Kiwiana-inspired Bag
Stephanie Lineen
St Kentigern College
Year 11 Textiles Technology
Teacher: Sandra Davies
When Stephanie decided to make a product with tourism potential she that knew her mother, "who is very proud to be a New Zealander", would appreciate being the client for a Kiwiana inspired project.
Stephanie considered various ideas before opting to make a bag. She then researched styles of bags available and followed this up with a survey, which provided further information and ideas about possible colour, size, style and applied designs, before starting to design her bag. This involved more research as she looked at what would best symbolise New Zealand, considering various symbols and colours.
Stephanie constructed a client profile to show all the requirements her mother would want in a bag. As her mother flies a lot, she decided a travel bag would be useful, and with so many people seeing it would be a good advert for New Zealand.
Stephanie selected a variety of fabric samples which she thought might be suitable and tested these for performance properties, for example durability and absorbency. She discussed her findings with her client, explaining which fabrics would be most suitable. However, her client chose a fabric which did not have the best results, but which she liked on aesthetic grounds. Once this decision was made her client said she didn't mind about the design and that Stephanie should 'go for it'.
As she worked on her design Stephanie researched the various types of embellishments that could be used and made examples of some – ruching, embroidery and cut-work – before deciding on a paua theme for the decoration. She would use paua shell pieces plus beads to create a pattern resembling a whole paua shell.
Stephanie needed to consider the outward appearance of the bag, but also its function as a travel bag. This meant considering what her client might need to carry, such as travel documents and personal items, and affected the size of the finished bag. Some secure pockets were included, which were sized to carry specific documents. Throughout the design process she ensured she had feedback from her client and, before proceeding with her final solution, made a mock up to make certain her client would be happy with the result.
Stephanie says she found making the handle difficult because it was quite intricate but that the lining (green to complement the paua colours) was easy, although time consuming. She had to hand stitch the lining, which meant sewing small stitches which would be strong, yet invisible. "I was quite good by the end of it! The beading also took a long time, while putting a zip around a curved edge took a lot of unpicking! However, she enjoyed the challenges that went with developing her bag and is planning to do Technology next year.
Teacher comment
Stephanie worked with enthusiasm and motivation on this project. For much of it she worked independently. Her research was very thorough, and she trialled many ideas before making her final decision. Stephanie sought client feedback frequently and worked positively with this feedback. Her final outcome has been very well constructed and is suited to its intended purpose. It has a strong New Zealand influence and has style and sophistication.
