Collection 2010

A few catwalk images from my 2nd year collection. Inspired by Art Deco shapes, interiors and architecture, with one dress to be submitted for the Maria Grachvogel design competition..

My ideal first job

POSTS BELOW WERE MAINLY TASKS CARRIED OUT FOR MY UNIVERSITY COURSE ASSESSMENT, AND TO DOCUMENT THE PROGRESS OF PROJECTS ETC.

This is the kind of job description that would ideally appeal to me, i think?, as a fashion graduate.

5 min presentation

A very long while ago back in the first term, we were set the task during a PPRD session to produce a 5 minute presentation, to include details about where we are now, what has got us here and where we intent to go from now.

I did in fact take the time to produce a lovely powerpoint presentation of my own, but typically, as it was such a long time ago..! the powerpoint has been swallowed up into infinity and is somewhere on my old computer (which conked out a few months ago, and has been replaced with a spanking new gem of an acer :) so no powerpoint slides to show im afriad!) I've tried to remember what was on there, nothing thrilling, just a bit of background I spose. And the 5 yr plan below probably backs up what was on the powerpoint a bit better now anyway. I still have paper copy of powerpoint somewhere, if desperately need to see it!! But hopefully you remember it from the presentation session.

Branding & Self-promotion

As mentioned below, I intend to start up my own label, either sooner or later..

I have been thinking a little, I repeat "a little"!! about what my brand might be; my customer, ethos, style, etc. IT IS NO BUSINESS PLAN.. yet!! Just a little something to get me on my way, whether its for real or just thinking about the branding for my final crit.

My would-be business card...

I chose this font for the Pippa branding as I think its simple and stylistic, sophisticated but with a fun and funky element to it, a bit like the clothing range!

Anyway, needs work but just a few initial ideas.

5 Year Plan.. eek, scary!

Task as set in PPRD2 powerpoint presention, always good to keep a 5 yr plan to stay focussed and on track!! Here's what I propose for myself in the next 5 yrs.. Subject to change..!

Gallery visits

As part of the PPRD2 unit I have to report on recent exhibitions that I have visited. I have been to a number of galleries/exhibitions over the past 2 terms and have gained a lot from them. Here are some of the ones I found the most interesting...

Lette Fein fashion students exhibition, Berlin

On a recent trip to Berlin with uni, we were fortunate enough to get to visit an exhibition of students work from all three years of the fashion course at the Lette Fein insitute of Art, Berlin. It was really inspiring. I was amazed at the standard of work from all three year groups, and surprised to see not only final yr student's exhibiting but also work from 1st and 2nd yrs were on display, and the standard of all of these were high. I was so impressed with students' illustration abilities, their fashion drawings were incredible! (see pic below) It made me really want to practise and improve on my own illustrations, I went straight out of the exhibition and across the road to the students' local art materials supplier and bought myself a load of art pens, the same kind that they use! In hope that maybe I can work on producing something as good as what I saw in the exhibition!! Another benefit from the visit was lots of ideas for ways of presenting my work for final assessment or for the fashion show, in a sleek and professional manner.

Royal College of Art MA Grads @ V&A

On a trip up to London recently to view the ShowStudio exhibition, I also made time to stop off at the V&A to see if there were any interesting exhibitions going on there, and there was! I took lots of pictures as the design ideas were amazing - very orginial and pushing boundaries. I also saw some of their sketchbooks and they had used some really interesting illustrative styles and ways of laying out.

Brohan Museum, Berlin

Also whilst in Berlin I made a concious effort to visit the Brohan Museum as it is the state museum for Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Functionalism. I found some great things in there, did lots of sketching, as photos were not allowed (although I was very naughty and snuck out my camera..!) because I saw the most amazing upholstered chair which struck me instantly. I loved it because it featured the fan shapes that I have been using in my designs, but it had a padded/ quilted surface to it. I saw it and instantly gave me the idea to do something similar for my garments, instead of them being flat pieces, i wanted to pad them out and give it a more 3 dimensional structure. When i got home i began toiling and sampling this idea straight away! (see pics of said art deco chairs above!)

Deco-licious!!

A little bit about my Professional Project...

I have come to realise that my creative style tends to take on quite a structured and architectural form, and I am fascinated by shape. I wanted to develop in this style so I decided to use Art Deco as my reference point. I love the bold shapes and form of art deco design, wether it be furniture, architecture, sculpture, pottery, etc. I also love the geometric shapes and patterns found within these forms.

I have been inspired constantly throughout my research, for garment shape, texture and also for print ideas, which I would ideally like to incorporate into my garment designs. However, as I am now well into the construction and toiling stage, I am finding it hard to set aside time to work on any use of print, as my garment designs require quite a lot of technical work to construct successfully.

