3 words project- day 6

Today was our final day on the 3 words project. The morning I spent finishing elements of the project such as my sketchbook adding colour before we had a presentation in the afternoon of all our work. For the presentation I also created a series of illustrations for my final designs. I was pleased with these as they showed the fun element of the collection and were a more artistic way of displaying my outcomes of the project. These will also be good for my portfolio for showing my drawing skills.

In the afternoon we had our presentation, we all set up our work on boards showing off the work of our projects before we wandered round the room looking and commenting on everyones work. I found this really interesting as you got to see how people interpreted the words. Around the group  there were a lot of beautiful prints created from the words which was good to see. Also I found how others used colour interesting as this is something I struggle with so seeing how others use it and the combinations they create is really helpful as it allows me to see what works well and what I could use in the future. In this presentation we left out a sheet for others to comment on our work, I had some really nice comments from other members of the group mainly commenting on my colour palette and illustrations. Having these comments is helpful as it allows you to see what has worked well in the project and what I could use in the future in my upcoming projects to create more strong work for my portfolio which I will need to be creating soon. From seeing other peoples work today there are a few things I would improve on in my work, such as the research I think I need to create a more solid chunk of research in my project before I start designing exploring more options and expanding on my initial point better this will give me more ideas when I start designing which will allow me to be more experimental when designing and create more innovation silhouettes. I would also think about creating more 3D samples as these are really interesting to look at in other peoples projects as give a more physical approach to developing ideas compared to 2D drawings. They would also give me a chance to experiment more with fabrication which is defiantly something I am going to focus on in the next project.

(my presentation board, authors own, 11/12/14)

3 word project- day 5

Today I developed my favourite ideas towards my final outcome. I have decided to develop one of my mark making drawings using it to create a print. I decided to do this by hand, painting the design on in ink to replicate the design. I was pleased with how this turned out, using ink onto the thin fabric meant the colours bled together creating a beautiful effect. From this I then scanned it in and experimented using areas of it as a print onto my designs. Picking out sections, such as section below, meant I could play with the placement which means I can create a collection which has variations of the print in the same colours which can make the garments flow. I also think creating this print will be good for my portfolio as it shows different skills from my previous projects as is more colourful and has a delicate feature my others don't as well as a more artistic approach which I have really enjoyed working from too.

(section of print. Authors Own, 10/12/14)

After working out the print for my collection I used the shapes I designed yesterday which referenced obesity as well as the idea of gravity and the looks having a pull for example such as the highly ruffled shape being just at the top of the garment while the rest is calmer, to create my final collection.  This is a small five outfit collection using my print. I also used the idea of veils and concealing the face in this collection where fabric is draped over the face. Overall I am quite pleased with this collection as it has helped develop my use of colour which I do struggle with. I am also pleased with how the print has turned out, if I were to develop this more I would experiment with digitalising this print and printing it onto different fabrics such as silk to see how I could create more interesting combinations. I would also work more with the idea of gravity as I have struggled with this idea and I think I could have developed it and expanded on it a lot more which could have added a stronger element to my collection with some more experimental silhouettes.

(final collection, Authors Own, 10/12/14)

3 words project- Day 4

Today I spent the day developing my ideas. Over the weekend I created many initial design ideas using my research imagery so today I started to figure out what was working well with the designs and what I needed to research more of. I have found that the silhouettes that have worked well were those using grotesque where I explored obesity using a John Isaacs sculpture which I have developed further by working out shapes on the stand. I found the shapes that worked were those which the rolls of fabric which were gravitating towards an area of the body such as just on the arms or round the chest as this meant there were areas of light and shade in each design. For tomorrow I am going to use this reference sculpture, my stand work and initial drawings to create final sketches for what my collection will be.

(stand work, authors own, 9/12/14)

Today I also had a group tutorial which I found helpful as it gave me more to think about before creating my final ideas. Some of the things I was told was to create more sampling and 3D work which I am going to do tonight, experimenting with the veil idea draping fabric over my sisters head. I also need to think about using different silhouettes, developing using seaming which I could develop from my drawing of cancer cells etc. I also need to think more about fabrication. Fabrication is something I need to improve on and research further so I have a better knowledge of fabrics and what I could use to turn my designs into reality.

3 word project- day 3

Today was our first self directed study today where we were collating all our research so far and researching further. I started by expanding on my words to try and work out what direction to take the project in by creating mind maps which helped to expand more on the words expanding the subject. My initial thoughts were to expand on Isaac Newton through gravity as I find the idea about having a force which holds us all together on earth really interesting. However I have found today quite difficult as it is so open, I have struggled to figure out where to take this project. I think to overcome this I need to gather much more imagery to work out what is inspiring me most so I can then start experimenting and combining the words.

