Confessions of a Fashion Student

Dissertation

2012-02-03T06:56:00.000-08:00

I am investigating how youth retailers can survive in the current economic situation so would like to find out about young people's buying habits. If you are aged 16-24 and have 5 minutes to spare, please could you complete the questionnaire by clicking on the link below. All your answers shall remain anonymous and you may withdraw your answers from the survey at any time. Many thanks x

http://kwiksurveys.com?u=catherinedissertation

Behind the scenes at The Marks & Spencer Styling Competition Photoshoot

2012-01-17T06:51:00.000-08:00

To celebrate the launch of the M&S Company Archive atthe University of Leeds we were set a research and styling competition.Angharad, Sabrina and I looked back on the history of Marks & Spencer fromits humble beginnings of a market stall in Leeds in 1884 through to becomingthe leading retailer on the British High Street, as well as their future plansto become an international multi-channel brand. We were particularly drawn tothe Marks & Spencer underwear designed in the Hollywood Glamour era of the 1950’sand wanted to update the look for 2012. We sourced a 1950’s brassiere andknickers and teamed them with a silky dressing gown from the currentcollection. We styled the outfit with a beehive hairstyle, temporary tattoos,piercings and killer heels for a punk twist. Special thanks to Kat Sherry foragreeing to model last minute!

Playful

2012-01-14T05:49:00.000-08:00

My second outcome to the Toys and Games concept is a Spring/Summer 2013 collection called Playful for House of Holland. As part of my research I visited the Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood which led me to look at Lego, computer game pixels, fluffy Disney character's and the world's most favourite blonde - Barbie. Henry designs with a London girl aesthetic in mind and is continually inspired by the variety of attitudes, cultures and mindsets that exist throughout the UK capital. The House of Holland girl is cool, confident and savvy and wears labels without letting them wear her. I am looking forward to designing my five collections in Semester Two.

Forget-me-not

2012-01-14T05:35:00.000-08:00

My third concept is Toys and Games. Playground pastimes such as Pogs, Scoobie Strings and Yoyos are now considered retro and will be welcomed back in young peoples fashion choices. My outcome is for Republic's sub brand, Miso. Republic is rapidly expanding and plan to double their stores in the UK and Ireland by 2015. My customers are Little Mix who have worn Republic garments on the X Factor which has increased their sales. The girls are aged between 18 and 20 so fit Republic’s customer profile. Each Little Mix has a different body shape and style. From Jesy Nelson's Swagger mix to Perrie Edward's Boho with Urban Edge mix, I will design my collection so that each of the girls would find an outfit they love.

Gee Whiz!

2012-01-14T05:16:00.000-08:00

After reading plus size fashion bloggers complain about the lack of choice they have on the high street I decided to base my second concept on the 1950s - the decade that natural curves were the ideal body shape. I was inspired by the Pin-Up Girl - a woman whose physical attractiveness would entice one to place a picture of her on a wall. In 1953, Playboy magazine launched with a centrefold of Marilyn Monroe. As a size 16, Marilyn Monroe was a great role model for a larger woman who are comfortable in their skin. Fifties fashion was seen on the Spring/Summer 2012 catwalks from the likes of Prada, Erdem, Dolce & Gabbana and Diane von Furstenberg. Key shapes include slinky longer-length pencil skirts, flirty dresses with fitted bodices, midi-length skirts and playsuits. My design outcome is a range called Gee-Whiz which is inspired by the drama of the fifties. My collection is for New Look's Inspire range and is for the modern Pin-Up Girl to wear.

