Wednesday 26 November 2008

INFLUENCE - MARY-KATE AND ASHLEY OLSEN

This book by the Olsen Twins is going on my Christmas list. Its called Influence and just from a few pictures i've seen it looks very inspiring! Pictures, Quotes, Interviews! The perfect coffee table book!




“There is no such thing as fashion. Fashion is an idea to make you think that you’re not in it at all times. Fashion is what you’re offered four times a year by designers-and style is what you choose.” - Lauren Hutton


TREND LAND

Found an awesome website today http://cyanatrendland.com/

It's full of inspiration so thought i'd blog it...Found an amazing graphic designer called Raul Burgos Gomez who has done alot of fashion illustrations....
























Friday 7 November 2008

London Trip 27/10/08 - we went to london to find fabric swatches. Our group had to find heavier fabrics so we ventured to Goldhawk Road nr Hammersmith to see what we could find. Managed to pick up some denim leather and cord swatches, as well as wool mohair and tweed. They had some really lovely fabrics - it was reasonably priced in most of the shops we went to!


Goldhawk Road, London.



FOLK PROJECT


Page from Vogue

Theme Board

Sketch Book Pages


This is my Folk project so far. I've been influenced very heavily by Romanian Folk and Gypsy era. I've looked at a lot of florals including thsoe of William Morris for inspiration. My designs have a lot of embroidery to them. i've also focused on traditional folk costume traits such as the bell sleeves and also fastenings such as frogging. I've looked at Luella's SS08 collection and Gucci's also. As they're very Folk based.

ORGANIC - DRAPING PROJECT

Theme Board

Sketch Book

Draping on the stand
My final idea came from a concept that came to me after looking into japanese gardens/structures/architecture. I tried to portray a rigid structure with the peaks at the side of the skirt, and i used a hard hessian material to show the corrugated texture of roofs of buildings.
I was also inspired a lot by plants and so i used very organic colours i.e browns and greens to really show this. My other main idea was to create something that looked like a seed. so i used a brown "shell" and the green ruffles are to show the seed coming to life. I wanted to use some large circles in the design but i couldn't find a place for them. I particularly wanted to use them because I had looked alot into christopher kane's AW09 collection.

Ruffles

I'm really pleased with my theme board and my sketch book of designs. I spent a lot of time on it. If i were to do this project again i'd definitely concentrate more on the draping and actual making of the garment. Although i do like the design and the concept i would like to make it a bit more exciting, a few more ruffles encorporated and maybe into a dress.

Wednesday 8 October 2008

DALE CHIHULY

Dale Chihuly was born in Washington, USA, in 1941.
He studied interior design, architecture and glass blowing at University.

Chihuly has a fascination with abstract nature.
He likes to reflect the ocean and its creatures in his work.



Chihuly uses nature for the setting of his pieces.
Sometimes he entwines his pieces around tree branches and trunks.
He also suspends them in space and floats them in water.

He lost sight in one eye after a car accident- and now wears an eye patch.
He employs a team to handle molten glass for him.




ORGANIC...

Here are some key words that came up in my organic brainstorm...

Greens - Browns - Whites

Grass - Pine Cones - Ruffles

Flowers- Petals - Shape



Plants - Trees - Leaves

Gardens - Japanese Gardens - Structures - Bridges

Food - Seeds - Fresh - Fruit - Eggs

Tuesday 7 October 2008

Whats the point in fashion....and who cares anyway??

FOR:

fashion ethics:

The global garment industry is one of the most lucrative in the world. The worlds consumers spent around US$1 trillion buying clothes in 2000, with around one third of sales in Western Europe, one third in North America, and one quarter in Asia.

With the majority of garment manufacture concentrated in some of the poorest parts of the world, the fashion industry represents an enormous opportunity to create sustainable livelihoods and to lift communities out of poverty.


The fashion industry has changed the lives of thousands of people in some of the poorest parts of the world by providing jobs, stable incomes, skills and training. With equitable trade, fair wages and working conditions, the fashion industry has the potential to have an enormous impact in the reduction of poverty and hardship across the globe.

Socially and environmentally sustainable practices by fashion businesses are the key to the reduction of both poverty and environmental damage in fashion supply chains.





Monday 6 October 2008

Theme Board...06/10/08

I really enjoyed making my theme board for Rococco. Having chosen the theme i knew the least about i learnt a lot doing research for the project! I concentrated a lot on colour schemes to create the right kind of mood...I used a lot of bright colours to reflect the carefree life style during the particular era. pinks, purples, yellows and mainly pastel colours.

