H&M, Hammam's and Madras Checks

Just a quick post, but after researching the Hammams and Madras Checks on Friday, while shopping in H&M on Saturday, there was obvious influences from both these areas of research which I found pretty exciting! I recommend a visit and the most beautiful 'Hammam's' and checks are in the menswear department now. Above are some images taken from the website but there were more beautiful colours in store!

www.h&m.com

J.Press Ties and Madras Checks

While researching Madras Checks, I came across J.Press, an American company founded by Jacob Press who focus on quality and bespoke style with an emphasis on heritage. What interested me further is how the Madras check as been taken through and been used as a key inspiration for the tie designs which is great inspiration for my current project! Although all using the check design, each tie does have a very individual, bespoke feel about it through the use of colour and proportion. The ties are also woven with cotton as well as silk, another yarn for me to consider for my own work to achieve variation within the swatches.

This idea of colourful checks and striping, with a focus and consideration for that of the 'Madras check', is certainly something that I feel will add a sophistication to my designs. Alongside incorporating the detailed structures and patterns I have been previously experimenting with taken from my visual research, to ensure that an innovative and personal approach remains in my final outcomes.

Hammam Towels

As wider research towards to my current project, Kathryn Rickards from Drakes of London encouraged me to take a look at 'Hammam Towels'. I had not heard of these before and so I decided to take this advice and have a look!

Although they are not a similar end product (in terms of bespoke suiting/menswear), as originally they used for turkish bathing, the colour palettes are similar to my own and some of them are even hand-woven which is particularly interesting as I feel passionate about the importance of hand-weaving today.

The proportions of colour are significant in the sense that the towels may only have 2 or 3 colours in them, but when displayed together as small collections as part of one large collection, the colours become heightened.

To see the collections of towels together please take a look at the source:

http://www.scentsandfeel.com/index.php?cPath=1