Kankoue Folly Capstone

To be an engineer is to be committed to expressing yourself unapologetically. That is what I believe. Last year, I was worried about what I wanted my capstone to focus on. I was thinking everything engineering, traditional engineering. However, after some meaningful class discussions with Mr. Ugworji, I concluded the best capstone would be something I would do in my own free time.

So I decided to focus my capstone around Fashion. Something I knew very little about when it comes to production and its direct relation to engineering.

After intensive research, I came across Virgil Abloh, a Mechanical Engineer, Founder of Off-White, and Creative Director of Louis Vuitton. Virgil helped me understand how I can use engineering concepts to aid my clothing designs.

I quickly realized that Virgil specializes in Deconstruction, an aesthetic that sheds more spotlight on the materials that make up the final product. Deconstruction is very similar to reconstruction, the aesthetic I emulate, directly influenced by my favorite designer house Sacai.

So why?

Well, we need more engineers in Fashion. Clothes production is one of the leading causes of the climate crisis. To produce one T-Shirt, it takes 40 gallons of water. So during the early stages of my capstone, I decided to work with second-hand clothing. I, alongside my brother, started a collective that focuses on using old materials and creating something new. This leads to a reconstruction aesthetic and a less polluted environment. Although I faced many difficulties while finishing this capstone(such as breaking my sewing machine three times and deciding to just hand stitch), I persevered, and I am glad to say I made something I am proud of.