Insects

2012-01-14T05:01:00.000-08:00

My second outcome for the Insect concept is a Haute Couture collection for Christian Dior. Christian Dior founded his own couture house in 1946 with his famous "New Look". Despite the credit crunch and recession there has been a recent boom in Haute Couture. There is a new breed of couture clients who are younger, fashion conscious and from emerging rich nations such as Saudi Arabia, China and India. There are more Middle and Far Eastern women in the front rows of couture shows than ever before. For John Galliano’s final haute couture collection in February 2011, Dior had to double its guest list at the Rodin Museum in Paris to 800 people. The couture house has been through a difficult year with the sacking of designer John Galliano after his anti-semantic, racist comments went viral. British-born Bill Gaytten has taken the lead role as creative director. He had worked for Galliano for 23 years and told WWD “It's the same job for me; I've been doing it for a long time." His first collection has been criticised by the fashion press for moving away from the signature style of the couture house. Therefore, in my collection, I must be respectful for the clearly defined aesthetic of Christian Dior.

The Woman Learns to Fly

2012-01-14T04:54:00.000-08:00

During my first semester of final year we had to choose three concepts to research and analyse with five outcomes to design for next semester. My first concept is Insects. When I was younger my sister and I would spend summer days exploring all the insects in our garden, setting up races for different species and keeping them as pets in holy matchboxes. There was something so fascinating about these miniature creatures, their colours, movement, number of legs and flying skills. My first outcome is French Connection. The theme is "The Woman Learns to Fly" which is a continuation of French Connection's "The Woman" advertising campaigns. The collection will be a mix of sophistication and fun with casual and formal pieces.

Fashion Innovation

2012-01-13T16:34:00.000-08:00

Toiles I made as part of development

The Ocean is magnificent. We can swim in the sea and use the ocean as our main source of protein. But, it is under threat because of over-fishing and poor fishing practices. If we continue to fish at the same rate, fish stocks will rapidly deplete beyond recovery. This problem can be solved with sustainable fishing. I have been inspired by Greenpeace and Selfridges 'Project Ocean' campaign to end overfishing in the reformed Common Fisheries Policy which is currently being debated by European politicians. I based my collection on the freedom vs. constriction of fish, the beauty and transparency of sea creatures and the harsh reality of fishing processes. I chose to spread the message with clothes that get noticed for the attention to detail rather than 'in your face' slogan tees.

Ray Lowe Studios

2011-09-12T10:24:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I went to a four hour intensive photography course at the Ray Lowe Studios in Hertfordshire. There was only four of us so we could ask plenty of questions. We learnt which settings are best for portraiture then went into the studio where Ray Lowe explained that a good photo requires you to consider the background, lighting, subject and expression. Then we had a go at photographing a model. After all the years of watching ANTM I forgot everything. I found it hard to come up with ideas of poses as the empty studio was quite uninspiring but once I saw the wind machine I got more into it. The course has helped me prepare for the Photography and Styling module at uni next year and made me realise that I need to get lots more practice.

Ray Lowe Studios

Curtain Call

2011-09-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago my friend invited me to an exhibition at the Roundhouse, Camden called Ron Arad's Curtain Call. I had no idea what it was about so decided to go. When we arrived we entered a dark room with a big cylinder from the floor to the ceiling made from silicon tubing. There were people inside so we went in through the curtain and sat down. Cameras were projecting short films with music accompanying them. It was really cool to watch a 360° show. The Bar Cel Ona film was action packed and upbeat so a few people ran round the outside running their hands against the curtain to create more movement. My favourite film was Kaikoku which was the documentation of Chalayan's AW2011 Collection, made in collaberation with Swarovski as it was a completely new was to watch a catwalk show. Here are a few photos I took:

The Fat Girl Gets A Haircut and Other Stories by Babais Alexiadis

Kaikoku by Hussein Chalayan

ProlongGone by Gabriel Klasmer & Shira Klasmer

Ron Arad's Curtain Call

Painting faces

2011-09-12T07:07:00.000-07:00

For the last couple of weeks I have been face painting in Bed and Area nightclubs in Watford. Some of the customers are over excited and can't keep still but it's been really fun and I've had some funny conversations, including someone who panicked half way through because they thought they were getting a tattoo. Here are a few of the designs I have been doing:

Area and Bed

The Enchanted Palace

2011-09-12T06:43:00.000-07:00

Ever since I watched A Little Princess I have wanted to be one. When I discovered that a spell had been cast at the Kensington Palace, turning it into The Enchanted Palace me and a friend had to visit. Through the rooms we found out secret stories about the seven princesses who have lived there - Mary, Anne, Caroline, Charlotte, Victoria, Margaret and Diana. Their lives are interpreted through stunning installations in a dreamlike setting. Vivienne Westwood has created a dress for the exhibition which is a must see. I am still trying to figure out how to use my SLR camera without a flash and was annoyed at the time at how blurry the photos were coming out. But the images capture the mysteriousness of the Princesses lives well and I am going on a photography course soon which should help.