Also today I had a pre-ucas tutorial where Becca told me some things I could improve on in my work. The key things she said was to use more colour in my work as I tend to just use more neutral colours also that I should try and be more experimental with the shapes I design as my final outcomes all tend to follow a similar silhouettes which I have found I like. Therefore these are things I am going to try and incorporate into this project as it will make my portfolio show a better range of skills and will be more interesting to look at as will have more diversity. 

Initial mood boards for 3 words 

(Authors own, 4/12/14)

3 word project day 2

Today we were back in the studio and spent the day working through a series of workshops led by the tutors. These workshops were to give us a different, more artistic approach, to a project which I have found good as this was something I found I need to improve on in the last project. 

The first workshop was quick drawing exercises, drawing whatever came to mind about our three words focusing on mark making. Although this was quite difficult as I often found I was unsure of what to draw I created some really interesting marks by the end of it which I can use further on in the project. The second workshop was using jersey, calico and muslin on the stands to create experimental ideas. I managed to create some different shapes on the stand and it helped in being more experimental with how to combine fabrics and how they can be used on the figure which you cannot see on paper.

This afternoon we then worked on fashion illustrations with Sarah, Dan and Becca. We did different exercises involving colour, detail and silhouette. I found these really helpful, fashion illustrations are exciting as they are free and dynamic and can convey an attitude better than a design. I think I should use these more in the project to convey my ideas. I also found these really useful as they help me to feel more confident with colour which is something I need to use when designing therefore in this project I should use these illustrations and the colour combinations I created to influence the colour palette in this project. These illustrations will also be very useful for my portfolio as are colourful and eye-catching so will compliment my other work which is more muted. 

To move on for tomorrow I need to look at my work from today and find relevant aspects to move into the project and to relate to my words as well as think about finding imagery to reference for this as this will help for when I try and create a solid start to the project.

One of my drawings using mark making referencing idea of concealing a face and also experimenting with colour

(Image, Authors Own, 3/12/14)

3 word project- Day 1

To start this new project we went on a trip round London picking exhibitions and places to visit that we thought related to our chosen words. The three words I picked were Isaac Newton, conceal and grotesque. I chose them as they are quite contrasting so I felt I could create an exciting project from them. So on Tuesday I visited the Wellcome Collection, the Saatchi and the Science Museum. 

At the Wellcome collection I saw the sexology exhibition which I thought could relate to my words of conceal and grotesque. There were a few interesting aspects of the exhibitions, I found the older section of the exhibition more fascinating because of the way sex was a less common topic so many references were hidden whereas now it is a more open topic. This was particularly the case in ancient china when many sexual imagery and objects were banned so they were hidden in side ornaments and things like vanity cases. Overall I didn't really find the exhibition grotesque, it felt scientific in places featuring a lot of research and discoveries but that it also focused a lot on the attitudes of the scientists researching it such as Freud and Marie Stopes. 

I didn't find the Saatchi very useful when I visited, I saw the Post-Pop exhibition but I found I didn't understand it. I found that I thought the small introductions into the rooms more thought provoking than the work I saw. A lot of the work was very garish and bright and almost silly which I didn't find inspiring. I found Tsang Kin-Wah’s wallpaper interesting because from a distance it looked like a pretty floral pattern but when you looked close it was made up of swear words so was a complete contrast to how it appeared, this could relate to conceal.

Finally I went to the Science Museum. Here I was looking for research on Isaac Newton but I couldn't find much on him other than a very small paragraph. However I found some other areas of the museum interesting such as the space room which can relate to Newton’s work on gravity. I particularly found there the globe which showed the movement of the tides interesting as it looked so delicate and beautiful yet is so powerful. The other area I found most interesting was the maths section, everything felt so complex and detailed, the spirographs and harmonographs were of particular interest because of the shapes they were creating. 

Although I don’t think I have found a solid idea from today I think visiting the museums and galleries has given me more scope and ideas for me to now research further. 

Deconstruct/ Reconstruct Day 6

Today was the deadline of the deconstruction/ reconstruction project. I was pleased I managed to finish everything in time including my sketchbook. I spent the time before the presentation doing the finishing touches such as photographing my garments on a model. I was pleased with them on the model, they are interesting shapes and create interesting silhouettes especially from the side view because of how the fabric is gathered up in places and lies flat in others. 

In the afternoon we had to present our work. We all laid it out and went round looking at everyones. This was a really helpful exercise as it means you can see what works well from other peoples work which you could use in your own work. What I found interesting about other peoples sketchbooks was how some had quite artists drawings at the beginning as observation work. These were really nice to look at, creating some beautiful sketchbook pages and were not in the brief so were more unexpected which is something I was told I could improve on in the group tutorial. I also think these could add something to my work to make it stronger at interviews and I could use them to create some illustrations for my portfolio. During this presentation and group crit we had a piece of paper next to our work which others could write comments on, I didn't find all the comments helpful as many didn't contain any constructive criticism but one said that I could have been more experimental in some of my stand work exploring how jackets and shirts could become trousers etc which I agree with, this is something I found difficult so definitely something I could have worked on more and can think about now and in further projects. 

