Seek Process: Development
It feels exciting to start launching more of our Seek Process videos as it's been a real labor of love getting them all made. In October of 2018 I brought my friend and photographer Josh John with me on my India production trip and he filmed every step involved in the making of Seek Collective. It required very long days and a lot of traveling between all the groups we work with. Once back home, Christopher Portka created original musical scores for all the videos. Documenting all the work that has gone into Seek over the last several years has been an emotional experience for me as so much of my life has been dedicated to finding and working with these incredible people. My hope is by being able to see the techniques, skills, and work that goes into each garment, it will help shine light on some of the complexity of apparel manufacturing and help you feel more connected to what you are wearing.
Our initial video teaser was a short version of We Are Seek Collective a few weeks back and now we are releasing the story of how each collection is developed. When I began Seek I had already worked as a designer for over a decade in corporate settings and I wanted to see if it was possible to be more involved in the various steps of the supply chain in a responsible way. I didn't want to just hand off my designs to a factory to get things done. I want to know personally where the fabric is coming from, what dyes are being used, and help support historic crafts and communities. I want to know all the people who bring the garments to life through weaving, printing, stitching, and more. Doing things this way has certainly made it a great deal harder and more complex, however it allows for honest transparency in how each item is produced. This video speaks to how design development works in creating each season and some of the key people on the ground who make it happen. There's also sneak peeks of some of the prints launching soon for the SS19 season if you keep your eyes peeled!
I hope you enjoy! x, Carol