Fairytales have certainly not lost their power to enchant us. The exhibition is running until 3rd January 2012. Click here for The Enchanted Palace

Onde é o barco?

2011-09-12T05:58:00.000-07:00

In July I went to Algarve, Portugal with my family. It was the perfect place to relax after my year in industry. Here are a few holiday snaps:

The Royal Wedding

2011-04-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Kate Middleton and Prince William tied the knot at Westminster Abbey and became husband and wife, as you may have heard. At 8am, me and my equally obsessed friend Lucy went to London to join one million others celebrating the big day. The Mall was already overcrowded so we headed to Trafalgar Square to watch the events unfold on the big screen. The crowd was quite diverse from mini princes and princesses, young people drinking Pimms and an older crowd celebrating with champagne. People dressed for the occasion wearing their Sunday bests, Crowns, Wedding Dresses (just in case) and Union Jacks. It was a buzzing atmosphere with lots of nationalities uniting together.

When the popular Royals started arriving, there were cheers and flags in the air. Then we caught a glimpse of Kate’s dress as she got into the Rolls-Royce and all the girls squealed with delight.

When Kate arrived at the Abbey, Trafalgar Square was silent as everyone stopped what they were doing and saw how incredible the future Queen looked. She wore the most beautiful dress I have ever seen. Sarah Burton created the classic long sleeved ivory silk gown with a veil that stayed in place by a Cartier “halo” tiara lent to the bride by the Queen. The lace appliqué included a rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock to represent England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The entire dress was sourced and made in the UK to follow the theme of the wedding. Sarah Burton explained “that by marrying traditional fabrics and lacework, with a modern structure and design we have created a beautiful dress for Catherine on her wedding day.”

It was brilliant watching the wedding in a crowd for the joint reaction. When Harry and Pippa chatted there were cheeky cheers and when Will struggled to fit the ring on there was a big “Ohhhhhhh!” followed by a round of applause when it fitted. After the wedding we headed to Buckingham Palace for the balcony kiss and the RAF flypast. From SLR’s to camera phones, everyone wanted to capture the moment. Afterwards I caught the end of the Street Party on my road.

So, why did the Royal Wedding captivate hundreds of millions around the world? Many girls dream of becoming a princess so to see this fairytale come true for Kate is lovely to watch. With all the shattered dreams in the world today, maybe a happy ending is just what everyone needs to be hopeful again. Congratulations Will and Kate!

Leaving Fabric Flavours

2011-02-07T10:44:00.000-08:00

On Friday I finished my placement at Fabric Flavours. I learnt loads about childrenswear but am ready to start a new adventure at French Connection tomorrow. The Fabric Flavours shop is nearly ready to open now. The best bit about helping design the store was frantically running around with Kate, the designer, in Brent Cross shopping centre with a family of mannequins in our arms who needed dressing! Above are some photos of how the store turned out.

Black Swan

2011-02-07T04:10:00.001-08:00

Black Swan is the film everyone has been talking about this year. Nominated for 5 Oscars including best picture and with costumes designed by Rodarte's Mulleavy sisters, I decided to see what all the hype was about. The film was much darker than I expected as naive ballet dancer Nina crosses from good to evil in a quest to play the perfect black swan. She becomes so obsessed with the role that she loses sight of what’s right and wrong, reality and in the mind. It was a gripping storyline but not to be recommended for the squeamish. However there are other ways of getting your fix of the ballerina trend this season. Key catwalk pieces that have inspired the high street include Chanel’s black lace dresses tufted with feathers, Givenchy’s floating chiffon overskirts, Valentino’s sheer ruffles and Chloe’s tutulike skirts worn with leotards.

