“Parallel” Utility Jacket

Texture and Functional Harmony

The Design Concept

This project uses parallelism and repetitive linear geometry to organize a complex, multi-textured garment. As my first full-scale outerwear project in college, I wanted to balance a dense visual rhythm with a wearable silhouette. I chose a color palette based on a safari landscape: Beige for the arid sand, Pea Green for the savanna vegetation, and varying Brown tones representing the soil. The quiltlines, pleats, and pin tucks act as a structural grid, tying these different materials and colors together into a single, cohesive system.

Material Logic and Hardware

The selection was curated to support the utility aesthetic:

  • Shell:

    Two tones of water-resistant twill: Pea Green in 100% Nylon and Beige in a Poly-Nylon blend.

  • Interior:

    A soft-hand Chocolate Brown Bemberg Rayon lining and brown gingham Cotton pocketing.

  • Hardware:

    Vintage YKK bronze coil zippers from school archives, including a #5 36" separating zipper for the center front. The taupe tape bridges the sand and soil tones of the fabric.

  • Finishing:

    1x1 soft polyester ribbing and light cotton batting in the collar and shoulders for structure.

Modular Pocket Systems

Rather than standard flat pockets, I engineered a storage system of eight distinct components drafted as independent sub-assemblies:

  • The Darted Flap Pocket:

    A 3D compartment with a darted "bucket" body for functional volume. The pocket flap features a simplified pleat design that complements the parallel pleated collar.

  • The Zippered Modules:

    External exposed and double-welt pockets featuring shell-fabric facings and zipper garages. These fabric tabs reinforce the zipper windows, protecting the corners from slider wear while giving a clean, industrial look.

  • The Interior Patches:

    Two additional pockets sewn into the jacket lining for extra storage without affecting the outer silhouette.

The Process

I managed the full lifecycle of this garment, from hand-drafting the 64-piece pattern to sewing the final sample. The project involved coordinating eight different materials, including three weights of stabilizer and cotton batting.

As part of the technical package, I authored a 40-step Sequence of Construction (SOC) to ensure all components were constructed correctly and assembled in the most efficient order.

I still wear this jacket today; it serves as a practical test of the durability and construction methods used during the build.

Technical Specs

  • 64 Manual Pattern Pieces

  • 8 Modular Pocket Components

  • 40 Step Sequence of Construction (SOC)