Toile Review and Trend Book Update

Tuesday was the groups deadline for the research boards, sketchbook work, jacket toile and business plan. Myself and Sarah wrote the business plan, and we got help from Matt Desmier and Sarah Charles. We decided that it would be best to write half each and then combine it together before our tutorial. We found it quite hard to write, especially the finance section. The crit went well though. The tutors were pleased with our new research boards and Zoe and Leannes toiles. They both fit in well with our theme and looked as though they could be in collection together.

I have developed my trend book further in the last couple of weeks. All of my designs have been drawn using Illustrator and i am now about to create colour palettes for each trend. I have wrote information to go into the book and have all of my images. This week i am focusing on putting everything into InDesign and making sure that its well presented.

Tutorials and Workshops

The first tutorial i had was with my group and we met with the tutors. Myself and Sarah had re-done our four boards and the designers were showing their 100 designs. As a group we got to look at all of the designs and decided which ones best suited our theme, Castaway.

The second tutorial/meeting was with Matt Desmier last Wednesday. Myself and Sarah attended the meeting and he gave us useful tips on how to write our business plan and what we need to include in it.

I have got a lot further with my trend book project within the last week. I have created the layout of the trend book using In Design and I have also started to draw my designs for each of the trends using Adobe Illustrator. I have also considered colour palettes for each of the trends, patterns and prints. Last Wednesday we were introduced to Kaledo, which is a similar program to Illustrator.

Styling Unit

Last week we were introduced to the styling unit of the course. I was excited to learn about styling and to be given mini projects as it is an area in fashion which i am very interested about.

The first project that we were given was to pick an era or fashion trend and style a photoshoot with this theme/trend. I was in a group with Steph and Melissa, and we decided to have a '60's Chic' style photoshoot and an '80's Power Dressing' style photoshoot.

60's Shoot

We decided that it would be cool to shoot the 60's Chic look in the woods. The 60's was famous for its hippy style fashion and bright bold colours. The woods was a prime location for this style as hippys were into nature and the bright bold colours stand out against the greens and browns of the woods. Here is a list of what I wore:

• Orange and brown dress
• White tights
• Gold peace symbol earrings
• Lots of bangles and wooden bracelets
• A brown chunky bead necklace
• Three large rings
• A black headband
• Large sunglasses
• Brown peep-toe wedges

Here are some of the final photos:

80's Shoot

We decided that as the style of the shoot was 80's Power Dressing, we thought it would be cool to take the photos on the university roof. The roof showed a sign of confidence and power, therefore the style of the shoot fit in well with the location. Melissa had a long black cardigan, which had bright blocks of colour on the front of it and huge shoulder pads, which was typical of the 80's. She teamed it with a black top and skinny trousers. The accessories Melissa wore, was a long gold necklace, brightly coloured bangles, large round earrings and a bright purple quilted bag. She wore electric blue heels which completed the 80's look. Here are some of the final photos:

Second Project
The second project we were set, was to choose either a friend or relative and take them shopping and update their style, choosing items that flatter their body shape. I asked my friend Rose if i could give her a new style and she happily agreed. We went shopping in Castlepoint and looked around many different high street stores, such as Miss Selfridge, H&M, Next and Topshop. I wanted to create serveral looks; one eveningwear outfit, one daytime outfit and one outfit which could be turned into an evening outfit by adding an item of clothing. I took into consideration that as she studies Acting at AUCB, the daytime outfit that i would style her in should be comfortable and easy to move in. I asked her a series of questions before we went about her likes and dislikes, what items of clothing she usually wears, what accessories she wears etc, in order for me to get an idea of what her current style is. I took before and after shots to show the difference in Roses style.

Here are the final styled photos:

I wanted to create an evening outfit for Rose to wear on a night out, which was slightly different to something she would usually wear. The Glam Rock look is in trend this season, therefore a lot of black, glitter and lace is being seen in shops. I gave Rose a black figure hugging dress with gold glitter detail and a low cut back to try on. She has a slim figure and a big bust, therefore a tight dress fit well with her body shape. I also gave her a leather biker jacket to throw on top, which completes the Glam Rock look. The shoes that I have chosen tie in with the Glam Rock look also and they have the gold detail on them, which complements the gold glitter in the dress. A long gold necklace is enough for accessorising the outfit and a black with gold glitter purse completes the overall evening outfit.

I wanted to create a daytime outfit that Rose could wear to university and be comfortable in her acting classes. She mentioned in the set of questions that she liked wearing stripes; therefore I chose a top that was black and white striped but had the detail of a bow on it. I particularly liked this top as the black and white striped bow, contrasts against the vertical stripes. The trousers were tailored with a slim leg fit. As Rose likes wearing jeans, I thought that these trousers would be a stylish alternative.I have accessorised the outfit with a black chunky bangle, as Rose mentioned that she likes wearing bangles in particular. I have also chosen black circular earrings with a gold edge, and finally black pumps with a gold button.

