Grace Martin
Apparel Merchandising
SFSU 2023
I'm a textile artist/apparel merchandiser whose goal in the fashion industry is to bring color or childlike adventure back into style through sustainable practices. I'm passionate about pushing one's boundaries of creativity and pursuing projects and art pieces that promote environmentalism and bring happiness to it's consumer. I want to make clothes and art that remind people of their childhood in a comfortable, colorful, and nostalgic way.
Through crochet I have been able to form a community of friends that support and push each other artistically to do better and create outside of comfort zones. The joy I get from seeing someone love and wear an article of clothing that I made is the reason why I pursue fashion.
Collections
In a Product Development class, each student had to create a collection that utilized a type of technology. The technology involved with my collection was it being created using an algae based yarn which would biodegrade completely once discarded promoting sustainability. My group ended up using my collection as our final project. I loved creating these looks using relatively simple silhouettes with modern street style twists and a light/airy color pallet.
Below is the flat lay sketches, line sheet, and a fake website I created for the collection that my group ended up using as our final project.
Images and Projects
While building my crochet account, I've experimented a lot with promotional design work, photography, and website design. I have built an entire following and customer base through social media and self promotion. The pieces below are some of my favorite hats and accessories I've created so far that perfectly exemplify my creative style.
Including film photos taken by Marcela Avramescu
Technical and Fashion Illustrations
One of my favorite classes I took while at SFSU was my Product Development class where I got my first taste of Adobe Illustrator. We used this program to creating technical sketches of designs. In this class we created 8 looks a week and as my knowledge of adobe increased, so did the intricacy of my sketches.
Mood Boards
This mood board was inspired by my Mother. It includes patterns, color pallets, textures, as well as style inspiration, art, old photographs and accessories to encapsulate my mother's characteristics. As I have grown, I find more of her influence in my personal style everyday. While looking for inspiration, whether it be in my clothes, in my art, or in my life, I have turned to her.
Garment / Product Design
In these next examples I showcase my ability to turn flat lay technical sketches into more 3D renderings through Adobe Illustrate and Procreate drawing skills.
Community Work
Outside of school I run a small crochet business on instagram in which my main point of sales is vending at different events around SF. I have slowly integrated my way into vending spaces by establishing relationships with other artist in my community.
Below are some flyers and pictures of the events I have vended at over the past year.
Press Release
While preparing for last year's Senior Runway Showcase, the apparel merchandising department was in charge of putting together the show. This meant creating flyers, writing press releases, determining model walks, coordinating djs, decorations, camera crew, etc. Our class went with my press release and my promotional poster was runner-up when deciding what would be used to promote the show. Here is my press release and the poster I came up with for the 2022 Senior Runways Showcase titled "BLOOM".