Deconstruct/ Reconstruct Day 5

I started my second final piece today. I developed it from one of my initial experimentations. To contrast with my first final piece which had a sporty starting point this one had a more formal/workwear starting point. I created it out of a wool skirt and a pair of grey trousers. I decided to use the skirts waist as a neckline as the zip opening created an interesting shape meaning the rest of the skirt could become the main body of it. For this piece I am trying to combine the different garments to make a sleek outcome. It is easy to combine them and it to have a mis-matched look, I have found, so I wanted to create something that was well put together. I wasn't directly influenced by anything for this piece, it was a development from an earlier experimentation, however the idea of reconstructing tailored pieces is similar to the work of Comme des Garçons whose Spring 2011 collection did this. My initial experimentation using this shape of garment features a shirt sleeve at back, I decided to remove this as the contrast between the pale lightweight shirt and the heavy dark wools didn't work well. I did decide to add a half skirt feature to the bodice out of a trouser leg as I felt when it was just a short bodice it was a bit bland but the skirt created a more interesting silhouette. 

For our deadline tomorrow I need to work on finishing my sketchbook. I think I mainly need to go through adding more colour into my work as this will give my designs a better understand of how they would look once made as well as giving a hint at the fabrics used. It will also mean my sketchbook is more interesting to look at for others as the colour will catch peoples attention. 

Deconstruct/ Reconstruct Day 4

Today we have been starting to work towards our final piece. I have been doing this using all my development and sketches from the past week to work out what I have liked most and this will be my final piece starting point. Today I have focused on my first final piece. 

For my first final piece I am using a large sports jacket and turning it into a dress. I have distorted the main body of the jacket by turning it round as well as detaching the arms and lining. For this I have decided to focus on using the original details of the jacket such as the elasticated hem and zips to create the main interest of my final piece. I am focusing on using up all the elements of this garment to completely transform it rather than mix multiple pieces together as this creates an interesting outcome that distorts the jacket itself rather than hiding it between other garments. I also like that it has a new feel without being overly layered and muddled which I found with many of my initial developments. To influence this piece I have looked at the designer Christopher Raeburn and his recent collection using up cycled parachutes. A lot of these piece had the same relaxed feel to them that I am trying to achieve with my final piece with a sports influence and elasticated details. 

Today I also had a group tutorial with Becca. I found this really helpful as it gave me a chance to see other peoples work as well as gain their opinion on my work and what I need to do to improve. The main points I found I can improve on is having more stand work images in my book that are possibly larger images as this is key for this project. I also need to have a more unexpected element in my work I found, something that isn't exactly to the brief. Looking particularly at Lena’s work showed this, she had a really fun feel to her work that I enjoyed and had a lot of abstract drawings and ideas which is something I could use in my work to boost my grade up as well as create an addition for my portfolio. 

For tomorrow I am going to sew my first final piece as well as start my second. I am also going to think about using photoshop to create some designs and illustrations that show my final outcomes in a different way so I have more skills in my sketchbook and for my portfolio.

Deconstruct/ Reconstruct Day 3

We had a number of exercises to complete today both 2D and 3D. First we worked with photocopies of our garments and using cut up basic garment shapes we experimented with the placement of details. From this we then thought about how we could translate this onto the stand. I enjoyed this exercise as the 2D task allowed me to develop a lot of ideas quickly meaning I have a bigger collection of imagery to work from. Translating this to 3D worked well as it gave me a starting point to how I was manipulating the item on the stand, rather than blindly draping. I did this using a shirt and having the 2D ideas helped as it meant I had a reference to wear to create folds as well as where to place details such as the cuff and collar. I also found it helpful as I was struggling with creating ideas for skirts and trousers out of my garments and doing this exercise meant I could design them more easily which means I have a starting point for more development now. 

Our second task today was to scrunch up our garments and photocopy them again. We then had to cut out interesting shapes from these and add them to a figure. Again this meant I could develop a lot of designs quickly and this exercise meant I had a lot more abstract ideas to work from. This was helpful as I could then use these on how to manipulate the garments in a more abstract and artistic way on the stand. I am now going to develop these and combine them with the other techniques to create more designs with a more contemporary look. 

Generating more and more ideas is helping me to see more what is working well and what I would like to take forward to my final garment. I am enjoying working with the wool bottoms and shirts as well as the denims, because the fabric are easy to manipulate into interesting shapes around the body. I am going to continue developing this over the weekend along with manipulation of the jeans because of the interesting waist detailing. I am also going to explore more using the sports jacket with the elasticated bottom and cuffs to see how I can use this to enhance what I have already designed because I haven't explored yet the gathering of fabric instead of folding and draping. 

Deconstruct/Reconstruct Day 2

Today we carried on with the development of deconstructing our garments to generate design ideas. We were cutting along the seam lines and draping them onto the stand.

