The tale of designing must not initiate its journey through ornamentation instead it tends to take off with small gestures of learning to listen to body, to the space existing between gestures and stillness in the memory lane. In Absent Findings, clothes are never thought about as statements, but rather as reactions to living life. They are aimed at walking with the wearer, living rhythms without disturbing them and showing complexity in simplicity. The Draped Shoulder Vest represents this philosophy. It is not just a piece of clothing, it is an experience of how clothing can stretch an intention to shape and how utility can be allowed to co-exist with silent beauty. This vest is a result of the realization that clothes can be not only touchable but also intelligent, solid and flowing. It celebrates the body-environment interplay which is a fundamental principle of the work of Absent Findings where it creates an art through reacting to movement instead of defining it. It is not focused on; it is compensated by being there.
A Surface That Breathes and Responds
Upon sight, the Draped Shoulder Vest stands out due to material wealth. It was made out of deadstock faux suede to provide that luxurious, touchable feeling that replicates the natural quality and texture of the real suede, without bringing about that ethical and environmental price. The selection is not accidental, as it demonstrates the attitude of the brand toward the conscious use of materials, as well as the observance of the existing textiles in different designs. The surface plays with light and movement to shift slightly to remind the viewer of the life of fabric in time and space never resting, ever changing. This is not just an aesthetic quality but a tactile quality that is experiential. It reacts to posture, breath and subtlety of gesture in a manner that is instinctive as opposed to impositional.
Form Without Force
The shape of the vest is supposedly plain, but also highly considered. The right shoulder is provided with three snap closures to make it easy to wear and adjust the silhouette. This is not a utilitarian addition, but rather a design solution that will provide the wearer with power over form and size. The arrangement of the snaps means that the vest can be worn tightened to achieve a more streamlined body or can be left loose to create a fabric fall and offer visual rhythm out of choice and not dictate.
The pleats along the seam of the shoulder are also used, creating a distinctive feature: they provide a flowing effect due to the elegant movement of a sari close to the torso. This appeal to the sari is not borrowed to be ornamented; it is called up as a pattern language. The pleats are modelled and not forced creating some organic elegance to the form of the vest.
Another addition to enhance the wearability includes magnetic fasteners along the right side which are invisible, unobtrusive, smooth.
This vest is a stark reminder of the fact that in many cultures newness is synonymous with too much, and that restraint with purpose is a good way to create room to make meaning. The Draped Shoulder Vest by Absent Findings, in its material selection, attentive crafting and cultural connection can challenge the ways that we move, the way we wear clothes and how the clothing may become a part of the language of the body.