I wanted to create an evening outfit that had been transformed from a daytime outfit. I picked a simple, yet stylish pearl coloured jacket to add to the previous daytime look. The same accessories can be worn, as well as the pumps, however it could be dressed up even more by adding a pair of heels. I have picked a rectangular clutch, as it goes well with the boxy style of the jacket.

Once i had styled the three different looks, i had to write a report, explaining what i did, why i chose the items, how it flatters Roses body shape, a personal comment and a comment from Rose.

Third Project

My third project is to style a contemporary photoshoot, either with a historic or futuristic influence. I have to source the clothing, shoes and accessories and find a model and photographer.

Day of Presentations

Monday was presentation day, and i had to give three. My groups presentation was first, where myself and Sarah had to present our research to the designers and the tutors. As we had looked at the wrong season, the trends had to be changed and we had to re-do the boards.
On Tuesday i came in and told the designers I had discovered a trend named 'Castaway', which is going to be seen in Spring/Summer 2010 collections.

'A raw and rugged effect is achieved with beaten, crinkled fabrics and sloppy layers that wrap around the body. Details include an island-stuck feel in various stages of undress, highlighting simple tie closures and exposed undergarments.'
Here are a few of the images that i found which have inspired the designers in my group:

My second presentation, was where i had to tell the class; how i got into fashion, how i found the first year of the course, why i chose promotion and where i want to go next.

My last presentation was were we had to go in either pairs or groups of three and make a business plan for an item from Modip. Jenelle and Ivy were in my group and we had to make a business plan for a stylish bottle opener. We had to present it 'Dragons Den' style. Here are a few of the questions that we answered:

1. What is the big idea? We have created a stylish modern bottle opener, which will be a massive hit, especially with young professionals and families. We have only got the bottle opener to show you, but we plan to design and make a whole range of stylish kitchen untensils, similar to the bottle opener.
2. How would you develop the product? We would develop the product by introducing a whole kitchen utensil range, including a can opener, salt and pepper shakers, egg timer and jar opener. We could also design and make a range for pets and bathrooms.
3. What have you named your product? We have named our product Billy the bottle opener, and our tag line is 'Don't let Billy be a no mate' therefore there is possibility for developing the range.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

On Friday the 16th of October, all of the promoters met Jo in the town square. Our task was to go into the high street retail stores, such as H&M, Topshop, River Island, Next, Miss Selfridge and New Look, and analyse the coats and jackets they had to offer. Here is a list of things which we had to note down in each shop:

• key colours
• key shapes and styles
• fastenings
• fabrics and linings
• average prices
• collars, cuffs and hoods

All of the information that we collected, helped towards our group projects. We were able to identify which stores our customer would most likely shop in and also the key colours, trends and styles. We had a team tutorial in the afternoon, which went very well. The tutors liked our concept and the trends, colours (and fabrics) we have chosen to use. We have also started a group blog, which can be viewed at fdafashion@yahoo.co.uk

On Wednesday we had ict with Jamie where he taught us another skill in Illustrator. He taught us how to layer different parts of an image to create one image, using the send to back and send to front options. In the afternoon i went into the library and looked at the Peclers Spring/Summer 2011 trend forecasting book. I wrote down notes on the overall trends, themes, colours and inspirations. This information will help me for when i start producing my own trend book.

On Thursday we had our PPRD2 session, where we each had to present to the group;

• how we got interested in fashion
• what we studied prior to the fda fashion course
• how we found our first year of study on the fda fashion course
• what we plan to do now
• what we want to achieve from the course
• where we want to go next
• how we will achieve this and who inspires us

And on Friday we had our morning session with Jo, where she gave us information on suppliers in the fashion world and also how to create a critical path.

2nd Year - First Week

I've now been back at uni for a week and well into my two main projects as a promoter. I decided to choose the promotion side of the course for various reasons, these included;

• My interests lie within magazine work, styling and buying
• More career opportunities
• Dislike designing

The first unit we were briefed on, was our group project. It involves working as a team with both promoters and designers to create a jacket, based on the theme 'Traces' - 'Memories'. The people in my group are Zoe, Leanne and Sarah. We have already had one meeting, in which we brainstormed all of our ideas and possible themes and today we had another brief team meeting where we discussed our ideas further. Myself and Sarah finally came up with the name of our theme, which is 'Castaway'. The sub-themes/ideas are;

• memory boxes
• message in a bottle
• releasing balloons
• time capsules

These will also be the 4 sub-themes in our trend book.

Toile Review

We have just recently had our toile review for our sportswear project, and Steph modelled my garment. My garment is a short jumpsuit, with stripes down the front and back right sides. I have also constructed a skirt that has an elasticated waist-band. The elasticated waist-band has the two stripes on it also. I was a little worried about the review, as i had no idea of what to expect and didn't know whether the tutors would like my design or not. However, they were very praiseworthy and gave me some helpful suggestions and possible improvements. I need to make the shorts slightly longer and the skirt slightly shorter so that the shorts are just shown beneath.

Dressing for Ashley Isham!

This is a photo of the model that i dressed for the Ashley Isham A/W09 show:

London Fashion Week!!!!!

