PCCP Hand In and CHRISTMAS!!

Well the first term is already over!! I handed in all my PCCP work today including all my toile’s and both my Garment Construction and Pattern Cutting folders. I’ve been over all my work to check it’s all complete and in order and I gave everything a final through press, including my shirt which I’m very happy with!
So now some time off for Christmas and I need to start thinking about our ‘Manifesto’ design project for next term!

Illustrator Hand In.

Today we handed in all the work we've completed for our Illustrator unit. I was fortunate to have the the necessary work to hand and I was pleased to get mine in slightly early.

London, Eco Debate and Deadlines...

Yesterday we had our second trip to London to look around a few exhibitions which relate to our next design brief, Manifesto. First, we went to Somerset House to see an exhibition called '100 Portraits' by Nick Knight with i-D Magazine. It was good to get the opportunity to view work by this photographer and some of the pieces displayed were very dynamic and vibrant.
I personally felt the best part of the exhibition was the chance to view Nick Knight shooting an actual photo shoot behind a one way mirror! It was really interesting to see the shoot and the models as well as the photos which had been taken and how the whole photo shoot set-up works.

Today we’ve all taken part in our very own ‘Eco Fashion Debate’. We’d been split into for and against teams a while ago and have had some time to collect relevant information to help us prepare for the debate. Honestly, I wasn’t overly looking forward to the exercise (bit like presenting all over again!) but I actually rather enjoyed it and I felt we all did really in presenting our points and opinions.

As for deadlines...I'm working to get my sketch book up the standard I want it to be and making sure both my pattern cutting and construction books are all complete to be handed in shortly!

Pattern Cutting for our Shirt!

Today was our first pattern cutting lesson with no demonstrations! We had to complete a pattern for a shirt we are going to make using the techniques we've learnt and documented throughout the term.

I thought the whole process was quite a good challenge and I thoroughly enjoyed bringing together the different skills and techniques we’ve been shown to produce our own pattern. We all worked together more or less and after a few minor blips we all complted the necessary pattern pieces. Now the only way to see if what we've done is right is to make the shirt using the pattern!! - which we'll be doing all before the end of term!!

Presenting Melting Pot!

Today we each presented our sketch book, our theme board and our designs to the rest of the class and explained why we’ve chosen our theme/culture and how it has developed etc. I feel my presentation went quite well (I always get pretty nervous speaking to a whole room!) but I explained all I wanted to and I was pleased to get a vote from someone who felt they could get inspiration from my work - nice to be recognised and your work appreciated and all that! I'm going to carry on with the project to do all I want with it until a couple of weeks time when we’ll be given our next brief!
As far as that goes, we're off to London on Monday to see an exhibition which relates to the new brief so lets hope it's inspiring!

Collars and Melting Pot.

We spent Thursday pattern cutting, focusing on collars and plackets, features which we will need to include in the shirt we produce at the end of the term. I’ve been pretty busy working on the ‘Melting Pot’ project this week as we have to present our sketch book, theme board and final design to the whole group on Monday. I’m not overly looking forward to it as I’m not a big fan of presenting but ensuring I have all the work I need and I’m happy with the quality of the work should make the whole process a little less daunting.

Piclairs Presentation

On Wednesday my class mates and I had the chance to watch a presentation by a lady from ‘Piclairs’, a fashion forecasting company. The presentation was like nothing I’ve seen before so it was a very good experience to learn about fashion forecasting. The lady presenting the slideshow explained each current story thoroughly, showing the colour ways and the potential customer of each story. Each trend/story was equally interesting however I’d love to have learnt more about how they decide on these stories and where they get the majority of their inspiration from.

This week I’ve also continued working on the ‘Melting Pot’ design project which I’ve decided to base on the ‘English Rose’ culture after my tutor assured me it was a good idea! J I’ve really got into the project now and am enjoying researching the theme. I've looked at some work by modern day designer's who have taken a contemporary look at the 'English Rose' style as well as looking into the history of the theme and producing some of my own designs.

Last of PPRD Q & A 2...

Find some contemporary designers - Where did they get their inspiration from?

Craig Lawrence

For his latest collection, Spring 2010, Craig Laurence has been inspired by a number of different factors. Firstly, the future. As with several designer’s these days he has considered and experimented with a futuristic look. The future is totally unknown and this gives designers a lot of freedom. They can try-out many different techniques with more technical methods and fabrics that are not overly popular at present.

