I designed this blazer as part of my senior collection, with a lapel and collar that extend to form straps that cross over each other in the back and tie. Including a detail in the collection that I had never seen before was an important goal. I knew there would be a carefully fitted blazer in the collection because I love tailoring and the detailed construction that goes into it.

I included an exaggerated hip detail using an added side panel, set in a proper two-piece sleeve, and shifted the pattern to make it double-breasted. However, the lure of doing something with the collar and lapel was most exciting to me.

Focus on the collar and lapels

I looked into ways that collars and lapels had been manipulated in the past and found that so much had been explored. I enjoy the pointed and extended collars of the 1970s, along with a sharp peak lapel. They led me to consider how to take the collar and lapel one step further. Plus, I wanted the concept of ties crossing as a cohesive silhouette detail throughout my collection. I knew I could find a way to include it in my blazer. I started to play around through sketching and, after lots of redesigning, came up with my final concept.

Drafting the blazer

I drafted the blazer using slopers and adjusted the pattern to include a front, back, and side panel. I used the added side panel to exaggerate the blazer’s hip area. The exaggerated hip created an aesthetically pleasing point where the ties could land.

I’ll show how you can add ties to a new or favorite notched collar blazer pattern to create a similar look.

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Annika Geissberger, a 2024 graduate of the fashion program at Marist University in New…