a physical fashion show. Instead, I decided to focus on storytelling, how could I get my message across to others in the digital space using alternative mediums like animation, videography and photography. My aim is to make two detailed outfits with transformable elements and detachable embroidery panels. These outfits will be used to make short fashion films, which tell a story about developing connections to our clothes, appreciation of craftsmanship and the longevity aspects of those items. I am also planning to make quick time-lapse and TikTok style videos showing the making of embroidery panels.
I hope this will help people to understand the value and how much work goes into handmade items. In order to access the information and videos about my collection hassle-free, every garment and embroidery panel will have a QR code attached to it, which leads to my website www.saveliin.com as well as all my social media links. All these ideas are ambitious and have a lot of steps to be able to achieve them. Hence, it is important to me to work together with other creators, who aren’t particularly connected to fashion. For example, music plays a huge role in creating the mood and enhancing the story of any video. So, my plan is to collaborate with a music student to make an original soundtrack for my fashion film and videos as well as promote their work. I believe this way of presenting my project in digital space will help me reach a wider audience, stand out and spark conversations about the importance of caring for and about our clothes including everyday items around us.
What materials have you used and how did you source them?
While choosing my materials I tried to follow as many sustainable principles as possible. In my project I am using low-impact materials, preferably remnant, recycled or natural fabrics and trims to minimize the use of virgin materials and their impact on the environment. All the fabrics used for my garments are either end of the roll, second hand or off-cuts, which I sourced from online (eBay and Facebook Marketplace), fashion brands and charity shops. Also, the beads, sequins and embroidery threads used in my project are second hand or leftovers from other projects, which I collected a year in advance to make sure I had a sufficient amount.
It has been quite challenging finding suitable fabrics online without seeing the correct colour, feel and the drape of the materials. Another issue is the quantity, which is unpredictable. However, I enjoyed the process of exploring the web and the excitement of finding the perfect fabric for my designs. Unfortunately, I had to use some virgin materials like cords, printed fabric, goldwork supplies and embroidery thread, but I made sure that they were sourced ethically and considered their impact. For example, coloured braided cotton cords used in my collection are sourced from a local business due to the need for high quantities.
Fil A Gant waxed cotton thread used to embroider my beads was necessary to ensure the durability and quality of the embroidery panels. Goldwork supplies were bought from local businesses, which stated their products were ethically sourced. Print fabrics are digitally printed by Contrado or Prinfab on virgin cotton fabric, because not every textile is suitable for printing and extra lengths of fabric are needed for sampling to ensure the quality of the final print. From this experience, I learned that using deadstock fabrics calls for a different design approach. It would have been easier to first source my fabrics and then design for them, keeping in mind the amount and the qualities of those fabrics. Now I understand why big fashion brands prefer not to use deadstock or remnant fabrics. It is difficult to source them in high quantities, which requires them to adjust the current fashion model of mass production and it also impacts the cost of the final product.
How has it evolved from your initial ideas and what have you learnt along the way?
My initial ideas have evolved a lot and still are. One of the biggest factors has been the frequent change of lockdown rules, which affected the access to resources provided by universities like machinery and technical help. I had to be realistic about what I can design/make independently or with minimal help. Also, I had to simplify my initial ideas and drop some of the techniques I wanted to use like machine embroidery. Sometimes less is more. Adapting to change, not being too attached to my initial concepts and having multiple backup plans taught me how to make the best out of any situation and helped to build my self-confidence. It has been amazing to see how well my embroidery designs have come together.
Originally, I planned to embroider on the base fabrics, but then it didn't match my intention of extending the life of my products. Therefore, I ended up doing detachable embroidery panels with magnetic fastenings. This way the garments are easily washable, embroidery panels aren't damaging the garments and panels give an opportunity for personalisation. Being stuck at home all this time, I started to care more about my surroundings and how I could make my house cosier. This gave me the idea that my embroidery panels could have a second function as a decor item. Magnetic fastenings make it easy to attach them to a picture frame and have the ability to create different designs by combining multiple panels together when they are not worn on the garments.
In the process I learned that first ideas aren't always the best ones, experimenting is essential to find innovative solutions as well as putting yourself in the customer's position in order to see what is missing in the market. Overall, I am pleased with how my collection has progressed overtime during this challenging year. Having blended learning helped me to apply a variety of digital tools and learn new ones like animation and videography. I also learned how important it is to edit my ideas to create a coherent story.
What are the messages and themes behind your project that you want people to take away? Do explore any topics like diversity, sustainability or politics in your work?