He has also inspired by the environment and the continued awareness of our diminishing resources. His collection won’t biodegrade, he wants it to last forever and be used by generation after generation.

Johanne Kappel Anderson

Johanne Kappel Anderson is an MA Fashion graduate from the Royal College of Art.
Her graduate womenswear collection ‘Raised like a Bird’ was inspired by Magpie’s. She had the idea to create a collection on the imaginary life in a magpie’s nest. She included idea

s about silver spoons, metal pieces and keys into prints, shapes and beading. Elements such as a speckled bird egg and the magpie’s black eye appear as details and prints. This collection is heavily inspired by nature.

Identify and document some current and emerging trends.

Chunky knits have been popular recently as winter approaches, either as snuggerly tight knits or a stylish open weave to show a bit of skin. Crop tops and capes are very on trend which easily add interest to an outfit and can be casual or dressy. One-shouldered dresses and tops are extremely popular along with textures such as velvets and lace.

The Latest in Illustrator...

I've added some of the latest work I have completed in Illustrator including a flat drawing of a trainer and further work to my logo that I started the other week.
The trainer is a copy of an image I found on the web, drawn around and filled in with a colour palette of my choice brought in from Kuler. I'd never heard of Kuler before but it's pretty cool and I can see it being handy at times. I also changed the colour ways of the trainer using a tool called 'Recolour Artwork'. As with the logo, I enjoyed creating this image as we were left up to our own devices a bit more and it was another chance to get to grips with Illustrator - which I can happily say, I think I'm getting the hang of it! Hope I'm not talking too soon! We also had a chance to continue with our logo and fashion illustrations and I'm really happy with what I've created.

PPRD Q & A 2....

How much do you already know about fashion?

I studied both GCSE and A Level Textiles although both were quite fashion based. I thoroughly enjoyed this course – obviously I suppose or I wouldn’t be on this course! I learnt a great deal of the academic, construction side of the industry as well as how to develop my own designs and collections.

I’m very aware there are many different areas involved in the fashion industry, some of which I know very little about but I’m keen to learn. I was lucky enough to work for Topshop for several months and this gave me a brilliant opportunity to see different aspects of the retail side of fashion. I was most inspired by the merchandising side and I’m keen to learn more about it as well as buying!

I feel my knowledge is lacking when it comes to fashion designers, I think simply because I haven’t been exposed to enough of them! I have worked to improve my knowledge and feel it has and continues to do so during this course.

What do the clothes we wear say about us?

Does what we wear define us?

I strongly believe that the idea that the clothes someone wears relates to their self confidence, security and how ‘open’ they are only applies to a certain extent.

Firstly, there are so many aspects to self confidence. In some cases an all round confident person is happy to wear more individual, eccentric clothing. They’re self assured and happy with who they are.

Similarly, it is possible to find less confident and shy people who wear more bland, less individual clothing as they feel they want to blend in with the background as they are not confident to stand out.

These are the two extreme ends of the spectrum. In the middle, I feel there are other scenarios.

Sometimes a confidence is within someone and may not show through to others. These people can still feel confident to wear whatever they choose to and wearing these clothes maybe a way of showing people they are confident and self assured.

Who dictates fashion?

Where does it start and go?

Firstly, consider the ‘trickle down theory’:

· Designers design a collection.

· They show the collection on the catwalk.

· Designer’s for the high street see new trends set by the high end designers and try to emulate particular parts of that catwalk collection in high street designs.

· A while later those designs are displayed and sold on the high street.

Looking at this sequence it would seem designer’s, trend spotters and fashion forecasters dictate fashion. As high street consumer’s we buy what we see to be fashionable. This is often what is available on the high street as we tend to trust the high street stores to be selling what is current and on trend. As well as this, we pick up what is current and fashionable from magazines and celebrities etc.

On the other hand is the idea that we, the public, decide what is fashionable. A design that has come from the catwalk may be very popular to the high street consumer and soar. This particular fashion may then continue for some time or designer’s may try to develop the design further.

Also, individuals who are keen to stretch the boundaries, be different and not conform may also set the trend. Anyone who wears something that has never been worn before or something in a different way may set a trend themselves.