Here's a few images that have really inspired me towards my final outfit designs.

Blog neglect. Again.

I admit I am rather poor at blogging, I find it actually takes me quite a long time to write a post! But thought as I am off ill at home today (missing out on all the styling fun at uni, boo hoo) thought I'd do a bit of a catch up..

SO.. new term - new project - COLLECTION! yay

Brief: Maria Grachvogel Lectra competition
Inspirations: Art Deco architecture/furniture/general

The brief is to submit a dress design & toile only (not the finished piece) for the MGV SS11 collection. Quite broad in a sense, but I'm guessing the dress should in effect be MGV style, eg: take reference from her creative style and put your own mark on it. I admire MGV's label for its sleek and classic look. Her designs are super feminine and her goal is, quote, "to make a woman feel like a goddess". I have been doing a bit of background research and am finding I'm falling more and more for the brand each day!

Thurs 14th Jan: MGV Shop Visit

I set off on a treck to London in search of anything Art Deco along with a pit stop at the MGV Sloane Street boutique. The sales advisors were really great in there and really helpful. They gave me loads of information and let me take photos, as well advising me to try various things on! They suggested a couple of catsuits for me to try, (MGV'S signature piece) then they brought up some past season dresses which were stunning!! I must say my favourite was the Tribal print dress - amazing! It really helped get a feel for the MGV ethos by wearing some of the garments, as they really hug your figure and ceartainly make you feel all woman!! haha. However, I do feel I need to grow at least another ft, either that or these dresses are definately meant to be worn with killer heels!

Also.. some of my Art Deco architectural findings from various London hotspots!

Not quite sure if the church is very Art Deco, but I still quite like the lines and shapes!

Charlotte Taylor intern

So yes, indeed to my delight she did reply, and after a couple of emails/phone calls we arranged that I go over to the Isle of Wight for 2 days just before Christmas. She had me to stay in the spare room and kept me fed and watered which was lovely of them. I was also joined by a 2nd yr BA Fashion student, Hattie, who I'd never actually met before! Strange as we are only in the next room from eachother! But it was quite nice to chat to her and compare our views on the two courses! Anyway, the two days felt like no time at all, but I did manage to do a bit of cutting out and sewing of one of Charlotte's jacket toiles, and I also did a bit of fabric research. She asked me to write a little statement about my time there to go on her blog, so click the link to find my mugshot and what I wrote!

http://charlotte-taylor.blogspot.com/2010/01/many-hands-make-light-work.html

Charlotte Taylor Ltd...

OH MY GOSH I am so inspired by this woman and her blog!! It is pretty much exactly what I want to be doing in a couple (or so) years time! She has blogged about looking for interns so I sent her an email.. hopefully she will reply!? Her studio is on the Isle of Wight though, so not sure if it will work out perfectly, but OH MY what an amazing opportunity that would be!! Well worth a stab in the dark..

Eeeeeek here goes..

Charlotte Taylor Ltd

Have litterally just stumbled across this blog of a St.Martins fashion graduate who is about to show their first collection in Feb. Am still looking through the blog post archive but it's so interesting, you should check it out! She is documenting her progress in the lead up to the show and the launch of the label Charlotte Taylor... I recommend taking a look! (especially fellow designers!)

http://www.charlotte-taylor.blogspot.com/

Traces Project: 'DUALITY'

Haven't said anything about our project this term yet! So thought I'd do so now..

Theme: Duality - expresses the two opposing sides on mankind's memory. +/-, good vs evil etc!

My thoughts: I want to focus on the contrast of the two opposing factors by mixing different styles of clothing within the outfit. Eg: I imagine a tough, vamp-esque jacket, possibly biker or straight-jacket style, teamed with soft and delicate underpieces. I think it will be really nice to portray the same contrast within the fabrics, perhaps mixing silks with leather for example??
Team project: The brief is a team project consisting of 2 promoters and 3 designers, including myself. The promoters recently presented the forthcoming and current trends to us, to help us with our designs. We also have on board an FdA Textiles designer who will be dyeing up the fabric for us and creating a printed lining, based around our themes which she will then develop into her own body of work. I have in mind for the main fabric, a dark charcoaly colour, that is a bit patchy in places, inspired by the images below. I would also like to use a softer lining to further represent the contrast of Duality in colours that compliment yet oppose, for example soft nudes, against the charcoal outer fabric.

27/01/2010

Project is now over but thought I would post a couple of pics of the end result!

Summer Round-up

Hello again. It's been a looong summer! Lots to report...