I found this workshop today very helpful as actually cutting the garments up made them better to manipulate on the stand, as it meant parts of the garment were flatter making them better for draping. It also meant I could create focus on the detailed parts of the garment such as the waistline on jeans or trousers so I could create more interesting shapes. I found this exercise better than yesterdays as it enabled me to created more precise shapes that could become garments compared to yesterdays work which felt quite jumbled and messy. 

Today I decided to use the garments which had more structured materials to create my designs. I chose these as the heavier materials created stronger silhouettes which feel more exciting to develop further. From doing this there are particular ideas I feel I would like to develop. Features I liked where using trouser legs as sleeves because they are wide and too long so can be folded up or left to hang. I also liked using details off of garments such as waistbands on trousers and shirt cuffs as the detail in them such as the stitching, buttons and zips are interesting to play with as decoration or the feature of a design. I have also decided from today that I prefer creating more structured shapes rather than draped, hanging shapes which feel more boring and don't make use of all the fabric which can be moulded into new shapes better complimenting the figure as well. 

From this I think I need to continue working on the stand to experiment with more shapes till I find what works best, I think working with the shapes I have already made as well as doing more stand work will allow this. I also think I need to start thinking about colours and what colours I put together as this will help in my final design construction.

(stand work, authors own, 21/11/14)

Deconstruct/ Reconstruct Day 1

Today we started our new project deconstruct/ reconstruct. We brought in fashion magazines and charity shop clothing to work from. Initially we were introduced to a range of designers who have used a similar deconstruction technique in their work. The ones I found most interesting were Junya Watanabe, Comme des Garcons and Martin Margiela. Watanabe and Comme for there experimental silhouettes and exaggerated outcomes, which I think I can look at to help me become more free with my work and Margiela for his use of interesting construction techniques particularly when he has used items such as gloves to make up a garment.

The first workshop we did used the magazines, we had to cut out garments or the interesting details on garments and collage them together on a figure. The aim was to not use a garment for its typical purpose. This was a good exercise as it helped me start to think about where items could be placed on the body and also enabled me to experiment creating new shapes and silhouettes. I have tried to use more colour in these illustrations as I think colour is something I could improve on as I tend to typically use more neutral colours.

The second workshop we did was using the clothes we brought in. We were putting them on the stand, inside-out, upside-down, in the wrong place... to try creating new shapes and more interesting garments. I actually found this exercise quite difficult as placing the clothes where they aren't meant to be is hard to imagine so is a lot of trial and error. However this did help to create interesting outcomes. (shown below) Unlike the first workshop the outcome felt more realistic and are almost better to work from and develop just because you can see how it could be constructed. This workshop allowed me to see what fabrics and garments were working well. I found the garments made of heavier or more sturdy materials like the cotton shirts, denim, wool trousers and thick jackets worked best as were easier to move and manipulate.

To continue I am going to use the photos I have taken of my stand work and start creating sketches in my sketchbook to work out what shapes have worked best. I also think I need to be more experimental with my work as at the moment I feel I am still being quite safe with some of my ideas so tomorrow I need to imagine the garments as not having an original purpose so that I can create something more original.

(Stand work, Authors Own, 18/11/14)

Industry Day 5 and 6

(Jade Goodwin and Zarah Ahmed's cohesive final collection, Authors Own, 16/11/14)

Wednesday as a group we spent finishing our final collections and creating our presentation.

I was pleased with my four final designs, I presented them using photoshop so I could edit the final designs to include the correct fabric textures as well as my textiles samples from when I scanned them in. In order for me and the other textiles designer Zarah’s work to flow we combined our designs and our textiles to create a joint eight outfit collection. (shown above) They worked well together as we used the same fabrics and colours. The colour palette was off white and neutral tones so we were solely focusing on the fabrics and shapes rather than colour and so we continued Comme des Garçons recent collections of mono colour. We used a mixture of rich and poor fabrics so there were bold contrasts, we chose calico, wool and hessian to mix with silk and leather, they are all fairly heavy weight so the outcomes have a solidity and so that the fabrics can be easily manipulated into the shapes we have designed. Comme des Garçons looks are often distressed and deconstructed which is something we wanted to continue, we did this by having layering of alternative fabrics of which some would have raw seams which has led to the disconnected look and in some asymmetric silhouettes continuing with the important essence of the brand.

In our collection we used our textiles separately linking them through the similar use of fabrics and some silhouettes. The collection could be stronger if we had had more time and we’d have sat down and designed them more thoroughly together by working out which of our textiles compliment each other and could work well together. We could have done this by working on the stand with out textiles samples, looking and recording which of our textiles worked together and discussing how we could then take these into designs.

