KITTY HAWK TIGHTS

I think this title is way too clever but I am aware that it really only makes sense if you know of the chain, Kitty Hawk Kites. This collection is really just a way for me to talk about the Outer Banks like a really annoying parent talks about their child. To be inspired by your favorite beach is such a cliché by artists in many different disciplines and I know that. But this was my quarantine activity and so I combined the two things I was missing most, the beach and the gym. When a designer attempts to do a collection inspired by beaches, I feel it never quite equates to the mood and aesthetic of the specific beaches on the Outer Banks. The Outer Banks is such a niche, special experience for me.
For this collection, I am debuting two new genres into my portfolio, activewear and plus size. I have always attempted inclusivity within my collections and therefore include all ethnicities of models because I hope to simulate my illustrations as how an actual lookbook or runway show lineup would appear. But this time, I was keen to include plus-sized models as well so I could fully flex my design prowess to account for new design constraints. But more importantly, my fantasy for future ownership of my own brand includes size inclusivity so why not design for the future? Upon gathering many testimonials and opinions from friends and family who are plus size, there were just unique things to consider that are different from the straight size design process and experience. The challenge was made greater by the added element of making an activewear collection as plus sizes are often the most excluded from this category. And activewear is the one category that I believe should be the most inclusive to all as EVERYONE should work to be stronger. I was excited to tackle activewear as I know from personal experience, I am incredibly particular about my workout wear. Athletic wear demands thought about design for aesthetics, performance, and comfort. Very few other markets have so many specifications and constraints. For example, I knew it was important for me to have darker fabric panels in areas that accumulate a lot of sweat. It is the most disappointing thing to me when the armpits of my light workout wear are so drastically yellow. I looked to FP Movement as an activewear brand to fill the gap of fashionable styles in and out of the gym because this collection is meant to be more fashion-forward with pieces you can wear anywhere and still feel comfortable.
The first part of the collection is all about the physical beach. I love the look of the sand transitioning to water as the colors are so natural together. I also utilized curved seams and ruched panels to represent the water and the waves. A running theme I tried to incorporate as well was having a slightly darker fabric just at the hem of all pants to look as though its wearer was just in the water.
The next three girls represent my experiences hunting for sea glass in the sand along the shore. I knew I had to have sea glass in my collection as it is one of the most magical features of the beach, both in hunting it and looking at it. To achieve this sea glass imagery through clothing, I definitely used lots of smaller panels, as well as transparent fabric panels to imitate that translucent glass quality. Instead of using a tan fabric to symbolize sand, I instead used a white fabric because I thought this would have a better color effect. It also moved perfectly into the next part of the collection.
I knew I had to showcase all the beautiful lighthouses on the Outer Banks in my collection, the most famous of which include the Cape Hatteras and Bodie Island lighthouses. The graphic designs are so iconic and rife with interpretive inspiration. I used a navy blue color since it’s such an underrated color in the athletic wear market with the default basic legging color being black.
The last six women all characterize hang gliders. Hang gliders are a big part of the Outer Banks as Kill Devil Hills is home to the first flight of the Wright Brothers. The first part of this hang glider chapter is about the Wright Brothers era gliders with Da Vinci-esque wood paneling and bat-like anatomy that can be seen in the contouring of the garments and how the seams wrap around the body. The seam wrapping and contouring are meant to mimic muscle striation, thus, be appealing to those who love to train and lift for muscle growth. Finishing off the collection is the sporty, modern hang gliders that flaunt bright, bold colors while still utilizing that bat-like framework to outline the body. The arched shape of the hang glider itself can be seen in a lot of the style lines as well as the cutout on the back of one of the girls.