Nine West
ROLE
3D Product Development Intern
PROJECT TIMELINE
3 weeks
SKILLS
3D Rendering
Pattern-making
CAD Creation
Visual Design
Presentations
Prototyping
Animation
TOOLS
Browzwear
VStitcher
Illustrator
InDesign
Photoshop
Google Slides
ABOUT THIS PROJECT
While working at Kohl's, I got to create my own line for one of their partner brands, Nine West. For this 3 week project, I wanted to find a white space within the brand in order to make a summer collection. What I found was that, at least at Kohl's, the brand wasn't appealing to its more fashion-forward customers who were working during the day and wanted transitional pieces for night time activities. Using 2D and 3D software, I created a collection that would address this need.
Background
feminine versatile style that creates a life uniform through of-the-moment relevant trends, quality, ease and fit
customer segment is under 45
Nine West
competitive benchmark is Target, H&M, Sanctuary, Loft, and Express
customer is modern, feminine, lives a 7-day-a-week lifestyle, and loves easy workwear
famous for knit essentials, workwear bottoms, everyday dresses, and completer pieces
How can Nine West appeal to its work hard, play hard customer?
Creating versatile transitional pieces that can be worn in various different settings is essential. Nine West is known for its knit wear and completer pieces, so playing off of layering and convenience is a must. For this project, designing a collection that is not only practical for day-to-day wear but also fashion forward for night time events is a must.
Who is the Customer?
MAKING A CUSTOMER PROFILE
Because the pandemic left many of us with job uncertainty, coming back or entering the workplace may bring feelings of enthusiasm and relief to get out of the house. Our customer is a woman who is looking to make a statement at her workplace because she is tired of wearing sweats and ready to make an impact both during the work day and on a night out with friends for the first time in over a year.
Making a Mood
BUILDING AN INSPIRATION BOARD
Kohl's has specific mood board guidelines that I followed in order to create the image below. As someone who enjoys building compositions for inspiration boards, it was interesting taking a more clean-cut approach, which I assume is beneficial especially in corporate fashion. For my mood board, I took Nine West's S/S color palette and chose three main colors for my collection: daisy dew, cruz coral, and fern. I chose imagery that not only contained these colors but also showcased the lifestyle and aesthetics of a 9-to-5 working woman.
Prints & Patterns
COLLABORATING WITH ARTISTS
I collaborated with my fellow Digital Product Creation team member, Maya Looney for my collection's prints. Her prints were perfect for tying in my more fashion-forward pieces to my more casual, simple pieces.
The abstract inverted toned flower print gives off a powerful dominance that Nine West customers would want in their work attire, and the dainty leopard print screams summer with a light and playful juxtaposition to a cold office space — perfect for those seeking a sense of escapism from the work day.
Boss Girl Summer Collection
In Summary,
"The Boss Girl Summer line consists of various completer pieces and layering items perfect for women who are seeking workwear that can transition into evening attire."
The first piece is a lightweight trench coat made of cotton lyocell twill, which is great for people who work in office settings where the A/C is blasting and they need a light summer coat. The following combination is inspired by competitor brands like Express and Aritzia since a long pleated skirt is currently a summer staple. The third addresses the white space at Nine West for more fashion-forward clothing. From a modern standpoint, sheer dresses are trendy and a light layering option for spring/summer. Next, is my everyday dress. The linen button down, puff sleeve with smocking at the center waist is definitely a piece people will wear if they want an easy transition from day to night. Finally, the last set is a cape blazer and darted shorts. This is a great set for women who want to make a statement at work.
Final 3D Renderings
Here are my final 3D renderings of my Boss Girl Summer collection. Using the 3D fashion software, Browzwear, I was able to create realistic interpretations of specific pieces from my collection, such as the everyday dress and the pleated skirt. The 3D fabrics I used were linen for the everyday dress and folded chiffon for the skirt.
THE EVERYDAY DRESS
Dusty Rose
Lilac
Daisy Dew
PLEATED SKIRT
Fern
Daisy Dew
Cruz Coral