SHEIN X Basse Couture is the result of a multi-collection collaborative process between myself and SHEIN. I was recruited and invited by the SHEINX team to join their designer incubator program in October of 2022. After accepting the offer, I began working on the first of two capsule collections for SHEINX x Basse Couture. As alluded to above, Basse Couture was my way of paying homage to the "bottom-up" theory of fashion; whereby, the heavily individualized nature of street style filters up to the highest of fashion ranks. Overall, both collections seek to make the __ that resonate with the street-savvy teens to twenty-somethings shopping with SHEIN. 

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The most recent capsule collection, launched in March of 2023, delves more into the workwear craze that has taken streetwear by storm. While this collection is thoroughly influenced by the unmistakable workwear details of carpenter pockets and hammer loops, it maintains a feminine, commercial viability that appeals more-so to the SHEIN customer. 

 

The Spring 2022 collection is comprised of 8 pieces total- ranging from sporty walking shorts to athleisure-styled shrugs. The collection is a blending of the casual, athleticwear-inspired aesthetic that translates into functional lifestyle garments.   

 

I began the process of developing both collections by conceptualizing the overarching idea for the collection; including the ideal target market, color palette, preferred fabrics, and consistent silhouettes and design elements. After outlining the essential information to serve as my design prompt, I worked on producing the initial sketches of the garments. For each collection, I opted to sketch more initial garments to provide more options for the final styles that were selected by SHEIN.

 

Although I was hired on as an apparel designer, I was also extended the opportunity to create graphic illustrations to be applied to any of my designs. I utilized Adobe illustrator to create a graphic hit for a tee shirt, as well as an allover print repeat for a coordinating cropped 1/4 zip and shorts. This allowed me to explore the realm of graphic design in an industry setting. 

 

Once the final garments were narrowed down, I transferred the creative sketches into technical CAD flats for the production team. After completing the CADs, I was then able to begin filling out all the necessary details of the tech packs for each garment. The first order of business was to detail what type of garment the piece was, what category it would be merchandised under. The next step was to provide meticulous construction details and critical specs for fit. The tech pack structure for SHEIN is setup specifically to work in accordance with their designer portal, which serves as their own PLM system. Tech packs included providing pictures of similar construction methods, fabric swatches that exemplified what fiber content and weave should be used, and specific examples of all trims that should be incorporated. 

 

From there, I submitted my tech packs for review, which moved us along to the sample production. I was able to coordinate with a distinctively cordial and timely production team overseas in order to work out all fit preferences and tweaks. Once we finalized the fit of each sample, the designs were green-lit for bulk production. The bulk production, promotional photoshoot, and formal launch all occurred in the months leading up to each launch.