Reading Festival Trend Report

2011-01-03T03:38:00.000-08:00

Amplified are a London based streetwear clothing company who have rapidly become the definitive T-shirt brand for fashion conscious music fans. They are always looking for innovative ways to display the world's biggest names. During the Summer, I was assigned by Amplified to attend the Reading Festival and research trends in band tees. This is what I discovered:

The Reading and Leeds festivals have attracted thousands of indie music fans every summer since 1972. This year the main headliners were Guns ‘N’ Roses, Arcade Fire and Blink 182 who reportedly earned £1 million each for their performances. Blink 182 received the best reception as many fans had grown up with their music so were excited for their reunion. Guns ‘N’ Roses got the worst reception after turning up an hour late and being forced to stop before they had finished their set due to sound curfew laws. Other key acts included Queens of the Stone Age, Biffy Clyro, Lost Prophets, Alkaline Trio, The Libertines, Dizzee Rascal, Pendulum, Paramore and Limp Bizkit. The main age group is between 18 and 24 as school and university friends camp together year after year. A number of stag and hen do’s celebrated in style staying in the more luxurious camp areas. Parents who have been going for years now bring their children and camp in the quiet zones.

Reading Fashion

With changeable English weather, Hunter boots and sunglasses formed the basis of the Reading wardrobe. Fittingly for the music festival, band tees were by far the most popular graphic statement at the event. Boys teamed their band tees with hooded tops, over the knee shorts, jeans, and tracksuit bottoms. Girls dressed band tees up with miniskirts, shorts, checked shirts and leather jackets.

Festival Merchandise

• Official merchandise was £20 for t-shirts and £40 for hoodies. Reading tops had printed designs made up of skulls, wolves, wings and stars, on the front with the line up on the back. Official world tour t-shirts for the main headliners were also selling for £20.

• Unofficial merchandise featured photographic images of music icons screen printed in black and white onto vest tops. Metallic foil print was used to enhance Lady Gaga’s zigzag make up and Marilyn Monroe’s lips were printed in red. These tops cost £15.

• A small range of humorous slogan tees were available for young children.

Swinging Sixties
• The youngest festival goers went furthest back on the music timeline wearing classic band tees from the sixties in vintage washes.

Acceptable in the Eighties
• Eighties kids wore band tees of artists who were most successful in the decade they were born in. Ripped necklines helped create the ultimate rocker look.

Most Popular

• Not surprisingly, tees showed a strong allegiance to the biggest bands playing at the festival. Blink 182 championed as the most popular band for t-shirts. Significantly less Guns ‘N’ Roses t-shirts were worn after their disappointing performance on Friday. Although Arcade Fire were headlining on Saturday, more Libertine’s t-shirts were worn.
New Talent
• Support for up-and-coming bands was shown by wearing their t-shirts with bold and original designs to stand out including Frank Turner, Gallows, Polar Bear Club and Foals.
Golden Oldies
• Mature festival goers wore t-shirts of classic bands that they have followed for many years and liked when they were teenagers such as Queens of the Stone Age and Kiss.
Back Detailing

• Backs of t-shirts were used to list tour dates, festival line ups, slogans and album cover art.

Conclusion

In conclusion, band tees are worn for a number of reasons. They can be worn to let the world know about your favourite band, as a reminder of a particularly good gig or festival, or just as a way of getting into the spirit of festival fashion!

http://www.sugarbullets.co.uk/
http://www.readingfestival.com/home/

All I want for Christmas...

2010-12-22T04:24:00.000-08:00

... is a Barbie football table please! Created by French designer Chloé Ruchon, this Barbie pink design features Brunettes Vs Blondes and only costs £10 000! There are only eight in the whole world and you can play a match in the Wonderland Room in Selfridges this Christmas.

The Battle for the World's Most Stylish Superhero

2010-12-08T06:27:00.000-08:00

This month Gisele and Spiderman are battling it out for the World's Most Stylish Superhero!

