The project is dedicated to creating a print for a white t-shirt inspired by the traditional women’s costume of the Smolensk province. The starting point was the shugai—a traditional women’s garment featuring a distinct silhouette, decorative construction, and plant-based ornamentation.
At the heart of the print is a reinterpretation of the shuga form through graphics. Its bodice, waistlines, decorative belt, and gathered lower section are transformed into a single ornamental pattern directly applied to the t-shirt. The traditional costume is not copied literally, but rather translated into a contemporary visual language.
For the decorative composition, motifs characteristic of the traditional ornament of the Smolensk Governorate were used: floral and botanical elements, branches, small buds, and ornamental stripes. They come together in a symmetrical composition reminiscent of traditional embroidery and decorative costume trim.
For the project, a standard, loose-fitting white T-shirt was chosen. The white base color allows the garment to maintain a sense of lightness and modernity, making the decorative print the primary visual element.
The color palette is based on a combination of white, muted blue, golden ochre, and gray-beige. This combination evokes antique embroidery and woven decor while simultaneously maintaining the contemporary character of the piece.
The print occupies the central area on the front of the T-shirt. The upper part of the design is placed around the chest, resembling a decorative breastplate. Vertical lines visually elongate the silhouette and transition into an ornamental belt.
The lower part of the composition widens, forming a motif reminiscent of a gathered cowl from a shuga. Through the repeating lines and botanical ornament, a sense of volume and movement is created, even though the design itself remains flat.
The planned application technology is DTG, direct-to-garment digital printing. This method allows for the preservation of fine details in the botanical pattern, thin lines, and a wide range of shades. Before production, a test print must be created to verify color reproduction, pattern sharpness, scale, and print placement on the garment.
Thus, the project combines the traditional costume of the Smolensk province with contemporary everyday wear. Shugai is not presented as historical reconstruction, but rather as a source of form, ornamentation, and composition for modern prints.
