Recycled project.

Photographer - Montana Lowery

Model - Becky Mee

Clothes - Emily Seymour

Major Project preparation enabled me to try and prepare myself for my final collection. Looking back, it sort of did. I explored all things ethical and sustainable, using recycled garments i created an interchangeable outfit. Consisting of a reversible waistcoat, shorts, top, kimono style jacket and detachable collar. All made from unwanted garments of cloth, charity shop buys and table cloths.For this project i was lucky enough to get a lot of advise from the ethical brand "Goodone". i LOVE there stuff was so really grateful for the advise they gave me. There is so much to consider if you are going to launch yourself as an ethical brand. I'm always a huge fan of print, so that was a tricky area as i needed to consider ethical dyes.

I really enjoyed this project, i was able to challenge myself with something completely different and I'm please with the results. x

Its been a while, now in my 3rd year working on my final collection. Intense is the only word i can use to describe it, but im enjoying every second of it! will post some pictures soon of my line up etc. To sum up my collection...Colour,wool,birds,bikes and dogstooth. <3

continued..

The image above is by Susie Vickery, i really enjoyed her work at the show. Her sketchbook was actually the best sketchbook i have ever seen! Her pages were made form fabric and it was just amazing to look through(there was even white gloves that you had to wear) From her work she is able to move her figures and create animations with them.

Knitting and Stitching show.

Having never completely grasped knitting, i was still excited and looking forward to the show. The part i was most looking forward to was seeing all the graduates work, i was in amazment! The work was so original, and i really got an overwhelming sense of apreciation for the time taken to achieve them.

After being barged by like 20 grannies the day was taken up by exploring all the different stools and exhibitions. Two artists that really cought my attention and stood out to me were Lisa Connolly and Susie Vickery.

The imahe above is By Lisa Connolly, unfortunately im haveing some problems with my camera so am unable to upload the photos from the day, I dont recall this illustration being there, but its very similar to the ones that were. For me i loved how she made all the women in her illustrations look and feel so dark, yet still portray a sense of fun , they were all really quirky and individual. Seeing her work made the day for me, also made all the barging from the grannies worth it.

Allowed to sit at the table!!

Today was a good day at placement, I met a trend forcaster called Anne Marie. She was lovely and so passionate about her work. She came in for a meeting about the key trends for Aw/10, she brought trend presentation boards, colour pallettes and ofcorse her own knowledge.

Just say yes

Have been here for a couple of days now and am really enjoying it, everyones really nice and i feel like im actually learning, which is always good. Today i learnt that in the fashion industry you just say "yes" or "thats fine", you respond this way to whatever you are asked to do, for example - getting coffees, running from floor to floor, or in my case staying late. Today i felt like i had been sent in to the lions cage, everyone was clearly stressed about Sir Phillips second in rank coming in for meetings the next day, so everything had to be perfect. The meeting rooms had the trends hung on the walls and the boards to illustrate the trends and key garments. But ofcorse someone had to make sure the boards where perfect...enter me. With all the "important" people in one room and me in desperately trying to make sure that the images where all in a straight line, (alot harder than you think when your under pressure). Then i had my own devil wears Prada moment when i was asked to ask the head of womenwear a question,as you can imagine i got completely and utterly blanked! I quicly resumed back to the boards with my head down, and stapler in hand... i knew my place in the fashion chain .

Work experience, "peeling and stealing"

Ater an eager and early start i arrived at BHS head offices at Baker Street. Am given my own desk and feel oh so important, i didnt expect to be here long before i am asked to get some coffee or do some photocopying...instead i was thrown in at the deep end and joined in on how we could improve our denim range. (if you have seen Bhs denim then you'll understand why it need improving) The best way to start improving is check out the compitition, so off i went to oxford street do some denim research, equipt with camera and the determination not to buy anything i was on my way.
One of my duties was to "borrow" as many tags as i could, this ment taking alot of jeans into changing rooms and photographing them. In all honesty i felt and probably looked so guilty, like i had actually stolen the jeans! After hitting our final destination of Selfridges (JBrand) we continued to photograph interesting and unique shop windows on the high street.
The afternoon consisted of prepareing the A/W10 boards ready for the team to present there key trends to the buying team in a couple of weeks.

RCA Graduate exhibition show at the V&A.

Getting some inspiration!
I decided that today I would go and see the Royal Collage of Art exhibition at the V&A, I had the whole day free so I could take my time and admire the work. I really enjoyed the exhibition, the work was amazing and got me all excited about one day graduating and hopefully producing garments at that level. Below are some images of my favourite pieces of the exhibition. One of my favourite designers was Heikki Salonen, she produced beautiful work, one two in particular that really caught my eye was a blouse and high wasted skirt, the pattern on the shirt was the artwork for the cd of the band The Cure. It was purposely made pixilated to give the effect of a cd cover. Her other piece was a beautiful waistcoat with pearl details.

Vogues big night out!

After a long day at the office I was very much looking forward to my planned shopping trip tonight for two reasons, it needed a birthday party dress and it was Vogues Big Night out, this event organised by Vogue magazine marked the return of Thursday night shopping, top stores such as Topshop, Zara, Debenhams, Urban Outfitters, Browns and many more stayed open till late (11pm) There was free drinks, nibbles and real life models in shop windows. The highlight of the night for me was at Browns, they had Henry Holland on the door and then later posing in the window with Marios Schwab, Hussein Chalayan, Roksanda Ilincic and Jonathan Saunders. Mrs Brown herself came out to have her photo taken. The area was full of models and very gorgeous and glamorous people, (not very good if you were having an ugly day!) Also Pixie Geldof walked past sporting new hair extensions and sky high platforms, must say she looked very pretty indeed.

abit of reflection

For me in all honesty reflective writing has always been a chore, id rather just do something then explain why,what,and how i was felling when doing it. When i got to a-level i quickly realised that in order to pass i needed to embrace reflective writing. I just simply always answered these questions...why?how you felt?was it successful? what you would have changed> etc. But was this enough? During my foundation year at Wimbledon we had to do a reflective diary everyday! yes everyday! now i didnt completely hate this, but everyday is a whole lot of reflection. In my opinion abit to much, i think theres a fine line between reflecting your work and then reflecting your own life, your emotions and feeling, isnt the work in art and design normally based around your emotions anyway?
When being asked to watch reflective videos i was quite curious, i sat down watch them all made note and then ofcorse "reflected". I was happily empressed with them. One that stuck out for me was Darren Raven, he broke down reflective writing for me, "not a diary" i like that term, it takes the pressure off. He states that its "an investment on yourself" a book for you to focus on in the future, so if your trying to impress your future self you might aswell make it good. He also suggested using symbols, this idea really appeals to me, symbols for me are easier to deal with.
Catherine Smith was also very interesting, she suggested a blog, she reminded me that you dont live in a bubble a blog is about expressing yourself! your voice heard! in order for it to be successful you must embrace it with honesty.