DST60604 - introduction to fashion design

23/09/25 This week I started my very first task for Semester 1, which is about exploring basic shirt details. At first, I thought shirts were just about collars and buttons, but after going through the lessons I realized there are so many small elements that make each shirt unique—like cuffs, plackets, different types of collars, and yokes.

  

The process began with collecting references and compiling images of different shirt details. I searched online and also looked at my own clothes to understand the construction. It was actually fun to notice details I never paid attention to before, like the way seams are stitched or how the placket is shaped. What I learned this week is that observation is very important in fashion design. Even something as “basic” as a shirt has so many design choices behind it. It made me appreciate everyday clothing more.

Mistakes I faced were mostly about organizing the images and making sure I labeled each detail correctly, but I managed to fix it by double checking everything before compiling. (Weekly Self Reflection) I feel excited but also nervous because this is my first real step into the fashion design world. It’s a lot to take in, but I’m happy to start from the basics. I know this foundation will help me when I start designing and sewing my own pieces later on.

 30/09/25 this is week 2 of introduction to fashion design class, this week my focus was on continuing the basic shirt detailing compilation presentation. i started by reviewing the slides i made last week and noticed that some parts still needed improvement. for example a few of my sketches looked crooked and did not represent the shirt silhouettes properly. so i spent extra time redrawing those sketches more carefully to make them neater and clearer. i also adjusted the layout of the slides to make the presentation flow more consistent especially between the cropped, fitted, and wrapped shirt styles.

after completing the revisions the overall presentation felt more polished and professional. i realized that even small details like how a sketch is drawn or how the images are aligned can make a big difference in communicating the idea effectively.

at the end of the session, sir JR introduced us to fashion history which was a very insightful part of the lesson. he showed us how historical clothing styles like those from the 16th and 17th century still influence modern fashion today. i learned that understanding fashion history is not just about memorizing old styles but about seeing how cultural and social contexts shape design. this knowledge can inspire us as designers to bring new meaning into our work while still respecting the roots of fashion.

overall this week was productive because i improved both my technical work (through the revisions and redrawings) and my theoretical understanding (through fashion history). it gave me a balance between practice and knowledge which i think is very important in fashion design.

 07/10/25 this is week 3 already! time seriously flies. this week we finally submitted our task 1: Basic Shirt Compilation and right after that sir JRgave us a new task which is we have to create 20 shirt designs based on a basic shirt comoilation on powerpoint that we made on task 1. the designs need to include all the important shirt details like yokes, hems, cuffs, pockets, and more. when i started thinking about inspiration i wanted something historical at first. my first idea was the victorian era because i’ve always loved its elegance and structure. but then i realized it’s been used so many times before so i wanted to try something new, more mysterious something with a stronger mood. that’s when i decided to go with a gothic influence instead.

i began by searching for fashion figures to sketch on then collected a bunch of Gothic fashion references things like lace, corsets, dramatic sleeves, and layered textures. on the first day i already managed to sketch around five designs which honestly made me pretty proud. it felt like i was really getting into the flow of my theme.

this week made me realize how much research and inspiration can change the whole vibe of a design. when i shifted from Victorian to Gothic, i noticed my ideas became more expressive and bold. i also learned that small design details like how the cuffs or collars are shaped can completely transform a basic shirt into something unique. it wasn’t easy coming up with 20 ideas from one base but I think it pushed me to be more creative and think outside the box. i really enjoyed the process of exploring a new aesthetic that still connects to my personal style.

14/10/25 This is week 4 of introduction of fashion design class. This week in class Sir JR asked us to show our 20 initial shirt design ideas that we were assigned to create last week. He went through each of our designs one by one giving comments on which ones needed improvement, which ones should be redrawn, and which designs were already good to continue developing. After the feedback session he demonstrated how to create a mood board and explained the importance of visual inspiration in the design process. Then he gave us homework to find five images that will later be used to make our own mood board. For now we only needed to collect the pictures, and next week he will demonstrate how to arrange and present them properly. For my concept, i chose Gothic influence as the main theme, so the five pictures i’m looking for must represent the Gothic aesthetic dark, dramatic, and expressive which i’ll later combine to create the overall mood and direction for my shirt designs.

