Showing constraint in your design doesn’t mean compromise

In an earlier blog, we mentioned Dieter Rams and his 10 principles of design. His motto (translated from German) is “Less, but better”.

It can be difficult to maintain restraint in a world which demands “more, more, more!” of everything. The advent of sublimated polo shirts has in some ways encouraged “busy looking” designs that can be sometimes a little difficult on the eye. For some, the fact that something can be done is reason enough to do it.

Care must be taken to not design for the sake of it. Something that may seem fashionable today may at best be unfashionable tomorrow, and at worst, a piece of comedy in 10 years.

Showing restraint in design does not mean compromise though. We may, for example, design a polo shirt that features only 3 logos. But, those three logos may be applied to the garment using three different embellishment methods.

One logo itself may require three different embellishment methods. This would entail a panel of clothing visiting three different factories to have the three different decoration methods lovingly applied. This design may not be loud and over the top but might delight the wearer time and time again when they consider the work that has gone into their garment.

Let the fabric and the cut of the garment speak for itself and allow the person wearing it to express themself.

Here is an example of a polo shirt Animi Equine produced for the 2018 Victorian Show Horse team.

This is a classic looking polo shirt in navy. At a glance, you will see restraint in the design but upon a closer look, you will see the level of detail that has gone into the garment.

The circular logo is a woven badge that is appliquéd to the garment. The opposite chest features embroidery. Below that, the word Victoria has been screen printed above the 2018 which is embroidered.

That is 4 separate processes on the one panel of a polo shirt. The end result is understated but luxurious.