From A Piece Of Fabric

If you were living in the middle of Mississippi and have no remote idea what a fashion designer does, this short clip would give you a glimpse of what the job entails. There is always a secretive allure to forthcoming collections, designers become reclusive in the confinements of their ateliers to concentrate on their work. I was pleasantly surprised when I unearthed the video above. Thailand-born, New York-based designer Thakoon Panichgul let cameras infiltrate his studio and record his creative process. He's working on his 2011 Fall/Winter collection, which was shown during New York Fashion Week last February. 

There is a model walking back and forth wearing what seems to be a Masai print blanket, she resembles a Kenyan tribe member. Thakoon, along with the help oh his team proceed to cut, nip and tuck the fabric. The draped dress slowly starts taking shape, and when it hits the runway, it evokes a relax chic sensibility that he's known for. I think it's also important to point out the fact that he's draping on a real woman, not on a mannequin form. This is a method that has been used by the likes of Christian Dior to Oscar de la Renta, and everybody in between. It's clear to see that Thakoon devotes preeminence to how the fabric falls on the body, and most importantly, how the woman in it feels. 

Sometimes, you have to touch your heart with one hand, and reach your pockets with the other one. He's releasing a limited edition Masai print scarfs which 100% of the proceeds would go directly to a children's relief efforts in Africa. Go help.