 This week’s activity helped me understand more about how to express my design ideas visually and conceptually. When Sir JR reviewed our 20 initial shirt designs, i realized which parts of my work still needed improvement, especially in terms of proportion and detailing. i also learned how important it is to have a strong theme and aesthetic direction before starting a design. The mood board lesson was really interesting because it showed how visual references can shape the whole design identity. Finding five Gothic inspired images made me think deeper about how to translate emotions and atmosphere into clothing. Overall, i feel more confident about developing my ideas further.

 21/10/25 Tis is week 5 Introduction Of Fashion Design Class.  This week’s class with sir JRwas honestly one of the most productive (and slightly stressful) ones so far. We had to prepare 20 initial designs that we’ve been working on over the past few weeks. Today sir JR went through everyone’s work and selected five designs that we’ll continue developing.

Before that, he asked us to print out all 20 designs, and then he started reviewing them one by one. While checking, he actually doodled on our printed designs, giving notes, ideas, and corrections right on top of them. It was kind of nerve wracking but also super helpful seeing his doodles helped me understand what could be improved and what parts stood out to him. After the review, he picked five of my designs that he thought had the strongest concept and structure. Honestly it was hard to let go of some of my favorites but his feedback made sense. It made me realize how important it is to look at our work objectively not just emotionally.

Then he gave a quick demonstration on how to do technical drawings.

We also had to bring five reference pictures for each subject that we’ll use for our mood board. sir JR checked them carefully to see if they matched our chosen concept. That part really helped me understand how consistent the theme needs to be from research all the way to design development.

This week taught me a lot about decision making and refinement. I used to think more designs meant better work but now I see that quality and clarity matter so much more. Choosing only five designs forced me to think deeper about my concept and what I really want to express through my work. I also realized how different the creative and technical sides of fashion are and how both need to balance each other. The technical drawing process made me slow down and pay attention to detail, which isn’t my usual habit when I’m sketching freely. Even though the class was a bit exhausting, I left feeling proud like I’ve taken a small but real step toward thinking like a designer.

28/10/25 This is week 6 of Introduction To Fashion Design class. This week isn’t like usual’s class because of KL lockdown and Sir JR cant do physical class. By that Sir JR decided to do online class.
During the online class Sir JR asked us to update our progress on the five technical drawings from the designs he already chose. He also told us to update our mood boards. While he was checking everyone’s work one by one, I used the time to keep working on my other technical drawings.

At the same time, I also redid some of the drawings that Sir JR had already revised before. Basically, I was fixing and cleaning up the details so everything looked better and more accurate. It took quite a while, but I was happy to see my drawings starting to look more professional.
Even though we couldn’t meet in person, the online class actually went pretty well.

 

This week really reminded me how important revisions are. Honestly, it was a bit tiring to redo some of my work, but I could see how much it improved after following Sir JR’s feedback. I’m learning to be more patient with the process and to manage my time better, especially when everything’s online. I feel like my technical drawing skills are getting better little by little and that’s a nice feeling.

04/11/25 This is week 7 of Introdustion to Fashion Design Class. This week we didn’t have class because Sir JR was sick so he couldn’t come. since there was no class we basically learned by ourselves. i continued working on my ppt and technical drawings.

 

Thank God, I already finished all five of my Technical Drawings, which I’m really happy about! For the story part, I’ve also done most of it, but there are still a few parts I haven’t finished yet. I plan to ask Sir JR’s opinion once he’s back just to make sure everything’s on the right track.

Self Reflection 

Even though there was no class this week i actually learned how important it is to stay disciplined and consistent. it was a bit hard to stay focused without guidance, but i still managed to finish most of my work. i realized that being able to work independently is a big part of being a designer. i’m glad i used this time productively and i’ll keep improving the unfinished parts after i get feedback from Sir JR.

11/11/25 This is week 8 of introduction to fashion design class, and we didn’t have any regular class because it was changed into an independent class. Sir JR had training but even though it was an independent session we still continued our learning on our own. this week was the submission for our Research Mind Mapping so i focused on finalising that part. i organised my ideas more clearly connected the key concepts and refined the visual layout to make sure everything aligned with my research direction. i also spent some time searching for fabric samples for our project which is to create a shirt. 

i went to Jalan Tar in Kuala Lumpur to explore the textile shops and look for materials that match my design vision. even though we didn’t have face to face classes this week was still productive because i managed to progress on both my research and my technical preparations for the project.