The main message behind my project is that every item in our life has a narrative: What is it made of? Who made it? How is it made? Where is it made? Why is it made? But nowadays we are too distracted to notice or willing to learn about them, which has led us to mass consumption of meaningless stuff, including clothes we throw away after wearing them a couple of times. I agree with the analogy Adamson discusses in his book “Fewer, Better Things: The Hidden Wisdom of Objects” that if we give each object the same meaning as a child gives to the toy or spouse to the ring, we will think twice before bringing those items in our lives and actually take care of them. It will benefit us, society and the planet.
With my collection, I am exploring the ways that encourage people to develop those deeper and meaningful connections to their clothes. Having QR codes on each of my garments and embroidery panels directing to my website gives the consumer easy access to the information about those items. Including short videos of making and concept films are an interactive approach to catch people’s attention, spark interest in learning how the garments are made and understand the value of them. Sustainability also plays a huge role in my project, although I didn’t want to have all the focus on that as it should be the standard, not a niche. I explored it through choice and sourcing of the materials and longevity of my garments.
Strategically placed drawstrings on the dress and jacket allow the wearer to change the length, style or shape of the garment based on their preference and occasion. The dress is also reversible and wearable both ways, which gives the user multiple options for styling. Our bodies change over time, which is one of the reasons why we buy new clothes. To prevent it from happening, I designed garments to fit across 2/3 sizes and different body types. Also, the detachable embroidery panels can be worn on any piece of clothing to accessorize, but also use them as home décor items or treat them as collection pieces to pass them on to next generations.
What’s an aspect of the fashion industry that you’re passionate about fixing or having a positive impact on?
My journey toward sustainable fashion started with taking part in the international Redress Design Award 2019 competition, where I was also chosen as one of the semi-finalists. This competition opened my eyes to the issues the fashion industry faces, gave possible solutions to those problems and the impacts fashion has not only on the environment but also on different communities. The change needs to happen in each stage of a garment’s life starting from designing to recycling the garment at the end of its life. It can be overwhelming and difficult to follow all the principles of circular design to create a sustainable collection.
Therefore, I believe that even starting with a little change and strive for bigger improvement can make a huge difference in the long run. In my project, I incorporated multiple circular design strategies such as design for low-impact materials and processes, longevity and low waste to show my efforts toward a better future. During the pandemic, it was evident that the current fast fashion system is fragile. While consumer-focused and sustainable emerging brands were blooming, many mass production centred fashion companies went bankrupt. As a result of the global pandemic, fashion has slowed down and I hope the change will continue after we adjust to the new normality again. We as consumers can also help by changing our buying behaviour, which is the primary message of my collection. Taking care of the items we already own and only buying new clothes that are meaningful yet functional. This is one way we can prevent overconsumption and accumulating useless stuff around us.
Another way to have a positive impact on the change in fashion is to educate ourselves and seek information. For example, the pricing of garments. How come a new t-shirt can only cost £5?! It does raise alarm bells about the material cost, how much are the garment makers paid and how is it possible to make a profit from it. As a designer myself, I will never be able to make a t-shirt this cheap from start to finish and pay myself a minimum wage. Therefore, we as consumers need to hold brands accountable for their poor business practices and think twice before buying any products from those companies since it can support the exploitation of less advantaged communities. With my collection I am as transparent as possible about the process and the materials used, so the consumer can make a thought-out decision before making the purchase.
What is your plan once you finish your BA?
At this time, I don't have any set-in-stone plans for my future career, because of the uncertainty in the world. I am trying to be more flexible, trust my intuition and enjoy the journey wherever it takes me. Ideally, I would like to have a hands-on embroidery or surface embellishment related job in a brand here in the UK or even in another country, that aligns with my own values. Alternately, I am open to other opportunities, which is the reason I decided to showcase multiple skills (print, design, pattern cutting, videography, animation etc.) not just embroidery in my final major project.
Also, I am considering applying for internships to gain more vital experience in the industry, because my placement year was cut short by the global pandemic. Another appealing, yet challenging option would be doing freelance work, as I have got used to working at home and adore having a flexible schedule that fits around my lifestyle. During university I missed working on my personal side projects, the coursework just filled all my spare time.
One technique I want to explore and improve further is digital embroidery. Especially finding intricate ways to mix machine, hand and bead embroidery together to potentially make embroidery more affordable and scalable. Therefore, if I am not able to find a suitable job straight away, it will be a perfect time to work on those projects, which will also improve my portfolio and enhance my employability. I feel positive about my future in the fashion industry and believe the right opportunity will happen on its own time.