Gisele has launched an animated series on AOL called Gisele and the Green Team. Each episode features Gisele act as a Supermodel by day and a Superhero protector of the environment by night! She teaches children how to conserve energy and be more eco friendly.

In December's issue of American Vogue, Spiderman stars in his first photoshoot shot by Annie Leibovitz to mark the launch of his broadway show "Turn Off the Dark". Spiderman is celebrating his 50th birthday this year with the most expensive broadway production ever, costing $60 million to produce. Creator Julie Taymor asks “I know it’s too much, but is that bad? Seriously, if you don’t want to do something ambitious that’s never been seen before, why do you bother?” Here are the stunning photos from the shoot:

Winner: Spiderman

http://www.giseleandthegreenteam.com/
http://spidermanonbroadway.marvel.com/

Fabric Flavours Placement

2010-12-01T04:06:00.000-08:00

For the last four months I have been on a fashion placement with Fabric Flavours so thought I'd share what I've been doing! Fabric Flavours is a tiny childrenswear company that designs and sells retro inspired Childrenswear. I have mostly been looking after sales, helping to create their website and designing their first shop. Here is how the website turned out:

For the shop, we have kept with the retro theme with the interior design, buying furniture from the 60's, 70's and 80's. The floor is made from refurbished wood from the early 1900's. We recovered the old fireplace in the store and have turned it into a feature. The shop will be finished in the next couple of weeks so pictures will come soon! I designed the outside of the store to be as colourful as possible to catch peoples attention. The green has been painted and the logo will be painted this week. I am now trying to design the first shop window with a Christmas theme. Below are three of my ideas. Any feedback would be great. Sorry for the lack of Photoshop skills used, they are just quick mock ups!

Fashion in Motion: KENZO at the Victoria and Albert

2010-11-14T06:12:00.000-08:00

On Friday, my fellow fashionista Amy Gibson had a spare ticket to see Fashion in Motion: KENZO at the Victoria & Albert museum so I jumped at the chance and went along!

I will always get excited by fashion shows. I love the buzz before the show as everyone takes their seats and looks to see if anyone famous is in the front row. All the photographers get into position then everyone hushes as the lights go down. The music blasts out setting the tone for the show and then the models glide across the catwalk in breathtaking creations.

KENZO is renowned for its colourful hues and lively prints. KENZO is renowned for combining colourful hues and lively prints that have been inspired from around the world to make beautiful designs. This collection takes us on an imaginary voyage in which a Japanese traveller discovers the traditions and clothing of Sardinia. This reflects the fusion of the founding Japanese Designer, Kenzo and the current Creative Director Antonio Marras whose homeland is Sardinia.

Marras says of his collaboration with the V&A; "I love new experiences in fashion, hybrid events where fashion meets other forms of expression and different disciplines are reinvented in an innovative perspective. It is amazing that the V&A finds such creative and unexpected ways to present fashion to the public - and a perfect match for KENZO whose bold creativity has also pushed boundaries."

Kate Moss AW 2010 Collection

2010-11-02T05:21:00.000-07:00

Last night Kate Moss launched her final collection for Topshop, which is available in stores today. She looked incredibly glamorous in a custom made jumpsuit, loosely curled hair and a dash of red lipstick. Over the last three years she has helped design an impressive fourteen collections. I remember running to Topshop with a couple of friends after school to try on Kate's first designs!

She told the New York Times "I've learned a lot about the design and development process; experiences that I'd only ever seen informally through being a model."

This season is inspired by the seventies which perfectly reflects her vintage-boho style. There is also the chance to buy some of the iconic pieces from previous collections as well as her new jewellery range.

www.topshop.com

A/W 2010/11 Childrenswear

2010-10-26T04:30:00.000-07:00

Above are my favourite childrenswear brands this season. They are Memini (Norway), Troizenfants (France), No Added Sugar (UK), Mimi-Pi (Netherlands) and Oopsy Daisy Baby (USA).

