Design & Research

Cover of a fashion collection titled 'Paper Dresses' by Colin Bunn and Tabitha Wagner, featuring a collage of colorful paper dresses in the background.
A woman in a pink dress with blue polka dots, a matching polka-dot hat, and white tights and high heels, shown in various poses against a pink and blue polka-dotted background. She has tattoos on her arms and is holding a pink clutch and a pink book
A woman with tattoos on her arm, wearing a pink polka dot outfit with a hood, is applying lipstick and holding a lipstick tube in a dressing room. She has red hair, a nose piercing, and is seen in multiple poses, including covering her face and using
A woman with red hair wearing a yellow vintage outfit and gloves, holding a pink bouquet of flowers and a paper with the word 'Mademoiselle', against a colorful, polka-dotted background with torn paper pieces.
A collage illustrating 1960s fashion featuring women in colorful mini dresses and skirts, paired with accessories like handbags, with vintage styled photos on a polka dot background.
A collage highlighting 1960s fashion trends with text and vintage photos of young people in 1960s clothing. The background features a pink and white geometric pattern, with two vintage photographs of fashionably dressed young individuals.
An informational graphic about paper dresses, featuring examples of paper dresses and vintage advertisements.
A colorful educational display about the history of paper dresses, featuring vintage fashion images and text.
A collage with a pink and white geometric background, featuring vintage and modern dresses, and text about paper dresses and fashion History. The text discusses the cultural significance of paper dresses, their display in pop art and politics, and th
A colorful collage with a blue sky background, featuring vintage fashion photos, Text about paper dress fashion evolution, and a group of people standing in front of a bus.
A pink polka dot background with torn paper elements and a pink text box containing a concept statement about 1960s paper dresses. There is a small illustration of a woman wearing a colorful, patterned paper dress in the bottom left corner.
A collage showing a woman in a pink dress with blue polka dots being transformed with paper to resemble a dress, styled with clutch, tights, and white pumps, in a process with multiple photos of her interacting with the paper and accessories.

Paper Dresses

(With Tabitha Wagner)

I decided to take a look into the 1960’s short-lived trend of paper dresses. This presentation has my research and summary of the trend as well as a photoshoot of my own paper dress.

A fashion collection cover titled 'A Pleating Moment' by Colin Bunn, featuring two women in vintage polka-dot dresses holding hands, set against a background of pink and white striped fabric with an American flag motif.
Collage with vintage fashion illustrations, black-and-white photographs of people, a flag-themed fabric background, and a photo of a woman doing a split
Diagram of vintage clothing patterns labeled "Tech Flats" for a 36 Pleat Jacket, 18 Pleat Trousers, 18 Pleat Skirt. The jacket pattern shows front and back views with details about pleats, sleeves, and pockets. The trousers and skirt patterns include
An informational chart titled 'Fabric Sourcing' displaying four types of denim fabric: raw denim, washed denim, polka dot poplin, and striped poplin, each with a sample and descriptive paragraph.
Diagram showing different denim clothing patterns, including jackets and pants, in various styles and colors with labels such as Raw Denim, Washed Denim, Polka Dot Poplin, and Striped Poplin.
Photo of a clothing manufacturing workshop with workers sewing and managing denim garments, alongside images of denim pants, shirts, and jackets with accompanying text about Raleigh Denim's manufacturing process.

A Pleating Moment

This design project is a modular, size-free apparel line that fuses the 1950s rockabilly denim styles with sustainable sizing. By using expanding pleats, these garments adapt to any wearer’s body, adding more longevity and inclusivity.

Colorful flowers and plants with a background of botanical illustrations and seed packets. Overlaid text reads 'Cabbagetown Coveralls' with 'Tabitha Wagner & Colin Bunn' beneath. Fashion collection
A colorful poster advertising Cabbagetown Coveralls, a workwear brand for women that is designed with gardening in mind. The poster features an illustration of green coveralls with orange pockets, gardening tools, gloves, and a small plant growing fr
A woman in gardening clothes and a wide-brimmed hat standing in a garden holding a potted plant, with a wooden frame around the image and text about gardening products and their detail-oriented design.
Illustration of four green camouflage coveralls made from cotton canvas fabric, all matching in design and different in size. The coveralls feature multiple pockets, zippers, and adjustable straps, with orange patches and accents, including patches o
A sewing pattern includes workwear, waxed canvas jacket and pants with leather reinforcements, and a detachable hood for rain protection, all in different sizes.
An infographic showing gardening gear: an adjustable cotton sun hat, patterned gloves with recycled leather, a long-strap utility belt made of recycled materials, and a fabric gardening bag. The sun hat fits most, the gloves can be rolled up for casu
A promotional sign highlighting custom zipper pulls and buttons, featuring an image of a zipper pull on the left, a circular button on the right with the text "CABBAGETOWN COVERS" around it, and a background with a floral pattern. The sign states tha
A chart displaying fabric options: canvas, waxed canvas, cotton poplin, and vegetable tanned leather, with sample fabrics and notes about their characteristics and origins.
A graphic showing a circular patch with a vintage-style embroidered logo of a tote bag filled with avocado slices and a croissant, with text around the patch reading "CABBAGETOWN COVERALLS." The background is textured teal. The diagram explains that
An open cardboard box with a message inside that states all products are packaged in recycled cardboard boxes, padded with brown paper, and tied with twine. Beside the box are brown paper tags made with recycled cardboard and natural inks, one attach
A promotional image showing seed packets and seedling cards for gardening. The background is a green patterned surface. The text states, "Each purchase comes with a packet of in-season starter seeds for your garden!" There are seed packets from Pole'
Text on a presentation slide about American manufacturing, with pictures of a factory, cotton, a staple remover, and a cloth bag, and a background of the Los Angeles skyline.
Target pricing chart for work and rain gear, including coveralls, apron, work pants, work jacket, rain coat, hoodie, gloves, sun hat, utility belt, and a small description of the production process.
A graphic illustration showing various patterned patches of fabric arranged in a circular pattern around the globe, with text emphasizing self-expression through clothing and culture.
Display of various used and repaired clothing items such as jackets, overalls, shirts, and coveralls, with text about how customers wear and repair coveralls to build community through storytelling.
Illustration of a floral jumpsuit with a camo pattern, zipper front, pockets, and rolled-up sleeves, accompanied by a background with a pink and yellow flower print and text about limited edition patterns on light cotton poplin.
A marketing poster comparing gardening workwear brands, including L.L. Bean, GardenHier, Levi's, Lee, Duluth Trading, Carhartt, PFG, and Dickies, with a background of green floral patterns and a central illustration of a gardening basket.

