Ilce Karamacoski

To give us a sense of you as a designer, what is your major and why?

I have always had two greats passions, one is illustration and the other is fashion. I wanted to be able to design without having to neglect one or the other, so I decided to utilise both my illustration and fashion interests and major in printed textiles. Majoring in print has given me knowledge in printing techniques and processes, which I can then turn into fashion outcomes.

 

“If things start happening, don't worry, don't stew, just go right along and you'll start happening too" or so says Dr Seuss. How do you get started on a new project?

When I first start a new project I like to sit in silence, facing a blank wall. I think about what statement or theme I am trying to achieve and my imagination can run wild without anything around to trigger ideas. I like to creatively express a theme in a way that isn't to literal. Once I know what i am trying to achieve, I visualise an outcome in my mind and take notes and quick sketches. I then work backwards and refine smaller details, trail runs and make changes.

 

Why textile design? (Or maybe by the end of the course, why not...!)

Being able to understand fabric and fibres, as well as how to utilise their properties is a real plus when designing pieces for costume or fashion. Knowledge in the skills, techniques and processes has allowed me to understand how something was created from start to finish, making it easier to problem solve when designing. Knowing how things behave and how they are created lets me introduce non-textile materials to a piece in addition to my prints, giving me endless possibilities.