Live Brief 1: Hand & Lock Embroidery

Context for the Brief

Embroidery isn’t just meant to be seen, more often than not it demands to be touched. The textures made possible with embellishment should have the ability to deceive, confuse and fool the senses; looking coarse but feeling smooth, metallic to the eye but soft to the touch.

In the trend bible Viewpoint (Issue 41) Trend watcher David Shah writes about ‘touch’ and ‘handle’ as key design imperatives for 2019. He speaks of the human desire to touch sumptuous surfaces and how designers should consider recycling old materials; re-purposed and removed from their original conception, transformed and re-imagined as something new.

The Brief

For the 2019 Brief the Hand & Lock Prize judges ask you to consider the texture and feel of your embroidery, to create an embellishments with a sumptuous surface that intrigues and surprises. Consider every surface and texture as your inspiration: concrete walls, woven rugs, cold steel, fake fur, old leather, fine crystal, rich velvet and coarse hessian. Your design should confuse and delight the senses and your choice of materials should recognise the need for sustainability as well as originality.

Look at artists and designers who innovate in their use of materials and who play with texture, light, reflection and expectation. Consider rare, unusual, and non conventional materials that can be manipulated and transformed.

Look at materials used in construction, food packaging, electronics or even medicine.

The 2019 brief is supported by four pinterest boards that we encourage you to examine and use throughout your design and construction process. These are an extension of the written brief and should be viewed as a visual brief, instructing your design process.

Key Words

Surface | Texture | Material | Smooth | Hard | Shine | Trans-formative | Coarse | Transparency | Soft | Recycled | Deceive | Rich | Matt | Re-purposed | Embroidery | Touch | Precious