tailoring?

What does tailoring mean to me? And does a jacket without a collar and lapel constitute a tailored jacket?

At the beginning of this year when I knew that our 2^nd semester work involved tailoring, I was so excited yet nervous about the thought.

To be honest before deconstructing the tailored jacket for our tech report I had this vision that tailored jackets consisted to be plain and boring featuring general elements like patch pocket, vents, a lapel with a notched collar. This is evident from my drawings from the earlier exercises (where we used the jet pocket etc) however my perception has dramatically changed within weeks.
I don’t think this “silhouette” of a men’s tailored jacket (the jacket I used for my tech report) describes what tailoring is. I mean yes it is tailoring but it is the basics of tailoring. I think tailoring can be explored to a totally new level. The creative side that discards this simplistic tradition men silhouette yet still retains a sharp and structured look.

From the tech report I have learnt about the internal structure and its construction, and I think that this is one of the main components that portrays tailoring. It is about the layering of canvas and wadding to build up a firm structure that will not collapse on the wearer’s body. This skill in placing the canvas or shoulder pad in the right position of the shoulder and sleeve can dramatically alter the overall appearance. Precision and persistence is needed to achieve the desired result. (I can now say I am learning and accepting how to be patient and persistent with toiling the pleats because it is such a repetitive process and defiantly time consuming.

This semester I really wanted to push myself, through technique and through the creative. Like Mick wrote, “is the technical a result of the creative, or does the creative result in the technical? (Something along these lines)
I wanted these two to be combined in the jacket but still have the “tailored” look!

I wanted my jacket to be interesting and definitely turn ones head. Already in toiling of the hood this has drawn peoples attention to the detailing of pleats but I feel that they may be turning their head as to saying how is this jacket a form of tailoring.

To me tailoring is about a sharpness of structure, which will be present in my design.

It is about ‘bespoke’ to fit perfectly to the wearers measurement (obviously we are not designing for a person) however I want to make the jacket fitted, with darts or still keep the shape to reveal the female form.
I think tailoring is about being creative but the result must be neat. I have taken this creative side through to the repetition of pleating. The pleats will be very structural, another element that I associate tailoring with. I believe the differences to a hooded jumper or jacket is distinguished between the materials obviously- tailored jacket lined and no internal seams are visible, however it is also about the sharpness of lines.

My jacket features a hood that replaces typical items like a notched or shawl collar, I don’t dislike these elements the hood just came about through the designing process and influence of armored helmets for protection. I started to frame the neck with the pleats and then it altered through toiling to continue the pleats through to the top of the head to look more like a helmet. This hood is very different to the softness of a normal hood on a jumper; this structural configuration is what gives it a “tailored” characteristic.

I am definitely anxious to see how the panel at assessment will interpret my designs.

I have considered making the hood removable to make the jacket more for a mass market, it could attach by press studs onto or either under the neckline of the jacket, however I don’t know if the hood will then be able to stand up without being supported by the seams.
I guess I will find this out through toiling.