I found it hard to create our presentation in the end, we decided as we had so many designers in our group to make our work into diffusion lines as well as main lines. From doing the presentation there are defiantly some things that my group could have improved on. We were all very creative individuals and individually I think we created some good outcomes but we defiantly needed to be more cohesive at the beginning of the project. I think if we had picked a more solid concept at the start it would not have led to where we had too many separate ideas. I think this led to us not having a good overall group dynamic which meant our outcome was quite disjointed in places.

From seeing the rest of the presentations I could see what led to a good presentation. A lot of the presentations were very strong on the promotional side which as we had one promotion girl who unfortunately was ill for some of the time was something we didn't have a lot of. I think this high percentage of promotion made the presentations more memorable but then I did find this overshadowed the design element. Our presentation was design focused which made it a bit different to others but I think we could have used promotion to help link everything. I also enjoyed the presentations where I felt there was a story flowing, the Meadham Kirchoff presentation with the ‘Walk of Glory’ theme was fun and led to a very strong project, this is something I could use not just in further presentations but in my own personal work. 

Overall with this project I have found that I really enjoyed working with Comme des Garçons as the brand, I have learnt about fabric manipulation and texture and how this can help create stronger designs that have detail and interest. With the brand it has allowed me to focus on more experimental silhouettes and combinations developing my thought processes and confidence with designing.

(Final Presentation, Authors Own, 16/11/14)

Industry Day 4

(A3 Samples, Authors own, 11/11/14)

At the moment we are starting to round up our individual areas of the industry project. From creating two A3 textile samples over the weekend I am now creating four final designs to present on Thursday. I have been using my textiles to create these designs as well as referencing the ‘comme’ look and the group concept board from last week. I didn't have much design research as I have been focusing on textiles so I developed design ideas by doing lots of quick sketches using biro and marker pens looking at the images both I collected as well as other group members. Working quickly helped create more experimental shapes as I wasn't overanalysing my research imagery meaning I was more loose and abstract with my drawings which was successful for the style of Comme des Garcons.

I tried to keep to large exaggerated silhouettes to fit with the look of the brand. I think this is going well, the designs are abstract and modern, I think the overall feel of them is right and they work well together as a ‘mini-collection’ because the textiles flow through them all. I now need to think about the materials I will be presenting in the final outfits and how I present them. I will use photoshop to import the fabric textures and my textiles onto my designs to create a professional looking creative collection to present. 

What didn't go so well today with my work is being able to incorporate all my textiles, I struggled with how to incorporate the plaits and knots. I think to overcome this I should have tried experimenting on the stand with these textiles as it would have helped in how these textiles could work on the body and be incorporated into garments successful which I found hard to do by just drawing.

As a group I think we are working well but we need to collaborate and combine our work now so we have a successful presentation. I am still unsure about what some of the group members work looks like and is about which makes it quite hard to know if our work is going to flow well as one concept. Tomorrow we need to finalise the work rather than expand anymore so we can create an interesting presentation and so we are all clear on what exactly we are presenting.

Industry Day 3

(My initial textiles samples, Authors Own, 6/11/14)

Third day of this project and we are continuing to create our individual work at this stage. I continued working on creating small samples experimenting with techniques for creating surface design. From this I have found that plaited calico creates a really interesting texture that I can now develop more possibly incorporating other fabrics as well as fraying and fringing. I also experimented today with creating wool pom poms and how I could create textiles from these. They work really well as they create very 3D shapes which I think are much more interesting as a surface texture as well creating better silhouettes. I am also thinking of working these into a poster as part of our promotional element of the project. From now I am going to develop my existing textiles to make them into larger samples possibly a3 size that we can present as a group next Thursday as well as use photoshop to create experimental posters.

One thing I think my group could have done better is not expanding our ideas too much more, our ideas have changed from yesterday into a more playful theme which will work well, but expanding our ideas too much with such a short project could end up with a non-focused outcome. This also made it difficult for explaining to our absent group members what we are doing as the ideas are continually changing, emphasising how important communication is. However overall I think our group is working well together, we are starting to work incorporating each others ideas so the collaboration of elements is progressing well. We need to continue communicating away from studio time now so this carries on as successfully.

Industry Day 2

(Personal Concept Board, Authors Own, 5/11/14)

Today I felt as a group our ideas began to come together. We had all created initial concept boards last night so sharing these between us meant we could have a clearer image of where we are heading. Although we all have different ideas of what we interpret the quote as, this works for the brand as Comme des Garcons collections do not make sense, so the fusion of all our thoughts is a reflection of the brand.

I spent today creating our group concept board so we all have a visual reference of what we are doing as well as starting to create initial textile samples. I have started by fusing different materials together in contrasting fabrics such as linen with leather and calico with lace and net to create interesting surfaces. I am pleased with how this is developing as it is helping me realise what works well together but to move on I need to work bigger on the stand with larger pieces of fabrics to create more dynamic textile designs. I especially need to focus on my researching looking into knots, explorers and possibly print. 

