Final Major Project

My degree show will be held in June 2012 so for my final major project I will be designing a fashion collection for Spring/ Summer 2013. I've started to gather lots of research and here is my mood board. With my degree show being in the summer I want my colour palette to stand out.

ALLERGENIC

My concept revolves around the allergies of summer so to carry on from my Minor Project it is all about being able to love things from a distance. When summer comes around my allergies are heightened due to hay fever. I found a current trend on WGSN called Wonderlab, I want to put my own stamp on the theme so I will look at the microscopic structure of cells and link it in with my allergies. Over Christmas I plan to start drawing from microscopic cells under the microscope and draw from compositions with seeds, flowers and moulds.

Crushed flowers at Clifton Nurseries, London



Under the microscope. The Science Museum, London



Clifton Nurseries garden centre

I have been collecting market research and been inspired by Blugirl's Spring/ Summer 2012 collection. I think the colour palette reflects my theme incorporating the dull backgrounds with splashes of bright colours. This also occurs in Roberto Cavalli's Spring/ Summer 2012 collection. I'm aware that my colour scheme will be on trends for Summer 2013. Also trends will be influenced on the DNA of plants and looking at under the microscope for 2013/14. I looked at Collezioni Trends and stumbled across Elie Saab. I will take inspiration from her couture collections as I love the tactile elements she incorporated into her designs.

Blugirl Spring/ Summer 2012

Elie Saab Couture Spring/ Summer 2012

Roberto Cavalli Spring/ Summer 2012

I visited London for 5 days last week to gather inspirational research. I visited the National History Museum, Science Museum, V&A, Tate Modern and The Textile and Fashion Museum. I also visited Liberties and Harrods to look at high end fabric designs. Whilst there I wanted to take some photographs for primary research so visited Clifton Nurseries garden centre.

V&A shop - love this notebook

V&A Alexander McQueen digital print

Textile and Fashion Museum, Zandra Rhodes

I will keep you updated on how I am coping during these final months at CCAD. Time to go and buy a microscope...

Minor Project

My minor project is now complete, 8 weeks of hard graft has paid off. Take a look at my final collection and let me know what you think!

Mood Board




Market Research Board



Colour Board



My research evolved in a strange way; even though I changed my theme during this project, the research I had done was already feeding my final idea. I just had to expand my nature theme and made it more personal to my everyday life.



A2 drawing sheet



A2 drawing sheet

My drawing sheets were textured so I found it hard to draw straight onto them, I ended up collaging most of my drawings onto the sheets. I would have liked to do more observational detailed drawings. Although the drawings I did do were sufficient for me to create development ideas.



Development sketchbook ideas



Developing embroidery techniques

I feel as though my skills and technique in the application of print and embroidery have improved significantly during this assignment. With attending advanced print and embroidery workshops I gained further skills and also researched in the library on different types of textured screen prints and fabric manipulation techniques.

 

Digital final sample

 

Embroidered fabric manipulated final sample




 

Digital fabric sample



Silk screen printed final sample




Silk screen printed and embellished sample

 

Digital embellished final sample





















Here is my collection of A/W 2012/13 designs,I completed a range of 6 fashion samples; I used a combination of digital and silk screen prints with intricate beading and embroidered detailing. My market is aimed at teenagers to women's in the late 30's. I am planning on entering this work in the Elephtheria Fashion Textile Fabric Print Competition.

Product visualization of my design

Product visualization of my design

Rustic Rhino

I've been very busy since my last post. I've been on another holiday to Cala Bona in Majorca for a little relax before my 2 week placement at Keeler Gordon in London. I had such a good time whilst on the placement and met some lovely people. I enjoyed talking to the designers about how they got into the industry. I worked along side the designers to complete a number of tasks, such as drawing lace prints, dying fabrics, screen printing and embellishing vintage clothes.

Drawing patterns for lace on tracing paper to be took onto Photoshop.

Inspirational books from Keeler Gordon Studios.

While I was in London I was busy moving flats from Swiss Cottage to Kilburn, so had a very hectic schedule. I did manage to visit the V&A and take photographs for my theme for my Minor Project. When I arrived back in Middlesbrough, I had the weekend to prepare my work and then it was straight back to CCAD to start my final year. I completed a body of work over the summer but then changed my theme from Rustic Romance to Rustic Rhino. My market research made my decision to change my theme. I looked at Etso's collection for the colour palette and Valentino's collection for the tactile elements. Instead of basing my theme on flowers and butterflies, I have based my concept on Rhinosinusitis, my allergies. I took imagery from flowers, butterflies, feathers, dust molecules and mould. My theme is all about being able to love things from a distance. Three boxes of anti histamine and two weeks into this project. I am still inspired and enjoying it. I will upload my drawing sheets once they are complete.

