From Inspiration to Garment Ideas : Elucidating the Threads of Inspiration in Apparel Design Ideation

In this dissertation, I explore the phenomenon of inspiration in the apparel design processes of both experts and craft education students, particularly during the early conceptual phase of the design process. The theoretical foundation is grounded in the view of design as a creative, problem-solving process influenced by sociocultural and material factors, and inspiration as both a motivating force and a source of stimuli for design. While design processes have been widely studied, research on inspiration in varied apparel design contexts remains limited. The core aim of my study was to explore the inspiration process in apparel design ideation systematically. In pursuit of this aim, I asked: How does the interplay between inspiration and ideation function in different apparel design contexts? The empirical data for this dissertation comes from three qualitative case studies. Study I involved three designers completing an ideation task using the thinking-aloud method, recorded on video. Study II observed the ideation and inspiration of three teams of 12 craft education students through video, while Study III used interviews to explore individual inspiration and ideation. The data includes transcripts, notes, photos, and participant materials. The analysis involved data-driven and theory-driven approaches, with specific methods in each study. The first study revealed that designers iteratively developed ideas, using external inspiration and sketching to refine concepts. Overall, it sheds light on how expert designers derive unique concepts from provided inspirational sources, laying the groundwork for further exploration into student-level processes. The second study showed that collaborative inspiration and ideation, driven by open dialogue and shared visual sources, led to curated mood boards. The third study demonstrated that these mood boards inspired individual creativity, sparking deeper, more emotional idea development. The study highlights the importance of conceptual sources in inspiring both designers and students, fostering emotional engagement, metaphorical thinking, and enriched ideation. It underscores the collective, socially influenced nature of inspiration and ideation, emphasizing the role of material engagement, like sketching, in connecting inspiration to ideas. Pedagogically, it advocates for using unconventional sources and collaborative mood boards to create deeper, more meaningful design experiences.

Grantor dc:publisher

Helsingin yliopisto

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Anniliina, Omwami

• käsityötiede

Statement dc:rights

• This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
• Julkaisu on tekijänoikeussäännösten alainen. Teosta voi lukea ja tulostaa henkilökohtaista käyttöä varten. Käyttö kaupallisiin tarkoituksiin on kielletty.
• Publikationen är skyddad av upphovsrätten. Den får läsas och skrivas ut för personligt bruk. Användning i kommersiellt syfte är förbjuden.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10138/587753

OAI record oai:identifier

https://helda.helsinki.fi/server/oai/request?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=dim&identifier=oai%3Ahelda.helsinki.fi%3A10138%2F587753