Last week was fashion week and i headed off to London, to endure four days of hard work! I was in the front of house group, therefore was one of the lucky ones who did not have to start at 6am on Saturday morning! Emily and i headed to the V&A for lunch and then made our way to the Science Museum for our 2.45 start. We had a small briefing on what roles we would be given over the coming 4days and had a tour around the venue (backstage, front of house). We had two events happening in the evening; the first was Hannah Marshalls presentation of her upcoming collection and the second was an exhibition of Justin Smiths hat collection. I loved Hannah Marshalls collection and she was very friendly and approachable. Whilst these two events were going on, i was downstairs on the door greeting and directing guests to the exhibition. The day finished at midnight.

Sunday - Sunday was an early start (8.30), given that we finished late Saturday night! Again we were given the same roles as the night before. It was good being on the door, as you were able to meet new people and help out with enquires, plus being able to spot designer shoes and bags!!!! However, it did get a little boring, your feet killed from standing up for too long, and it would have been nice to experience something else. Aside from this, i was able to watch one of the shows in the afternoon, which was rewarding! The day finished at 9pm.

Monday - Monday was much more interesting than the previous two days, as we were moved around doing different things, other than standing on the door. My first job of the day was to go and buy 8 bags of ice and 4 bottles of tonic water, which was a bit of a struggle to say the least, especially having to drag it onto the tube! Once back, i was told to stand around the exhibition and by the entrance to the catwalk shows. Once the shows had finished we had to quickly clear up ready for the next. I was able to watch the end of the Pam Hogg show, which was brilliant! The evening consisted of a fashion show and an after-drinks party. My role was to stand by the bar, ensuring that no one was to have a drink until the show had been and gone, unless they had a VIP pass. I rubbed shoulders with celebrities including Gok Wan, Jodie Kidd and the Sugababes. The day finished at 10.30.

Tuesday - Tuesday was our last day working at fashion week. I was lucky enough to dress backstage for the Ashley Isham show, which was amazing! My model was called Oskana and she was lovely and helpful when being dressed. Her first outfit consisted of a black polo neck jumper, blue embroidered dress, tights, heels and black gloves. Her second outfit consisted of an a-symmetric white beaded dress, with the same tights and heels as worn before. It was a little tricky getting the polo neck top on and off oksana as her hair was really big and hanging over her head! But apart from that it went ok and it was really fun! For the rest of the day i was able to watch a few of the catwalk shows, help organise gift bags and stand up in the press room/exhibition area. Once the final show had finished, everything had to be de-rigged, which to my surprise didn't take that long! We had a final meeting with the front of house leaders etc and awards were given out. We left around 10.30 with bottles of John Paul Gaultier limited addition water and sample hair products:) To celebrate completing the 4days, 8 of us went out for a late dinner. It was nice to finally have a proper meal!

Overall, it was a great experience working at London Fashion Week. I got to meet new people, designers and celebrites and was given the chance to work backstage. I would definately consider working at fashion week again, however would prefer to work backstage dressing models, as this was the part that i enjoyed the most!

Sportswear Project Update

By the end of Sunday, my final design was completed and all of my sketchbook work for my current project was up to date, and i was ready to start pattern cutting on monday. Before starting my pattern i had to decide on the type of materials i will be using to make my garment. This was important as there are different blocks for jersey garments to others such as cotton and polyester. I decided that a jersey based fabric would work best for my design as it is based on tennis wear, therefore i used a lycra cat-suit block as my starting point. Once i had drawn around the block i adjusted it to fit my own design. I widened it slightly, made it shorter, changed the neckline and straps, flared the shorts and seperated the top part of the block from the bottom, creating two seperate pattern pieces (top and shorts). My design also includes a full circle skirt, and the pattern for it was very easy to make. It will come just below the shorts, however finish above the knee. Now that my pattern is complete, i can begin to create a toille for my garment!

Snow Snow Snow!

Another week has passed and another day of snow has fallen! Therefore making it hard to get some work done in uni. I have continued to carry on with my sportswear vs fashion project at home and have now completed my final design, ready for my first pattern cutting session on monday. Yesterday we were shown how to construct the jersey top, especially how to sew in the ribbed cuffs and neckline. My aims for the coming week, are to complete my jersey sewing samples and to start constructing the top. I also need to complete my pattern for my sportswear garment.

Let the 2nd Term Begin!

Well i have been back at uni for 4 weeks now, and have already started new briefs, units and topics. My final design project for this year is based on fashion v sport, taken from the exhibition that we visited in London, at the end of last term. I have researched into the history of sportswear, found clippings from magazines and have also looked at recent designers collections, which have a sportswear appearance about them. My designs are well under way, however during my tutorial yesterday, Az suggested that i develop my designs further. My final design needs to be chosen by next week. I also received feedback from my two modules last term and was awarded a 2:1, which i am very pleased about! I feel that i can improve my work this term by paying more attention to detail, analysis, development of designs and my organization skills.

I have also started the buying and merchandising unit. Today we had an introduction to the unit, and i found it very useful and interesting to find out what buying, merchandising and garment technology actually is. I became very interested in the buying side of the unit, and hope to find out a lot more about it throughout the duration of the module.