One thing I realised today is the value of a team. Two of our team members weren't there today and it made me realise how important it is that everyone is committed and are contributing as we found there were gaps creating with decisions which was hindering our work.

(Group Concept Board, Authors Own, 5/11/14)

Industry Project

Today we started our industry project, where we chose a particular designer who we would then ‘work’ for. I chose Comme des Garcons and within the brand I was assigned to be a textiles designer. I chose this brand as I was attracted to their image, it is outrageous and individual and I knew it would push me as a designer. Being assigned textiles was interesting as although I find it fascinating it isn't specifically what I would like to do. However within Comme des Garcons textiles feels more like surface design and manipulation which I think will be to my advantage and I shall hopefully be able to incorporate this more into design as I will have a better understanding of it. 

We were put into groups for this task and were given quotes to work from. I think this works well as it gives us all a point to start with and expand off in different ways. One difficulty I have found is that we seem to very contrasting views and ideas, which could become an issue but I am hoping will mean that we have more to work with and can create a stronger concept as long as we all listen to each other. 

‘there are massive gaps in this essay, it is broken and re-wound, not always knowing and yet searching. Respond, Exchange, Converse. Be traveller in this novel, Even if only for a while.’ 

From this quote my initial thoughts are to look at fabric manipulation involving distressed fabrics and knotting as well as picking out traveller and thinking about what fabrics could be contrasted such as a waterproof fabric with leather as well as emphasising practical aspects such as pockets into a textile design. Tonight I shall research these initial ideas further to create a visual recording that we can then work with as a group.

(Images: Various Comme des Garcons Images, Available at www.style.com, Accessed: 04/11/14)

HORST Photographer Of Style

Yesterday, I went to see Horst at the V&A. Before I went to the exhibition I did not know anything about Horst so did not know what to expect. The exhibition started with his early works, beautifully glamorous women, in shadowy lighting, a style that became his signature. His style was very obvious, the figures looked statuesque and youthful and the photographs felt perfectly precise. One of the captions wrote "three-dimensional and dramatic, striking without harness", this summarised how his lighting especially using spotlighting to highlight key features made such great images. This style continued through his surrealist work too.

Something I found interesting was how different his colour photographs were from his black and white pieces. They still had the precision and the perfect women but they were a lot more fun. The colours were bright and many were almost theatrical, the women wearing rich fabrics and costume jewellery.

I really enjoyed the exhibition and what I took most was that I felt like he had a style of woman and an audience which is something I could take into my work in order to make it stronger.

Images:

Image 1- Horst exhibition banner, V&A, Image, Available at: http://www.vam.ac.uk/__data/assets/image/0020/242453/horst_banner.jpg, Accessed: 2014

Image 2- Mainbocher Corset 1939, V&A, Image, Available at: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/exhibition-horst-photographer-of-style/about-the-exhibition/, Accessed: 2014

Final Jacket Design

This is my final jacket after creating some adaptations which I decided it needed. I changed it from my original design by adding another collar inside the original which gave it more volume which balanced out the jacket better improving the design. After this I added some boro inspired surface design. I added some patchwork-like frayed fabric panels and also frayed some of the lower hems to give the worn look boro had. I also linked in my attachment element of harnesses with a belt detail down the front.

Overall I am happy with the design of the jacket now. Adding the larger collar and altering the shape of the left panel that goes round the arm balances out the shape. I also think adding the little bit of surface detail adds interest to the jacket and compliments the mix and match design.

If I created the jacket again I would think some more about the surface detail. I was inspired by boro in the mixing of fabrics but to improve or move on I could think about trying to create some of my own boro designs by sewing fabric onto each other and thinking about ripping and layering and fraying them. I could also have thought about using some of my boro prints I created and having panels of the prints mixed with other fabrics and sewing decorative stitches into them all. 

(Images: Authors own: 26/10/14)

Development of Final Piece

So far this week I have spent it constructing my final piece. I used the pattern pieces I created from my stand work to work out the panels in each of the four fabrics. Now I have constructed it, I am not totally happy with the outcome.

I am happy with the combination of fabrics and the overall look it has but I think I need to work into it. I don't think it hangs quite correctly and the collar isn't quite big enough to balance out the garment. So from this step, I am going to play around on the stand with altering sections to create a more balanced jacket as well as creating another layer to the collar so it has more impact.

From this point I also now want to think about surface decoration and adding further boro ideas in that I have explored in my sketchbook as well as incorporation my structural element of harnesses and restriction.

(Image: Authors own: 23/10/14)

Development of Final Design

Today I created the pattern for my jacket. To create it from the draped piece of fabric I cut it up into sections before redrawing it onto new calico and adding seam allowances. To do this was experimental as I wasn't sure it would work but I did it in sections putting them onto the mannequin as I went and I am pleased with how it worked. The next step is to create it in my chosen fabrics. I also feel I want to work more into the surface textures when I have constructed the garment, thinking about stitching into the fabrics and patching other fabrics onto it thinking about fraying of the fabrics. This will give my garment more of a boro influence.

