Interviews with Chelsea Shin

The inspiration for my collection, NOSTALGIA MOON, came from the image of me looking at the moon and praying for my grandmother who I miss. I felt that the shape of the moon changes every day and the color of the night sky were similar to my emotional changes that occur when I think of my grandmother, and the moon looked just like me.

While designing this collection, I thought a lot about how to combine circular patterns and basic bodice patterns more interestingly and naturally. I wanted to find the naturalness and new silhouette of the circular pattern when it was placed on a person's body, rather than being too three-dimensional and representing the circle itself.

I want to develop more interesting designs that show myself and participate in various competitions around the world.

After numerous trials and errors, it seems that it took 5-6 months from design concept to finalized production.

I decided to pursuit my own inspiration.

None of my designs are being produced or used by another company.

When I designed this collection, even though it has been a while since my grandmother left me, I cried first when I thought of my grandmother, and there were many days when I couldn't control my emotions. In a way, I turned away not to be sad, but it was never a good overcome. So when I think of my grandmother, I sublimated those feelings and thoughts with fashion so that I wouldn't cry.

No, I tried to focus on my own creativity because this collection means a lot to me as I mentioned earlier.

The target customer for my design is mainly women and men in their 20s and 30s.

NOSTALGIA MOON: it is a name that expresses the lyrical feeling of the round moon up in the night sky and and a person's feeling of missing others.

Most patterns were drawn by hands and large circles were printed using Adobe Illustrator to draw elaborate circles.

The unique aspect of my design is that the garment itself creates different silhouettes whenever it moves because of the soft boning on the edges.

When I first designed, I was just gloomy when I thought of my grandmother, so the design itself was very melancholy. However, I wanted to design in a different direction because I started designing this collection to overcome those negative feelings.

I desperately needed a criticism of my design and other people's reactions. I wondered how my design was evaluated in a wider world away from school.

While designing and producing this collection, I studied the flexibility of fabric a lot. When the trimmings of different strengths such as boning and polyester horsehair braid went in, I could learn how the fabric behaves. After this collection, I became interested in fabrications.

When I was young, my grandmother used to paint and knit often. Her life looked so free and happy in my eye. I hated every day when I was stuck in a frame from something and repeatedly, so I felt like I would live my own day of self-directed and free like a grandmother if I did art after seeing her. When I was in high school, I went to an art high school in Canada. In the 11th grade curriculum, there was a fashion class and I found out the fun of sewing in that class.

For me, design is about sharing and communicating with others about myself and my memories. I think designing shapes using fabric and other subsidiary materials has a stronger conveyance than any other words.

When I was in Parsons School of Design, I focused on learning basic bodice. The reason is that no matter what silhouette I make, I don't think I can be more creative if I don't fully understand the basic bodice patterns. However as time went by, I wanted to design something experimental based on the traditional bodice patterns for the first and last time in school for my thesis project. Because I was very curious about what kind of new silhouette I was going to create. Since then, I've come to like clothes that are a little off-the-shelf and new to me.

My favorite design, in my 2021 collection "NOSTALGIA MOON", is look number 2, "Ylang Ylang (The Starry Night)". This design was completed through several fittings. The design tried to maximize the original shape of the moon by putting a boning on the edge of the clothes, and the fabric was so easily deformed by tension or boning that it was designed to make this deformation as natural as possible.

I usually make the most creative and wild imaginations at nights when the sun sleeps and darkness deepens. That's because it's the only time I'm not interrupted, and I can focus more on my favorite things at that moment.

The part that I care about the most when designing is the fit and silhouette of the clothes.

I feel a lot of emotions when I design, but the emotions that I feel the most are joy and fulfillment. This is because there are many things that surprise me when I design.

After the design is completed, I feel anxious, which is not just a bad thing, but all the emotions I can feel while waiting for the user's feedback.

In my opinion, the thought process of the designer, the harmony of fabrics and trimmings, and the fit of the clothes complete the design.

I think the research stage prior to design is the most important.

I'm still getting inspired by the precious memories that I have in my head, but these days I'm focusing on going out, going around, and expanding my thoughts by seeing a whole new world. I'm doing a very important and difficult challenge.

I graduated from Parsons School of Design last May and am currently learning fashion industry in New York.

I usually plan my day. However, when I don't achieve my desired goal in time, I often stay up all night and finish it.

It takes longer for me to design than others. It's because I have too many thoughts.

I want to develop more interesting designs that show myself and participate in various competitions around the world.

People can contact me through my website (https://www.chelseashin.com).