-- Kite Kids brochures

(May '09) After handing in my B&M outfitting/layout project to be marked by Jo, she said she was quite impressed with my work and asked me if I wanted to do some layout work for her childrenswear business! I was more than happy to accept! It initially involved putting together a mini catalogue for her AW09/10 range, and I was also invited to help out at the photoshoot aswell which was good fun, although manic at the same time! (9 children let loose in the woods.. you can imagine!) To produce the brochure I worked on Adobe InDesign, and Photoshop to edit the flat garment shots. I also produced a second brochure shortly after, to show the CAD flat drawings for the following range SS10, for them to use at trade fairs to present to buyers/retailers. The CADs had already been designed by Mudpie, so this brochure was more of a simple layout brief. But still, I learnt quite a lot during the week or two I spent working with Kite on the brochures, and it really helped me brush up on my computer skills. Things went so well in fact that we arranged for me to come back after my Debenhams placement and do some website building for Kite, as they needed to set up a new website! So I had lots to look forward to!..

-- Debenhams work placement

(June '09) Debenhams finally came through in the end! I successfully carried out my 2 week work placement in June, at their head office in London. I found it really useful as I got to learn a bit of an insight into industry and the highstreet retail design process. It made me realise more about the industry as I had a few misconceptions. I now feel a bit more clued up about the way things go for a big name fashion retailer.

(I obviously wrote a more in depth report about my placement so not going to repeat on here! So that's just a summary.)

-- More work for Kite

(end June '09) So back to Kite and building the website. We used a website provider which already sets up the basics for you, so my job involved inputting products, details, images, etc, creating links, ensuring the technical things worked properly, and I also was able to create some of the Kite Kids artwork, again using Photoshop, to be displayed on the site. I also learnt a few more Photoshop tricks whilst at Debenhams so it was really good to be able to come back to Kite with some new skills to put into practise! I think I spent about 2 weeks with Kite working on the website, after which I had booked a summer holiday to Greece, so now it was time to do some relaxing and enjoy a bit more of the summer hols!!

-- Mudpie work placement

(Sep '09) Back at Kite again for another week to put together another brochure, this time for the SS10 photoshoot, to be used more for direct selling. Meanwhile, with Jo using Mudpie for the majority of the Kite artwork and CADs, both Jo and Mudpie decided that it would be much more cost effective if we both could be trained on the software they use to produce the CAD flat drawings. They use a programme called CorelDraw, so we arranged for us to go to their design studio for a couple of training sessions. This is a great opportunity for me as it means I can broaden my computer skills even further, and that Jo is kean to have me on board for some more ongoing work at Kite in producing the CAD designs!!

Jo also enquired for me about arranging some work experience. September is a busy time at Mudpie as they have lots to do in the lead up to the release of their seasonal trend books, so they were happy to have me. I went for a week in September, and helped with various jobs, like imaging sourcing for their forthcoming trends for AW1011 and the usual scanning/photocopying etc, but I was also able on a couple of days to get a bit practice in on Corel, and have a play around with the new things I had learnt from our training session the week before. I was quite lucky to have this opportunity.

I enjoyed my time at Mudpie, and in comparison to my placement at Debenhams I felt much more 'at home'. Not sure if that's the right phrase to use, but I definately felt more comfortable in the workplace, probably because I had already experienced an industry work placement so was a little more prepared and knew what to expect. But comparing the two companies, I was much more at ease in Mudpie's smaller working environment. They have around 20ish employees I think and it was definately a much more friendly atmosphere! I think now I'd be much more inclined to apply for a job with a smaller design company than with a retail giant like Debenhams. However, I think its just a case of needing to build up my confidence with more work experience and then I think I will feel more prepared for the professional industry, in particular the big name fashion retailers. I'd like to do some more work experience for smaller design companies, so am open to anything that comes my way, and am thinking about putting out my CV when I've got some free time like in holidays, to see if there are any good placements going.

-- Kite/CorelDraw

(Oct '09) Now back at uni, in order to juggle my studies with work for Kite and also my part-time waitressing job we have agreed that I will do one full day a week (when possible) on a Saturday. I have done a couple of days already and its going really well. Im learning new things all the time and constantly improving, but the hard part is that it does take a long time!! And obviously the more accurate and detailed the CAD must be, the longer it takes! However, practise makes perfect so im getting there..!

Hello again, Blog!

Just a quick re-visit as its now the end of the first year.. It's gone sooo quickly!! I've really enjoyed it though, and I'm really pleased with all my results I have achieved for all the different modules. (apart from of course the little slip up with our FDP deadline, ooops!) I managed to get a good grade for this blog so I must have done something right?! I also got a good mark for B&M too, which I was really happy with as it has given me confidence in both areas of the course, whether I choose Design or Promotion.. I'm still going with Design but I'm pleased that I did well in B&M, just incase I ever decide on a change of direction, at least a good understanding of that will stand me in good stead!

