On May 16, Inmaculada Osorio, a recent graduate of the 4th year of design of accredited specialization in Fashion, presented her work Final Project Degree at the School, 'Saudade'. After thrilling the audience and demonstrating a clear work background, Inmaculada was selected to be one of the seven students who defended her TFG on May 28th to opt for the enrollment of honor, a distinction she got. We have asked her order to tell us more about her work and how she has lived this project.
What does your TFG consist of?
-This work de Fin de Degree arises with the purpose of rescuing, revaluing and promote the handicrafts of my two cities: Granada (Andalusia, Spain) and Viseu (Portugal). The goal of 'Saudade' is to show the younger generations and the general public the meaning and importance that craftsmanship has in our cultural identity, as well as the opportunities it offers in the world of fashion with a perspective of future projection. I present it as an alternative that not only seeks to preserve and protect craftsmanship, but also to integrate it into the context of contemporary design. The collection is developed in close collaboration with artisans, respecting their techniques as well as the employment or use of traditional materials (fabrics, ceramics, yarns ...). In essence, the project seeks to merge both cultures, reflecting my identity as a designer without losing sight of the intrinsic value of craftsmanship. The result is a collection of outerwear inspired by the clothing and lifestyle characteristic of Granada and Viseu, representing a return to the roots with the combination of both crafts, something that can be transferable to other cities and countries. With 'Saudade' attention to give continuity to craftsmanship, give it a new life, also thinking about improving the environment, since most of its processes are manual and the materials used are natural, and at the same time make a unique manufacture of contemporary garments.
How did you come up with the idea for your dissertation?
-Craftsmanship in these times has lost much relevance, in some cases survives by older people who have not stopped doing it, having no interest in the new generations. It survives, for the most part, thanks to tourism, as a souvenir as a tourist attraction and, to a lesser extent, by the traditions that are maintained in each region and that citizens respect, such as Easter or the popular festivals of each region. The big problem that underlies the survival of the craft is learning or training for the new generations, who are the ones that can truly continue with the bequest. One of the objectives of my work is to be able to incorporate crafts into current fashion, giving them back their splendor, making them attractive to today's consumers and, in this way, generating interest at all levels, making them productive, in addition to improving, as I said, the environment, which is so important for society.
What has been the most rewarding part of the process?
The most rewarding thing has been to meet each of the people behind each craft, listen to them, see how they make their work, train with them, learn from them ... It has certainly been very rewarding and enriching. Seeing in their eyes the illusion that my interest in their work was making them has helped me a lot to later shape my collection of warm garments with the same passion. Each of the moments I have lived with them has made me appreciate the need to show how much value they have and try to get something that can last. It has been very satisfying to make my first fashion collection of eight warm garments combining craftsmanship and innovation.
What obstacles have you encountered along the way and how did you overcome them?
As a special difficulty that I have encountered, I could highlight the fact that I do not live, at present, near either of the two cities that I have taken as reference letter for being those of my origins, Granada and Viseu. Therefore, not having easy accessibility to the artisans who live there has made it more complicated but even more interesting. Their collaboration has been very direct when we were together and indirect when we had to communicate by other means, so they have not been able to be permanently in the process. However, I have made up for this limitation by traveling more often, contacting them by cell phone and e-mail. This is a clear example that the artisans themselves also adapt and evolve in other fields, such as communications.
Have you encountered any other difficulties?
Another difficulty of the project is in the textiles. Each one of them is made in a different way, which makes the making of the garments more difficult, and they had to be made by adapting them in most cases to the textile, which, on the other hand, has made the process very creative. These textiles, not being industrial and not being prepared to make garments, made it difficult to make them. In order to solve this problem, I made several tests on retor fabrics from the patterns. I also reviewed the processes and characteristics of each fabric so that when I started the final confection it would be very precise, since I only had one attempt.
What have you learned while developing your dissertation?
This project has been a continuous learning experience, both culturally, emotionally, intellectually and practically. It has led me to meet wonderful people who love what they do. I have learned craft techniques that I have been living my whole life and did not know about. I have learned more about my origins and it has led me to find my identity. This project has pushed me to push limits and see what I am capable of. It has been an exciting and very enriching project and I have been able to see the wealth we have and how we can use it.
How could craftsmanship be brought closer to the new generations?
It is necessary to spread the importance and beauty of craftsmanship, so that the new generations are interested in it and want to train and learn the official document seeing it as a career opportunity. There is still time for our generation to learn from the artisans that exist, for example, those I have met doing this project. They are at the end of their professional stage and if they continue to do it, it is thanks to their passion for their work. They would be proud and satisfied to train others, I have been lucky enough to experience it, to see their satisfaction and enthusiasm when teaching a young girl. They were surprised by my interest. It is very important to show the possibilities that crafts have in other areas, activities or disciplines, to look for other uses different from those that are in disuse, giving them the value and respect they deserve and, in final, redirect them to other uses.
