When it comes to our passions, even amid the inevitable challenges and downfalls that are incurred, we still have to be motivated and reignited daily. Proverbs 18:16 says, "A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men." For Josh Smith, that seems to be one relatable path for this designer who is crafting his re-branding quite nicely. What's good about Smith and his company, 8.16, is that he always acknowledges that he's aware that where his currently is no less than "process" that no one can take away from him.
Check out his words on "Inspiration to Manifestation: Satisfying, Time Consuming, Enjoyable Work" below:
For me when I'm designing for 8.16 I start with a mix of intuition, magazines, blogs (The Sartorialist has been a major source of inspiration for me for over 10 years) and Runway Shows. As I'm taking all this in I immediately start sketching. Sketching always stimulates the creative process because it helps me start to organize my thoughts into physical form. That leads me to think of fabrics, color scheme, and construction methods. Next is creating a pattern. I altered the pattern of a jacket I had in my closet so I knew the fit would work on my body and would work as a good base.
It usually takes me several attempts to get a good fit. After that is creating a sample either out of muslin or cheap fabric you don't mind reassembling. Again, after fitting myself, I have to always adjust what I've done by pinning, cutting and reassembling the garment multiple times. Finally, after reaching something satisfactory, I'll create a sample out of my fabric of choice. Disclaimer: none of this happened as easy or as I described. It just takes a lot of work. Learning how to sew was another challenge but YouTube is a good source.
Along with YouTube I would deconstruct clothing to understand patternmaking and construction details. Also, as a designer, manifesting an idea becomes more about the process. Great things take time and I believe understanding that concept only enhances the overall appreciation for what I do. Creating is cathartic for me so no matter how stressful any of it may seem. I'm overjoyed with what I can accomplish when I'm focused on manifesting and idea.