CabbageTown Coveralls

(With Tabitha Wagner)

My partner Tabitha and I created a modular gardening coverall using the pleating system from “A Pleating Moment”. The coveralls are designed specifically around garden work and are aimed at an overlooked market; Women-centric workwear. This project features fully rendered flats as well as a fleshed-out business plan and marketing strategy.

Cover art for the fashion collection "Twister" by Colin Bunn featuring a background of a damaged building and three people in vintage clothing, with the title 'Twister' in large distressed white letters.
A young with dark, curly hair wearing an oversized, dark coat with large buttons, standing on a yellow curb outside a building under renovation. The building has exposed wood framing and plywood, with a blue door and a green warning sign. She is hol
A group of five people wearing raincoats and holding umbrellas standing on a sandy beach near the water's edge. The shoreline is lined with trees and bushes.
Four people wade through a shallow river near a forested bank, with trees and fallen branches in the background, on a cloudy day.
Sketches of four individuals wearing diverse, eclectic outfits, set against a cloudy sky background with scattered fabric swatches and textures.
Illustration of four fashion models standing in front of a stormy sky background, wearing eclectic, oversized clothing with hats and accessories.
A collage of images including a stormy sky with lightning and tornado, destroyed buildings, and various people in fashion and military attire.
Display of various upcycled and repurposed clothing items on mannequin busts and mannequins, set against a stormy sky background with wind turbines. The text reads 'Drapery + Upcycling'.
Collage of images showing natural disasters like tornadoes, lightning storms, volcanic eruption, and destruction of buildings, with the text 'Thematic Research' in the top left.
A weather-themed collage titled 'Color Story' with sections for mood and colors, including photographs of thunderstorms, lightning, damaged buildings, and cracked earth, alongside color swatches in various shades of red, gray, green, black, purple, a
A fabric sample board with various fabric swatches pinned to a grid background, labeled with notes about their materials, including wool, cotton, leather, fleece, and synthetics, and some printed photos of fabric textures and patterns.
Collage of clothing items including jackets, jeans, shirts, and accessories, with handwritten notes and annotations about fabric types, textures, and design details.
Collage of various fashion sketches and photographs of apparel, including jackets, skirts, and dresses, with notes and annotations written in colorful ink.
Fashion models wearing sustainable and eco-friendly clothing made from natural, recycled, and handmade materials, with detailed annotations about each outfit, including descriptions of fabrics, dyes, and design processes.

Twister

This design project revolves around the concept of natural disasters, specifically tornadoes and hurricanes. I created 8 looks and created the distressed overcoat from look 5.

Ancient Greek statues and sculptures displayed against a plaid background with the text "Ancient Greek Fashion" at the top.
Three sculptures of women wearing fashion-inspired clothing, set against a background of carved letter engravings.
Collage of a young woman with dark hair wearing a green plaid top with gold embellishments, a dark skirt, and sandals. She is in various indoor settings, including sitting at a desk with two monitors, standing with her arms crossed, looking at her ph
Collage of various fashion styles, historical and modern, including ancient statues, vintage clothing, contemporary models, and cartoon characters.
Fashion research cover titled "Reinventing the Ruff" by Colin Bunn, featuring an ornate chandelier against a red textured background with a decorative floral border.
Collage of a young person with shoulder-length dark hair wearing a ruffled, multicolored scarf with plaid, red, orange, and beige shades and a white shirt, in different poses against a dark background.
A historical informational display about patterned and Dupioni silk, featuring fabric samples in pink, red, and striped patterns, along with portraits of noblewomen in elaborate attire.
An informative poster about ruffs, featuring historical images of ruffs and portraits of Queen Elizabeth I, with detailed descriptions of their use and significance in European history.
Historical images of women wearing elaborate ruffs with lace and lace collars, and men in period clothing, illustrating the evolution of ruffs from the late 1400s to early 1600s.
A educational poster titled 'Further Evolution of the Ruff' with text explaining the history and style of ruffs, a fashion accessory, alongside five historical painted portraits of people wearing elaborate ruffs of various styles and sizes.
Collage of fashion images with text. Top left features a woman in a patchwork Valentino Couture SS 2025 outfit with large ruffled collar. To her right, a photo of Lady Gaga in a red Atsuko Kudo gown. Below her, a black and white vintage portrait of a

Historical Fashion

I created a full look based off of the silhouettes commonly found in Ancient Greece. I decided to give it a modern twist by using common menswear fabrics, plaid flannel and denim. I also created a silk ruff drawing inspiration from the baroque period of art.