SPRING 2023. GRASSER patterns collection

We have issued the Spring 2023 patterns collection. Being slow fashion supporters, while creating our new collections,  we carefully analyse all global trends and select only ones which are only arriving or actively spreading. It allows us not to worry about timeframes, not to hurry and get focused on the process of creation, designing the outfits which will be trendy for several more seasons.

Here we are going to tell you about our inspiration, our concept and designer’s solutions we have applied. 

Inspiration

Our studio is located in the centre of Saint Petersburg, and, as many times before,  we got inspired with what we are surrounded by. This collection is about our city: about comfort, clear lines, power and rhythm.

In our new pattern collection we used simple silhouettes and many functional details: pockets, detachable sleeves or hood. The wider shoulder line demonstrates power and self-confidence. 

You can feel the rhythm in every garment: metal zippers, geometry of patch pockets and flaps, plaids. It's a simple rhythm that creates the big city impulse: the impulse of moving forward regardless of anything. The best we can do is keep moving and creating.

Collection personality

GRASSER collection is not only about our city, it’s also about ourselves: about women power, teamwork and the present day. Every new pattern collection made by GRASSER is a product of many women's teamwork. When so many brains and hands work together it looks like an orchestra. Ideas, conversations, discussions, drafting, cutting, fitting, metres of fabrics, kilometres of stitches, sleepless nights, reconstructions, purring of sewing machines and hissing of steam irons, hot tea during breaks, tired eyes, laughter, anxiety and hope. We all are different: noisy and quiet, fast and slow, bold and humble but always brave and young, whatever age we are!

That is, probably, why our collection has a strong and independent personality, but, at the same time, it shows femininity and sexuality.

We wanted to demonstrate the new sexuality when a woman does not need to bare her body to get attention. This sexuality may show up in the intellect, strength and diversity. This collection is dedicated to different women. We can be beautiful, sexual, intelligent and successful. Everything at once, that is why the collection is eclectic, a mixture of different textures and materials.

The landmark of our spring collection has become a roomy bag  GRASSER №1000. We have a tradition to issue a pattern we have never made before for each 100th pattern. This time we chose a bag where all your items can fit in so you will never worry about the lack of space. 

Fundamentals of the design

We all wish to change our looks more frequently in spring but the weather does not let us to leave the warm clothes behind. In the new season we offer a wide range of outerwear: 3 coats, raincoats, a biker jacket, a bomber,  a jacket and a coat with a detachable hood, blazers.

The trend for bigger ease still persist, that is why we have designed, amongst others, a new classic trench coat for our spring collection. It is more loose and its proportions differ from ones of the previous patterns. At the same time we left unchanged the raglan sleeve and the length of the classic Burberry trench coat.   

All top garments have wider shoulders in the spring collection. We have used two types of designer’s solutions for that. On one hand, it is stiff shoulders and shoulder pads:

On the other:  the softness of the shirt sleeve and raglan sleeve:

For the bottoms, we follow the trend for the dropping the waistline, that is why we drafted our garments with low rise, however we used various designer’s solutions for our trousers. The rise will be different in each garment. Nearly all the trousers have a flared hemline.

For this collection we set a goal to expand the size options as much as possible. Most of the garments are available up to the size 62.

Fabric selection

In accordance with the season we used majorly coating, suiting and dressing fabrics for our spring collection. We selected our fabrics following the global trends: denim, cotton, leather, knit, plaid fabrics.

As usually, we tried to opt for natural fabrics, except for the leather. We prefer to use faux leather for our garments. Only the bag GRASSER №1000 is made out of natural leather. However, we recommend other options, such as faux leather, faux suede, trench coat cotton, oxford canvass, corduroy, denim and other materials. 

The colour range of this season consists of neutral light shades and classic black, colours typical for a capsule wardrobe. They match everything and perfectly complete any look, especially if it is an outer layer of the outfit. 

We put two vivid accents: navy-blue colour and plaid - the new season trends. Navy is a new black. It is a very deep colour, it is conceptual and mysterious. This colour matches truly Saint Petersburg. 

We used plaid fabric for our dress and a knit ensemble: a cardigan with a vest. The garments demonstrate a compelling combination of a simple silhouette with a fabric pattern. However, it looks simple only at first glance. For example, the dress is cut on the bias, which is not that easy to do. 

A variety of haberdashery is used in the collection: zippers, metal buckles and others, unconventional ones. For example, we used ordinary suiting buttons for our tweed jacket. It’s something unusual. Tweed is associated with the Chanel brand, thus, metal buttons are to be used. We decided to break this stereotype.

Generally, mix-and-match textures and an unorthodox approach are the distinctive features of our new collection. That is how diversity is demonstrated. On one hand, we offer many basic and “comprehensible” ideas. On the other - totally new and unordinary realisation. This is our understanding and following of the global trends. For instance, the tweed jacket is unexpectedly designed as a cardigan.

We select the fabrics mostly in our store. If we cannot find the right fabric there, we purchase some more or co-operate with our partners. We purchased a lot of plaid fabric this season.

Technologies

There is much hard work behind those simple designs and silhouettes. We illustrated various sewing technologies in this collection: cutting on bias, finishing of the cuff’s lower edge, new types of construction of yokes which continue as cut-on flaps, construction of the units out of a double-faced coating fabric.

There are units quite complicated to sew, for example, in our trousers GRASSER №1007 it is construction of the pockets and a button closure that covers a button fly. 

The sewing technologies applied for detachable pieces are equally hard. The biker jacket GRASSER №1010 has detachable sleeves. The padded jacket and coat GRASSER №1001 feature a detachable hood, which is attached with buttons to the inner side of the neckline.  

At the same time, we mixed the tricky technologies with simple ones, which the beginners can cope with. Our instructions became so detailed that you can learn new sewing technologies by following them.

Photoshoot

We commence introducing red in this collection. Viva Magenta is a natural red, it is Pantone colour of the year 2023. This colour is entering its active phase.

Red is a bold colour, it takes time to get used to it. We are going to add it gradually. It is used in accessories during our spring collection  photoshoot and as a background for our marketing campaign.  That is our head-start for the summer and autumn collection where there will be much more red.

You can see all the patterns of the spring collection here. 

Best of luck with your sewing projects! Please, share your makes in social media and hashtag the pattern number, remember, your creation may inspire others.