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:Canterbury Fanwear Design Project
:Brief
Canterbury Rugby reached out to our university course and discussed an industry project with them about regenerating interest in rugby, but also ways and ideas of seeing how rugby could become a trendy sport amongst GEN-Z .
The project detailed making fanwear for stadium goers, the idea was to design a small collection based around what the spectators would wear in the stadium in the peak of game season which would be in the winter months.
The clothing had to be practical and functional, comfortable, showing representation, environmentally viable and most important, stylish and trendy for the GEN-Z target audience.
To approach this project, I aimed to merge New Zealand's natural elements with technical outerwear. The project drew significant inspiration from New Zealand's unique bird population, a result of its distinctive geographic location. Aligning with the environmentally focused mindset of GEN-Z, Canterbury, as a sustainable brand, makes it a fitting choice. Consequently, the entire collection is intended to be fully or partially upcycled, utilizing old Canterbury garments.
Taking note of current trends, especially the popularity of 'Gorpcore' on social media, which involves repurposing outerwear originally designed for mountaineering and hiking into suitable everyday attire. Considering that rugby is often played during the winter months, I see an opportunity for these concepts to converge, creating fanwear that appeals to GEN-Z while remaining functional for stadium wear.
:Initial Designs
This collection will primarily focus on outerwear, so I mainly designed jackets, hoodies, and trousers. To incorporate the bird population into the designs, I predominantly utilized the kiwi logo from Canterbury. I used it to create style lines and shape silhouettes.
:Tech Packs
The tech packs provided are for the fully upcycled Canterbury Balaclava Hoodie. Because the hoodie is entirely upcycled, the aesthetics and panelling may vary from one garment to another. This tech pack details the fabrics, trims, branding, and bill of materials.
:Outcome
I am overall very happy with how the project turned out. It was a really good experience working with a reputable client like Canterbury, and the industry knowledge I gained will undoubtedly benefit me in the future.
This project marked the first time I utilized upcycled materials for the garments. It was intriguing to witness the transformation of the perspective from 'waste' to 'raw materials'. This experience has inspired me to embark on more upcycled projects in the future.
Creating three pieces of outerwear also challenged my skills, requiring me to efficiently produce prototypes and refine patterns under time constraints. I am pleased with how the final garments fit and turned out.
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