mhippisley@ecuad.ca
Reflective Vest
Partner: Emelie Lundstrom
Womans Small
Fleece, poplin, batting, reflective thread
Process
The process began with brainstorming sessions where we sketched a wide range of ideas, exploring different shapes, features, and design details. To help visualize our concept, we created mood boards that captured our intended aesthetic and functionality. Once we had a clear direction, we presented our ideas to a larger group to gather feedback, which helped us refine our design. With this feedback in mind, we moved forward by developing a pattern and began prototyping with muslin to test the overall fit and structure.
The first prototype was far too big, while the second had a better size but felt too boxy. The third iteration achieved the fit we wanted, allowing us to focus on pocket size and placement. Our fourth version included pockets and felt right overall, though the zipper didn’t turn out as planned. Finally, we created a fifth prototype using materials similar to our intended final product, made a few final pattern adjustments, and achieved the result we were aiming for.
We also experimented with embroidery, creating sample pieces to ensure our design would stitch cleanly without becoming messy or distorted. Alongside this, we tested various quilting patterns to find a design that complemented the vest while maintaining a neat and structured look. These samples helped us refine our techniques and achieve a polished final result.
We then moved on to creating our final iterations, making two versions to give ourselves room for improvement and ensure the final vest was just right. We completed the vests using two different quilting styles to compare the results and ultimately preferred the simpler design for its clean, balanced look. This became our final version, and we were very happy with the outcome.
Final Vest
The top middle two images show the vest with and without flash.