How We Crafted the Sustainable, Petite-Friendly Maxi Culottes: A Design Story

Welcome back! As someone petite, finding clothes that fit just right has always been a huge challenge for me. This struggle isn't something I face alone; it's a common issue among my mom, sister, and me... and I’m sure we’re not the only ones! We're all petite and constantly face difficulties finding pants, maxi dresses, and skirts that don't drown our smaller frames. Most clothes seem to be made for those taller than 5'5", leaving anyone 5'4" and under dealing with clothes that are too long, have waists too low, or fits that are just too big and unflattering.

Today, I'm thrilled to take you through the creative journey of designing the perfect culottes for us petite individuals. This journey hasn't been just about me; it's been a collective effort, and I'm eager to share every step with you. From the initial spark of inspiration to the intricate details of the design process, and even offering you a sneak peek of the culottes that have been crafted with so much care and love. If you're curious to hear more about this adventure, please read along! 😊

(P.S. In case you missed it, last December, I created a fashion guide catering to various body types, including banana, pear, apple, strawberry, and hourglass. If you haven't had a chance to access it yet, be sure to sign up 👇 and discover personalized tips and stylish choices perfectly suited to your individual body shape.)

The Inspiration Behind the Design

I really like culottes because they are perfect for activities like yoga and sightseeing. Their wide legs make them very comfortable and allow you to move freely, whether you're stretching or walking. Plus, culottes look good on many body types. If your body is straight, with your waist and hips about the same size, culottes can make you look like you have more curves. If your hips are wider than your chest, culottes help your body look more balanced. And if your middle part is fuller, culottes are great because they don't cling to your body, making you look nice. 

I wanted our collection to feel relaxing, so I decided to add nature's calming beauty to it. This inspired me to think about the colors and designs for our culottes, taking inspiration from Glacier National Park's peaceful scenery. The park's serene colors caught my eye, so I created a mood board to capture that feeling. I imagined our culottes in a calm blue and purple, like the park's sky, making them easy to match with other clothes. I also added some golden touches to the design, inspired by the sunlight on the mountains.

What's in these Culottes?

In my search to create the perfect culottes for petite women, I did a lot of research to make sure everything, like the waist, rise, and length, fit just right. Here's what I focused on:

• Comfortable Design: I wanted these culottes to feel as comfy as wearing a maxi skirt but still be as versatile as pants, so I made sure they have an elastic waist for easy wearing. 
• Skin-Friendly Fabric: I chose a fabric (Lenzing EcoVero)  that's soft and gentle on the skin, absorbs sweat, and keeps you feeling fresh all day long. With these culottes, you can enjoy both luxury and practicality in your daily life.
• Handy Pockets: One cool thing about these culottes is that they have big pockets, which are super handy. You can easily carry your phone, keys, or wallet without needing a bag. This makes your outfit simpler and gives you more freedom to move around comfortably.
• Environmental Considerations: To make sure these culottes are good for the environment, I made careful choices throughout the production process. In addition to selecting eco-friendly fabric, I also chose printing methods and packaging that are gentle on the planet. 
• Petite-Friendly Prints: I also worked closely with our print designer, Siobhan, to make sure the print size looks just right. Siobhan is great at making patterns that make petite women look even better, so our culottes not only look stylish but also complement your figure nicely.

Although I'm still working on designing a top to go with these culottes, they're so versatile that you probably already have something in your wardrobe that goes well with them. Whether it's a simple t-shirt, a pretty blouse, or a cozy sweater, these culottes are the perfect base for many stylish outfits.

The Design Process

Sewing has always been a passion of mine, and I've felt the frustration of not finding well-fitting clothes firsthand. I've always dreamed of having more clothing options for petite women. However, my lack of experience in the fashion industry made me hesitant to pursue this dream. But as I started looking for inspiration, especially on Pinterest, my determination to make this dream a reality only grew. This led me to take the online fashion business course with Vicki, where I finally found the direction I needed. It was there that I decided to focus on creating a clothing line specifically for petite women, aiming to address a gap in the market that I've always been acutely aware of. (Note: If you're considering joining Vicki's course through my link, please note it's an affiliate link, meaning I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!)

