Conceptualisation
We start the process off by painting scenes of flora and fauna, using brightly coloured inks, paints and crayons. Bec then spends many hours (literally hours and hours!) digitally adapting the paintings to create repeatable prints. Whilst this is happening, Jess is conjuring up silhouettes to showcase the textiles, favouring effortless and simple designs to ensure longevity. We are still a tiny business which limits us in developing new silhouettes and sizes. Our plan for the next two years is to continue to build on our fashion design portfolio and range of sizes to have a wider array of both.
Print Development Bec then trials her print designs on fabric, choosing natural fibres such as silk, linen and cotton. We have an ongoing commitment to support the Australian manufacturing industry, however we have sought overseas help with our fabric printing because they have specialised skills that we have been unable to find locally. We have chosen to work with a boutique fabric printing studio that focuses on printing beautiful fabric in small quantities in Suzhou Jiangsu, China. The studio ensures employee well-being for their ten staff through remunerating their employees fairly; ensuring employees have holidays and have a safe and clean environment to complete work. We have not visited the studio yet, but we hope to do so in the near future. We have developed a strong relationship with the studio, communicating almost every week with the manager Linda to develop our designs into fabric.
Pattern Development At around this point in the process, we start working with Toni, a Melbourne-based pattern maker, to turn our design concepts into production-ready patterns for manufacturing. Toni uses innovative digital methods to develop our ideas into templates for production. Thank goodness Toni is able to navigate this technical and mathematical world because we get instant headaches when trying to understand some of the technical details involved in pattern making! Production When our patterns are ready for production, we work with our Melbourne-based maker Roula, to produce small and considered runs of garments. Roula's production studio is accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia and she makes all her garments in Melbourne – often singlehandedly. We make small and considered runs to ensure we do not contribute waste or excess to a world that is already struggling with oversupply.
Preparation
As we prepare to release our pieces to the world, there are a few key tasks we undertake to bring the collection together. We partner with local photographers and models to create content for our website and social media platforms as well as work with small merchandising and packaging businesses to get all the bells and whistles needed to release a finished product (postcards, mailer bags, swing tags etc…) And that is pretty much it - we are then ready to launch our pieces into the world. When written like this, it all seems rather straightforward, but the reality is there are often unexpected twists and turns, resulting in a curly journey as opposed to a linear one! We continue to learn and evolve as we navigate the journey of a small creative business, and amidst everything our central purpose remains to share beautiful, well-made garments with you all. If you would like to chat to us more you are welcome to visit our Studio in Fremantle by appointment or contact us at helo@jejandboc.com.au or on Instagram at jej_and_boc. Much love Jess and Bec XX