tomaz tijerina konja
i am an industrial designer who works across disciplines, combining hands-on making with a deep interest in discursive and experimental design.
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6. Itera, 2024
Designer
Pattern Cutting
Dyeing
Sewing
Sashiko
N/A
Experimental
Project Statement
Itera is a material-driven exploration of repair, renewal, and the quiet beauty found in objects shaped by time. Inspired by the Japanese traditions of boro and sashiko, the project embraces mending not as a corrective act, but as an opportunity to highlight texture, history, and craftsmanship. Rather than concealing signs of wear, Itera elevates them, revealing how repaired cloth can become richer and more expressive through attentive care.
At its core, the project is a study in natural materials and traditional techniques. Natural dye processes, shibori patterning, and hand-stitched reinforcement became the foundation for the work, guiding both the aesthetic and the ethos of the final piece. The palette, textures, and structure emerge directly from these processes, allowing the material itself to speak through color shifts, layered stitching, and the tactile rhythm of thread.
While the act of repair is central to the spirit of Itera, the deeper intention was to create something grounded in authenticity: something made slowly, thoughtfully, and with respect for the traditions that informed it. Through this approach, Itera becomes more than a product; it becomes an artifact of process, a celebration of natural fibers, and a quiet reminder that beauty often lives in the things we choose to restore and keep close.
Process
The development of Itera began with a series of material studies centered on natural dyeing. I experimented with plant-based dyes to understand how color, fiber, and chemistry interact, and how these variables could support a project rooted in tradition and material honesty. These early tests established a palette and surface quality that would guide the rest of the work.
With a dye foundation in place, I turned to sashiko stitching, practicing its patterns, techniques, and structural logic. This step allowed me to explore how reinforcement and ornament could coexist, and how stitch rhythm could communicate both care and craftsmanship.
Once I understood these methods more deeply, I began generating concepts for what form could best express them. Denim emerged as the most fitting choice. As a garment associated with labor and durability, denim provided a natural link to ideas of repair and longevity. Its history as workwear allowed the project’s themes to be embodied rather than just demonstrated.
I sourced a sewing pattern that aligned with the silhouette and construction needs of the project. The pattern was then cut into its component pieces using white Japanese bull denim, chosen for its weight and natural fiber content. Each piece was dyed individually using rich purple logwood, walnut hulls, iron, and select accents dyed with cutch. These natural dyes created depth, organic variation, and a sense of rootedness in traditional craft practices.
Before assembling the garment, I applied patches and sashiko stitching directly onto the dyed pattern pieces. Working at this stage allowed the repairs and embellishments to feel integrated rather than applied, reinforcing the project’s emphasis on mending as a meaningful and visible act.
Finally, the completed pieces were sewn together, forming the finished pair of denim pants. Through the combined processes of dyeing, stitching, patterning, and assembly, Itera became a study in natural materials, traditional techniques, and the expressive potential of repair.