I used a lot of indulgent images such as candyfloss and extravagant jewellery to depict the lavish lifestyle. i used a lot of curved forms etc including shells and ruffles on the texture of dresses, because i looked at a lot of Rococco stlye interior design and architecture.

If I were to make my theme board into a design it would definitely be something very elegant. Couture, womanswear. Maybe a collection of evening wear dresses which would reflect the rococco costume. Also underwear, with corsets etc, which were very popular in those days.


Saturday 4 October 2008

PPRD Success...30/09/08

Who is successful?
  • Bill Gates
  • Richard Branson
  • Stella McCartney
  • Vivienne Westwood
  • Katie Price
  • Jimmy Choo
  • Paul McCartney
  • Nelson Mandela
  • Gok Wan
  • David Beckham
What do they have in common?
  • Money
  • Determination
  • Originality
  • Goals
  • Celebrated
  • Acheivements
  • Commitment
What is the key to success?
  • Passion
  • Motivation
  • Hard Work
  • Enthusiasm
  • Belief
  • Enjoyment
  • Adaptable
  • Confidence
  • Willing
  • Flexible
  • Acheivement


NELSON MANDELA

Successful for overcoming a lot of problems. Standing up for his beliefs. Having a lot of determination and hard work. But most of all a lot of passion.








KATIE PRICE

Successful for acheiving a lot. Setting herself a lot of goals. Creating a massive fanbase for herself. Making the most of her assets. Also, making a lot of money and having a lot of confidence.







BILL GATES

Successful for making a lot of money. Being very creative. having a lot of knowledge and hard work. Acheiving a lot. And obviously enjoying his work.






Extra Research....ANNA WINTOUR



Anna Wintour is the editor of US Vogue. She left school at 16 and her hard work and determination are what motivated her to get to where she is today. She is a fashion icon and thought to be the inspiration behind the book "The Devil Wears Prada" .
Although Wintour had a lot of connections it is undeniable that her enthusiasm and passion were what made her successful in acheiving her goals.


Rococco....29/09/08

For Fashion Design Principles we are going to make a theme board which relates to one of the following Classical - Spice- Rococco - Surreal.

I've decided to do Rococco as i previously knew absolutely nothing about it....this is what i have learned ....

The Rococco period was during the reign of Louis XIV following his death in 1715. It was a period when aristocrats valued good taste over morality. Poor taste was treated as an intolerable social offence.

The word Rococco is derived from "rocaille" meaning "rock work" or "shell work" and a favourite motif of the time.

The objective of Rococco was to please the senses.
The essence of Rococo is light overall. Work is light in colour, effect and emotion.

Antoine Watteau - A typical Rococco Painting

Characterised by pastel colours, gracefully delicate curving forms, fanciful figures and a light hearted mood (visually and physically)

It was the climax/fall of Baroque art.

It emphasised the unreflective and indulgent lifestyles rather than piety, morality, self discipline, reason and heroism (as Baroque did)

Rococco is the visual representation of the optimism people felt. as well as Youthful, enjoyment, fantasy, playfulness and a high spirit of romance.

Critics label rococco as "tasteless, frivolous and symbolic of a corrupt society"

Elizabeth Vigee Le Brun - Marie Antoinette

A modern representation of Rococco costume is the recent music video from Girls Aloud.











Tuesday 30 September 2008

Induction week at uni 22/09/08 - 25/09/08

22/09/08
So...I'm officially a Fashion student! Made it through the first day "talks" and "quizzes" a-plenty! A mugshot, 12 points in the treasure hunt, and a free sketch book later and its pretty much home time!

23/09/08
Starting with a talk from the principal, we watched last years Fashion Show- Very inspiring! Library talk, enrollment, what seemed like a 3 hour break, rounded up with a few talks from the SU vice president and a lecture about computers!

24/09/08
Orientation day. Met up with Group 4 - Jayzee- Jen- Sophia- Lucy - Me - Steph - Anna.

We answered the questions on the orientation quiz and took some pictures as inspiration for a Bournemouth inspired outfit....



25/09/08
Today was the best day so far. Team 4 came 3rd in the orientation quiz, and won £1 vouchers for the arts bar each. We got a bag full of fashion related goodies! Then made a start on making the outfit...with bubble wrap!! All we heard for about 3 hours was pop pop pop!!! I loved our finished outfit



...Kind of "here's one i made earlier" don't you think??

My first fashion blogging experience...

...Was an interesting one! Hopefully many more to come. Watch this Space!