Clementine Sandner is the Founder and Creative brainchild behind the accessories label “mikan”, a translation of her name’s meaning from Mandarin to Japanese.
Describing herself as an “up-cycler” the Japan-based French designer is driven by the challenge of recreating something desirable and functional from that which is seemingly waste.
Describing herself as an “up-cycler” the Japan-based French designer is driven by the challenge of recreating something desirable and functional from that which is seemingly waste.
Re-shape & re-texture japanese old textiles to create an intricate bag
We will design and create a backpack by working on the two main aspects of the object : the aesthetic and the function.
During the first days of the program, we will take our time to think and experiment through different processes, before designing our final idea that we will start making by the middle of the program.
Our first research will be « volume research », by wrapping fabrics around an object, we will look for interesting & surprising volumes that are not what we expect from usual backpacks. This wrapping sculpture will be used as a pattern to build our final bag.
The next step, « original fabric making » is to add value and originality to the design through the textile. We will explore different methods to add prints, textures, embroidery etc. This approach can be purely aesthetic but we can as well combine beautiful with functional and try add proper functions to the bag as much as possible.
It is crucial that participants have basic sewing knowledge, but they don’t need to know anything about pattern making.
OBJECT WRAPPING : It is important that participants come with their own personal object to wrap.
We can use two sorts of object.
Option 1 : You can bring an object that has an inspiring but not too complicated shape. Don’t choose an object which is too big (you don’t want it bigger than the bag you will create) too soft (hard materials like steel, wood etc are best) or too complicated (the wrapping process will already give us enough folding and volume to work on. The most simple objects always give the best results.
Example of good objects : a salad bowl, a basket, a carton box…
Objects to avoid : Statues, textile (bag, garments, pillow) or anything fragile.
Option 2 : you can bring an object(s) that you must carry on your daily life, and we will design the bag according to this main function. For example : computer, yoga mat, small musical instrument, tools, books,…(Avoid fragile and very objects)
During the first days of the program, we will take our time to think and experiment through different processes, before designing our final idea that we will start making by the middle of the program.
Our first research will be « volume research », by wrapping fabrics around an object, we will look for interesting & surprising volumes that are not what we expect from usual backpacks. This wrapping sculpture will be used as a pattern to build our final bag.
The next step, « original fabric making » is to add value and originality to the design through the textile. We will explore different methods to add prints, textures, embroidery etc. This approach can be purely aesthetic but we can as well combine beautiful with functional and try add proper functions to the bag as much as possible.
It is crucial that participants have basic sewing knowledge, but they don’t need to know anything about pattern making.
OBJECT WRAPPING : It is important that participants come with their own personal object to wrap.
We can use two sorts of object.
Option 1 : You can bring an object that has an inspiring but not too complicated shape. Don’t choose an object which is too big (you don’t want it bigger than the bag you will create) too soft (hard materials like steel, wood etc are best) or too complicated (the wrapping process will already give us enough folding and volume to work on. The most simple objects always give the best results.
Example of good objects : a salad bowl, a basket, a carton box…
Objects to avoid : Statues, textile (bag, garments, pillow) or anything fragile.
Option 2 : you can bring an object(s) that you must carry on your daily life, and we will design the bag according to this main function. For example : computer, yoga mat, small musical instrument, tools, books,…(Avoid fragile and very objects)