18/11/25 This is week 9. This week in Sir JR’s class, I focused on consulting the fabric for my final shirt. I prepared several fabric samples that I thought might work, and I showed them to him. After reviewing the options, Sir JR chose the offwhite linen fabric, explaining that the tone is versatile and clean. I agreed with his suggestion.

After the consultation, we continued working on pattern drafting. I started by tracing the basic patterns from the women’s trousers block and the women’s shirt block, which will become the foundation for my final shirt design. The tracing process felt a bit slow at first, but it helped me understand how the shapes connect especially how the proportions.

Self reflection

This week taught me the importance of being open to feedback and trusting the process. At first, I thought I already knew which fabric would be best, but hearing Sir JR’s perspective made me reconsider. I learned that sometimes the simplest option like an off white tonecan actually communicate the design much better. The pattern drafting also reminded me that building a garment always starts with strong fundamentals. Even though it takes time, each step makes me more confident about my final shirt.

25/11/25 This is week 10. This week in Sir JR’s class felt pretty satisfying because I finally finished my shirt. Once the shirt was done I moved on to the fabric manipulation part, which I was really excited about. At first, I tried doing one long continuous line of manipulation, just to see how it would look across the fabric. But when I showed it to Sir JR, he told me it would be better to focus only on certain sections instead of doing everything in one go. He said it would look more detailed and intentional that way. Honestly, after thinking about it, he was right. So I tried again, this time stitching only in specific areas. And the result came out nicer than I expected—the details looked clearer, and the texture felt more controlled. It didn’t look too much or too messy. It actually made the shirt look more interesting.

 

Self Rflection

This week really reminded me that sometimes I rush to make everything big or complete but slowing down and choosing the right spots can make a huge difference. At first, I thought doing one long line would make the design stronger, but actually, keeping it simple and focused looked much better. I also realized I’m getting more comfortable with experimenting. I’m not scared to try something, mess it up a bit, and then redo it. Sir JR’s feedback helped a lot, and it made me see the garment in a new way.

02/12/25 This is week 11 of Introduction to Fashion Design class. This week I officially started cutting the fabric for my shirt, and this was a very important turning point in my project. After spending several weeks on planning, sketching, and preparing patterns, finally working with the actual fabric felt both exciting and challenging. I realized fabric cutting requires a high level of focus and precision because one small mistake can affect the entire garment.

 

At first I felt nervous because this was the stage where my design truly began to come to life. I learned how important it is to lay the fabric properly even though my hand feel cramped when cutting it. This experience helped me improve my technical skills and also made me more aware of how crucial preparation is before moving to the construction stage.

Self Reflection

This week helped me grow both mentally and practically. I became more responsible for my work and understood that fashion design is not only about creativity, but also about discipline and precision. I feel proud of myself for finally starting the real production process, and this motivates me to work even harder for the next steps of sewing and assembling the shirt.

09/12/25 This is week 12 of Introduction to Fashion Design class. This week on Sir Jr’s class was the final push for completing my shirt, and I’m proud that I managed to finish it on time. While working on the garment, I realised how much my technical skills have improved since the beginning of the semester. The process wasn’t always easy, especially when adjusting the details and making sure the finishing looked clean, but it taught me to be more patient and precise. Continuing the fabric manipulation in Sir JR’s class also helped me explore creativity in a more hands on way. I learned how important it is to experiment, revise, and refine ideas instead of expecting them to be perfect on the first try.

Self Reflection 

This week strengthened my confidence. I could see real progress in both my skills and mindset, and it reminded me that consistent practice really makes a difference.

16/12/25 This is week 13 of Introduction to fashion design class. In Sir JR's class today i continued my shirt which is i already did all of it except the button so im about to do it on today's class. i was helped by sir fariq for the button because i didn't quite now how to do the button machine and sir fariq already used to the button machine. and finally my final shirt is completly done and i think im ready for the final presentation. this week strengthened my confidence as i could clearly see progress in both my skills and mindset. consistent practice helped me improve my technical abilities and reminded me that patience and persistence truly make a difference.