As I mentioned earlier, creating the culottes was a collaborative effort. There are four key steps in our design process: 

1. Creating the Tech Pack

In this phase, I collaborated closely with Vicki, who serves as both my business coach and our technical designer for the brand, to pinpoint features that complement various petite body types and to determine the precise points of measurement (POM) tailored specifically for petite women. 

If you're curious, a tech pack functions as a blueprint for production, detailing every aspect from the 2D technical drawing, measurements, to materials, ensuring that the final product aligns seamlessly with the original design. With this Tech Pack in hand, our production partner crafts the patterns and, ultimately, brings our designs to life. Before taking Vicki's course, I didn't realize the importance of proportion for petite sizing. I've had the opportunity to interview Vicki about this aspect, and if you're interested, I invite you to delve deeper into it by reading our blog post (click here to view).

2. Designing the Textile Print

In this phase, our textile designer, Siobhan, used my moodboard to create the print pattern motif for the culottes. A textile print motif is like a special picture that repeats across a piece of fabric. When making a repeat pattern, it's crucial to ensure that the picture fits together perfectly when it repeats, like puzzle pieces, for a smooth and continuous pattern.

Once Siobhan completed the design, Vicki created a mockup to visualize how the print would look on the pants within the 2D technical drawing. We provided feedback to Siobhan, who then adjusted the colors and scale accordingly. Siobhan expresses her ideas through digital and hand drawing. If you're interested, I previously interviewed Siobhan, and you can learn more by reading it in this blog post (click here to view).

3. Selecting Suitable Fabric

This step took me some time because I was new to sustainable fashion. To better understand the fabrics, I ordered fabric swatches from potential suppliers and tested each one individually. I've previously written a blog post outlining the factors I considered when selecting suitable fabrics for resort wear. If you're interested, I invite you to check out that blog post (click here to view).

Once I determined the fabric, I sent the textile print motif to our digital printing partner. They utilize a special printer designed for fabrics, allowing them to create intricate and vibrant patterns. After printing, they carefully heat-treat the fabric to ensure the design remains bright and long-lasting. However, there's more to it than meets the eye. The smoother the fabric, the more vivid and beautiful the print will be. What's even more exciting is that our supplier uses natural fabrics and eco-friendly, biodegradable inks. This means you'll not only enjoy stunning prints but also make an environmentally friendly choice!

4. Making the 3D Mockup and Sample

With the Tech pack in hand, our manufacturer created a computerized pattern and a 3D mockup of the culottes design. It's fascinating to visualize how the culottes would appear even before seeing the actual sample! Upon confirming the 3D mockup and upon receiving the printed fabric, they produced a sample for us to check the fit. 

One thing I want to note is that our fabric supplier, digital print partner, and manufacturer are all based in Bali, Indonesia. With this, we enjoy several benefits for sustainable fashion. One significant advantage is the reduced carbon footprint. By sourcing materials and producing garments locally, we minimize transportation distances, thereby lowering the carbon emissions associated with shipping materials and finished products across long distances. This aligns with our commitment to eco-conscious practices and reducing our environmental impact. 🌿

Next Steps

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post! Currently, we have the first batch of samples for the culottes available in sizes XS to XL, and I'm incredibly grateful that my family and friends have volunteered to be my fit testers. They'll be trying on the culottes, providing valuable feedback, and comparing the fit to their usual pants sizes. Their insights and recommendations will help me make any necessary improvements to ensure that our culottes are the perfect fit for everyone! 

If you're excited about the launch of our culottes and want to be the first to know when they're available, make sure to sign up for our newsletter (click here to join)! You'll receive updates on our progress, exclusive offers, and more. Thank you again for your support, and I can't wait to share this journey with you all! 😊