Today I also spoke to Rebecca about my sketchbook. She gave me some really helpful feedback and aspects I could work on before assessment. Some of her feedback included that I could have more designs on some of the pages so that I have fully explored some of my subjects better and that these designs could feature some more experimental and less safe silhouettes. She also suggested that I work more with scale and working into designs, exploring how they could look different in different sizes and well as working more into the way fabric can be manipulated and the stitchings that could be used especially with the boro influence. I also need to think more about the pages being less busy in some areas, I especially think this applies to my accessories section which I do feel is too crowded.

In reflection, I think my final piece is developing well and once I have basically constructed it I can begin to work into it more to create a more exciting piece with original design features. I also want to work more into my sketchbook, exploring more into surface work such as fraying and stitchings as well as going back and thinking about how I can improve some of my work.

(All images: Authors own 20/10/14)

Concept Development Week

This week we spent organising our own time, we are coming to the end of the project so starting to create final outcomes realising our research. I did find it difficult at the beginning of the week to sort my ideas. I had a lot of designs in my sketchbook and wasn't quiet sure which direction to take my final piece in. I knew I wanted to create something using the ideas I had researched about boro as well as incorporating my attachment ideas of harnesses and restriction. 

Becca told us to start working on the stands draping calico. It surprised me how helpful this was in creating shapes as the shapes were much more interesting and free than what I could just draw in my sketchbook. From this I found a shape that I wanted to create into a jacket (design below). 

I then started to decide the details of the jacket such as the surface decoration and fabrics. I decided to incorporate the ‘boro’ look I want to use four different materials so the jacket is in panels of shades of grey and that I want to incorporate leather belt straps in like an abstract harness.

To move forward now I need to create the draped jacket into a pattern which I can use to make the final garment. 

(All Images: Authors own 19/10/14)

Structure and Attachment- Ideas Development

How my ideas developed:

STRUCTURE —> woven —> Saatchi dupe sacks —> distressed seams —> boro and Japanese textiles.

ATTACHMENT —> melted straws —> saatchi huggers sculpture —> harnesses and restriction

I am pleased with the influences of my project and I think I have researched them well. I do think to improve I need to try and think a bit more conceptually and try and research into more obscure ideas so I have some more creative and original influences. 

Design development looking at distressed seams and the joining of fabrics. I was looking at raw on-show seams and Ibrahim Muhama's dupe sacks from the Saatchi.

From the idea of raw seams my tutor Becca recommended I looked into the Japanese boro technique. I found it really interesting and that it related well to what I wanted to look into. I started to look at joining of different fabrics as well as into some of the ideas and history behind it. I particually like the ideas that boro was created out of a necessity and lack of money and resources as well as the ideas that stories were sewn into the fabrics. If I had more time I would explore these themes further so I could incorporate them more strongly in my final designs.

From boro I also had a little look at other Japanese fabric techniques in the book 'Structure and Surface: Contemporary Japanese Textiles'. I particularly liked the folded or distressed looking surfaces which work well with the ideas of boro as well. I also thought this could translate into a loose knitted piece using the honeycomb technique that I could use to create a piece that restricts movement such as around the arms.

(All images: Authors own 15/10/14)

Styling Week

This week we spent working on a small photo shoot for our accessory. I wanted to create a simple look using black and white where the figure takes up much of the page. The girl has quite a innocent laid back attitude but also a hidden strength shown by her dark lips and slick hair. I wanted the accessory to be the key feature so I styled it with an oversized white shirt.

I am happy with the styling of the shoot and I think it works well in showing off the harness. I like the impact of the dark lips with the sleek hair compared to the casual white shirt which compliments the grey textured harness.
If I did the shoot again I would maybe try a black background to try and get a more mysterious feeling which would contrast greater with the innocence of the girl. I like the darkness of some of the images on my mood board which I have tried to achieve on a subtler level with my photographs but which I could emphasise further if I did this again.

To move on I believe I need to incorporate the idea of having an attitude/feeling and type of woman into my project so that it has a stronger more solid overall look. I could take the type of woman I have used here and incorporate it. I also want to explore harnesses further so these can be a feature of my final work.

(All Images, Authors Own, 10/10/14)

Magical Mystery Fashion Tour

Today we were sent on a magical mystery fashion tour around central London in order to gain a better awareness of the world of fashion. Although the weather was against us we wandered round our list of streets and shops exploring how collections and brands are presented as well as visiting some fabric shops for samples. 

