Rojo Mistral

Rojo Mistral was developed from pre-consumer textile waste (discarded textile scraps) from university apparel design workrooms. The versatile dress, including removable red tube skirt and neckpiece, were originally discarded and then upcycled to create wearable design. Rojo Mistral employed a ruffling textile surface design technique where narrow strips of discarded scraps were sewn together to form long continuous lengths, and then gathered and pleated to create evenly distributed ruffles for decorative application. Ruffle design application and shaping of pattern pieces were inspired by the strong Mistral wind that blows from southern France into the Gulf of Lion. The negative space left between the swirling rows of ruffles creates visual movement for the viewer through the contrast of black and red while delivering an interesting aesthetic for the wearer. Textiles utilized in design primarily included synthetic fibers in knits, twills, plain weaves, and satins to name a few