Inspiration - My Bay.

My Bay.

Etro Autumn/ Winter 2009/10 Collection

Valentino Autumn/Winter 2011/12 Collection

I've also made a start on my dissertation. I'm so glad I chose to write it about 'How the lifestyle of World War 2 influenced fashion.' For my research I've been interviewing family members I don't get to see as often as I would like to, I spent the day at my Great Aunt Bim's who was 19 years old when the war broke out. She gave me lots of useful information, a backlog of Remember When magazines, old photographs and also a coat and two skirts her sister made her during the war.

Flutterbys

I've been very busy these past few weeks, collecting lots of research for my new assignment 'Rustic Romance.' I've been taking lots of photographs of flowers, butterflies and foliage. Although I didn't realise how scared I am of butterflies!! Which I realised whilst visiting Butterfly World in Preston Park and also Sensational Butterflies outside the Natural History Museum in London. I love the patterns on these beautiful creatures, just don't enjoy being covered head to toe in them. Here is a photo from the National History Museum, looking very friendly with one of them...



Making friends with the butteryflutters.

After looking at the butterflies, I don't want to use the shape of them that much in my designs. Just the patterns, whilst I was at the Natural History Museum I decided to have a look round and came across some lovely well preserved butterflies. Here are a couple...

Wow

Really surprised myself. Think I will manage these weekly updates...

New Designers - I want to be here showing my work here next year!!

Regents Park flower gardens

Well I've had a very busy time this week. I visited New Designers in London. The work was amazing!! It has really motivated me to start researching for my minor project. I also visited the V&A and Regents Park, I have chosen the theme 'Rustic Romance' which is a combination of flowers and vintage jewellery. After lots of research I had some time to relax and went to London Pride Festival where I took part in a flash mob and spent the day catching up with my southerners. I also spent a good few hours in the new M&M store in London. It is amazing, you have to go!!

Clearly very excited with my MAROON peanut m&ms!!

Surface Design for Individual Options

For my individual options I chose fashion. I chose the theme 'Deco Boudior' as it was mainly inspired by 1920s jewelery and the flapper movement. I spent most of the time in the archive drawing from 1920s jewelery and also visited London to draw from old buildings such as Liberty's. I decided to digitally print some designs and screen print others. I wanted a contrast and think the collection looks good. I love my colour palette!!
 

Embroidered design with a tactile structure.

Digitally printed design on Crepe de Chine.

Digitally printed layering.

My bay - waiting to be marked.

I will get my drawing sheets uploaded so you can see how I developed my designs.

Surface Design for Gift

I struggled with this assignment at first. My theme was 'Secret Garden' but with it been out of season it was hard to take photographs of flowers. I knew I wanted to design two different collections. In my mood board, you can see the two colour palettes. In the bottom left, the colours are dark woodland colours then moving into the top right you can see my contrasting colour palette, soft pastel colours.

Mood Board.

Developing ideas.

Developing with colours.

Complicted layouts.

Market level research.

Two designers from Hallmark came in to view our work and offer out a placement, it was a great experience to be able to chat to them about my work and ask questions about the industry.

Surface Design for Fashion

Level 5 - I missed two weeks of this project due to my work experience. This has been my favorite assignment so far. I'm not sure why but I have such a passion for WW2 it's not classed as normal. I thought choosing the theme 'Romantic Aviation' would be perfect for me as I loved the colour palette for the trend and already had lots of primary research from my grandad. I also visited Eden Camp and got lots of useful pictures that helped me design. I used bits of old leather in my prints making my designs tactile and quirky.

Drawing sheet.

Drawing sheet.

Drawing sheet.

Drawing sheet.

Embroidered fabric.

Embroidered fabric.

Stand at Indigo, Paris. One of my designs are hung up, far left.

By the end of this assignment I was nocturnal. The hard work got paid off though when my work was chosen to go to Indigo in Paris. It was interesting to see how the industry worked and also look at the latest trends and designs that were out. I am pleased I had the oppotunity to take part in this event.