My main observation was how brands present their collections in store compared to the usual high street shops I would visit. It is a lot more considered and there is a lot less on show. This means that everything feels equal and can be seen unlike on the high street where everything is crammed in over the top of each other. The shops also felt more like experiences rather than just stores. The design was created around the clothing. This was particularly the case in places like Dover Street Market where the conceptual design theme continues throughout the store where the cleverly designed collections are complemented by birds in cabinets and a giant boat as you enter. This experience makes you enjoy the clothing better and appreciate its artistry. I also found that a lot of how collections are presented in store and in their windows reflect the brand, a good example is Moschino's bright, almost 'tacky' and fun window compared to Ralph Lauren's window which was subdued and girly, which each reflect the different images they have. 

Another observation I had was that the clothes didn't feel like they were there to please everyone, they were designed for a specific type of person. Some of the collections (specifically in Dover Street Market) didn't even feel wearable but were stunning, clever pieces. I think this is an idea I can take forward with me in my designing as sometimes I do find I'm designing thinking too much about wearability rather than just creating something exciting and new. I also think picking a type of person for the collection could help with my designs and give it a stronger direction. 

Finally I found looking round the fabric stores we found around Berwick Street helpful as it helps to see what is available. I found it was helpful to look for the fabrics within my colour as it meant I could see what textures could work together such as a silk with a rough cotton or a denim with a wool. This is something I want to continue researching as my project develops. 

All Images (Authors Own, 06/10/14)

Accessories- Day 3

Today we began to create our accessory. I decided to create a harness as an accessory using faux leather to create the basic structure and then using the small foil trays and paperclips to create the design. 

I found that it is starting to come together now, the leather worked quite well to create the shape of the harness however if I made it again I would choose a heavier material as it would hold the shape better.  I have started to build up the foil trays around the harness to create surface decoration like I was creating on monday and wednesday. I am going to carry on building these up to create a more exciting shape especially around the shoulder. 

To finish the harness I am going to carry on adding the foil trays to it till I am happy with it and I am also going to finishing adding paperclips to the leather straps to create a more metallic look. Once I have done this I want to spray paint the whole thing a matte grey colour as I don't like how at the moment it is a mixture of black and silver. I also think being one colour it'll disguise the fact its made of foil trays and appear more as one interesting structure and shall fit in with the mono theme of this project.

Image (Goodwin Jade 03/10/14)

Accessories- Day 2

Today we were starting to develop our accessories ideas from monday using our samples we made. We did this by doing a carousel of workshops. The first was working with the same items as monday to create more samples developing from mondays ideas. The second was using large photocopies of our various samples and pinning these together and onto the stands to create shapes and ideas. The third was to use tiny photocopies of our samples and to put them onto a4 magazine figures to create ideas.

From these workshops I found the second worked the best as it meant I could physically create and alter shapes to see what works better on the figure and as an accessory. I liked working with the foil tray photocopies as there appearance is bold and the rounded shapes made them good to join together to create shapes that could come away from the stand.
I found the third workshop the least helpful to me as it was hard to manipulate the images onto the figure to make them look like accessories as they appeared quite flat. However I did prefer this on just the head as it was a larger scale and worked quite well in creating headpieces.

It surprised me how experimental you could be in these workshops and helped me to understand the sorts of accessories or body adornments that could be created instead of the usual typical accessories such as bangles and rings.

To go forward I am going to work back into all the workshops and combine all the shapes and ideas I created so I have a better collection of imagery to work from in designing my accessory. I am interesting in looking at possible headpieces and harnesses as ideas for my final design.

Images: (Goodwin Jade 01/10/14) 

Knitwear Chanel to Westwood- Fashion and Textile Museum

100 word review-
From the delicate hand knits of the 30s to the innovative designs of today the exhibition explored how knitwear has changed over the past century. Although many of the stitches and the fundamentals are actually the same the way knitting has been applied to designs and the scale of which it is used, has. Knitwear began with practicality, used for its warmth and flexibility and has developed through beachwear, two-pieces, fair isle, 70s novelty, distressed 80s and to todays revolutionised designs. Highs of now includes Julien Macdonald with his use of unorthodox materials such as neoprene and plastics as well as Sister by Siblings oversized and novelty creations.

(Knitwear Exhibition, FTM, Image from http://underlinesmagazine.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/dsc_0651.jpg, 30/09/14)

Accessories- Day 1

Today was the start of accessories week. We were told to bring in a range of inexpensive items that we could use to create accessories, I brought in items like little tin trays, dominos, wire, metal washers, paperclips and cable ties. From this we then had a few hours to attach these together in interesting ways and shapes to create samples to inspire accessories. From these we photocopied them and drew into them to help understand the shapes better.
This exercise was really interesting as it allowed me to see how completely strange objects could be used to create inspiration for accessories. I particularly found the little tin trays good for this task as they could be squashed and moulded into different shapes before being joined together. Using the wire to join items was more challenging as was sometimes difficult to secure them together successfully such as the dominos with the wire but once joined they worked well as the wire is very flexible so I could mould the structure into new shapes.
For next time I want to try and maybe incorporate more items together rather than today when I kept it simple using just one item with one joining method, as this could allow me to create more beautiful and original accessories.