I'm also really excited as Jo our B&M tutor thought my layout brief was really good, so has asked me to do some layout work for her business!! She wants me to create a season catalogue/brochue for her newest range, AW09/10. I may also be able to go out on the photoshoot with them which they are doing at Moors Valley! So that will be really exciting. It's all due to take place next week, so I may continue to blog about that, I'm not sure yet! But here's pics of my layout brief, which I am proud of as I put a lot of time and hard work into it!!

As for placements.. grrrrr!! That's the only thing left for this year, but I'm still waiting to be told dates, which is rather annoying. However, I'm thinking about using Jo's assignment as my work placement if I still don't hear anything from Debenhams, but not sure if this will be ok with Sarah.. will have to ask!

Anyway.. Aside from this, we return on Oct 5th, so nice long summer ahead! Yay! But it's not all playtime, we should soon be given a brief to begin over summer for our first project of the 2nd year, the Jacket project. I'm quite looking forward to it, but I must say I'm a little apprehensive to go back to restricted project briefs, as after having so much fun with the sportswear project I'm worried that I might not get on with it like some of the project briefs we had in the 1st year. I'm not really used to Tailoring either, which I am imagining the project to be focussed on?? However, hopefully we will have enough leaway to go where we want with it, and I'm sure I'll be able to work with it in one way or another!

As for targets for the 2nd year.. I guess just to continue working hard, and use my time and the studio wisely, as I have recently had some first hand experience of how stressful it can be when it comes to final collection time! Last week I helped one of the second years with the sewing of some of their collection, as they were extremely pushed for time. I didn't mind helping out as it gave me some good sewing practise (her collection was menswear including shirts, suits etc) so I now have good knowledge of the construction of a mens shirt, which is good to know, for things like collars, cuffs etc, and just for future reference really! She also gave a really generous gift voucher to thank you which was so nice. I bought some lovely bargains with it!! Below is a pic of her Final collection!

Anyway.. that's all for now, I may pop in during/after work placement time and just report back. Byeeeee :)

GOODBYE BLOG!!

So deadline is tomorrow, time to say goodbye!

I've quite enjoyed the whole blogging experience, as it is a good way of working out my thoughts when I've got things on my mind. But I find it hard to do so on a regular basis which might let my blog down?..

I'm not really sure what exactly we're meant to put on here, whether its more about the general day to day stories about the course, or about things that inspire us, or just for major issues that arise that in particular strike me to write about. I guess it's all three but I find myself wanting to do just the latter. I feel silly blogging things like "today we did such and such" and find it hard to stick to a routine blogging session, like every week or something, as some weeks are just a bit general and not very interesting! And I would often find myself repeating the kind of things that I would put into my sketchbook.

However, I'm glad we were given the option of a blog rather than the visual diary like in previous years, as it makes a much more accessible way (for me anyway) to note down my thoughts and feelings. And I find that the internet is becoming so much more of a relevant source in my projects and personal development and inspirations, that it is really good to have it all there in one place, as opposed to having to dig out a diary, stick things in etc etc, thats just not for me!

I'm thinking about continuing my blog, in the second year especially as we will probably have to anyway! But perhaps even after I've finished next year, noting the key experiences and events that might occur in my future fashion career! As I think it would be a really nice thing to look back on in years to come.

So... bye for now!!

Loving Sportswear!

We are well and truely into this project now but I just wanted to say that I am absolutely loving it, still! So happy that this has been a great brief for the rest of the year.

My project is based around the footwear aspect of sportswear, focussing on high-top trainers, in particular those of the U.S brand Supra, which I plan on using for my collaboration.

Had my toile review last week and it all went really well. I came well prepared with samples so they could have a clearer idea of my designs, which paid off as there weren't too many questions that needed to be asked and they seemed really pleased with my toiles. I am gutted that I forgot to take any photos of my model wearing them! But she can hopefully come back into the studio and model them for me again soon so that I can take some for my sbk, and will put them on here if I get time.

As for the whole B&M/Design debate, I am definately going to choose Design next year. I have always thought since my A levels that this would be what I would do anyway, but since the B&M sessions I became a little confused, as I do enjoy them both. But from comments and advice given from either sides I have definately decided on Design. It's what I love and although I could maybe see myself as a Buyer, Design is what inspires me and drives me more! And I've heard from various sources that even though their degree was in Design they have still ended up in B&M, so I'm not too worried about making the wrong decision in regards to career options anymore.