No more Sex and The City

2010-07-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

In this weeks Grazia magazine it was reported that due to such negative feedback on the second movie, it is highly unlikely that further movies or episodes will ever be made. Papers such as The Guardian awarded the film only one star, accusing scenes such as burqua-clad ladies removing their veils to the girls to reveal New York style fashions of being borderline racist. This is sad news for all the women that were inspired by the famous four's strong characters and fashion choices. I really enjoyed the second film which, if anything, united women around the world in a light hearted form of escapism. With a wardrobe budget of an incredible $10 million, there are plenty of ways to achieve each of the girls Abu Dhabi looks:

Fearless Fantasy Artistic Vintage

Sexy Confident Sassy Vixen

Preppy Sweet Chic Polished

Smart Powerful Modern Prints

RIP SITC

Bonjour!

2010-05-11T16:43:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago I went to Paris with my fashion class to attend the Premiere Vision exhibition which showcased fabrics and prints for 2011. In our spare time we travelled around Paris to explore the attractions and obviously the shops! Above are my favourite photos from the trip.

Junky Styling

2010-05-11T15:56:00.000-07:00

This semester in Design Development, I have been researching slow fashion. This is turning the current disposable fashion trend upside down by creating garments that are of a high quality so will last from season to season. They are made to be kept, with all materials fair trade, organic or recycled.

I looked at recycling unused stock that had never even left the factories they were made in due to such a fast turnover of styles. These garments were going to be thrown away which would waste all the energy and materials needed to make them as well as taking up space in the rapidly decreasing landfill space. Junky Styling are a small company based on Brick Lane in London who offer a bespoke service to anyone with a garment they want to reuse. My vision was to take their ethos and alternative style and offer it to the masses.

I chose to design a nautical themed collection for Autumn/Winter 2011/12 which could transcend to Spring/Summer by reducing the layers. Below is my customer board, mood board, fabric board and final collection:

Nonwovens: Decoratif

2010-05-11T15:21:00.000-07:00

This semester in Garment Technology I have been working with fashion design students Lisa Morley and Charlotte Pickering to experiment with nonwoven fabrics. These materials are fun to work with as seams can be left unfinished without fraying and overlocking is unnecessary. This allowed us a lot more time to experiment with decoration.

Our aim was to create two garments so beautiful, that it could influence others to move away from using woven fabrics which are heavily overused in today's fashion world. Taking inspiration from John Rocha's Spring Summer 2010 Collection, we decided to make two dresses. Although they are made from the same pattern pieces, the different forms of nonwovens and decorations gave each dress a unique character.

The day dress has a white pintucked bodice with wool embroidery. The skirt is made up of hundreds of laser cut and then brushed feathers. To achieve the summary colours, we dyed the nonwovens and felt in beetroot, tea, coffee, and food colouring. The dreamy dress symbolises goodness and dreams coming true.

The evening dress has been made from a black pintucked bodice which has been embroidered with glistening black beading. The black laser cut feathers are more intricate and spiky. This bewitching dress symbolises a darker kind of magic that lingers deep within the forest.

Overall we are incredibly proud of the two stunning dresses that we have created from start to finish!

Down the Rabbit Hole

2010-03-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland has taken the world by storm. In the UK alone, the movie has taken £35 000 000. I recently watched it in 3D and was captivated by the enchanted Wonderland that Alice (Mia Wasikowska) falls into after being trapped in a world of proper etiquette.

The fairytale combines the familiar crazy characters including the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter), Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) and the Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry). By setting the story in Alice's late teens, we see a new adventure as she returns to the land with the task of killing the Jabberwocky to save the White Queen (Anne Hathaway).

My favourite part of the film was the costumes which were designed by the very talented Colleen Atwood:

Alice begins by wearing a traditional 19th Century dress which is an air force blue rather than the bright blue she is originally associated with. Although she refuses to wear a corset underneath, the dress symbolises her restricted life in which everything is decided on her behalf. The second dress Alice wears shows her newfound freedom as it transforms into something magical as she grows and shrinks after taking various potions.

The final outfit that Alice wears, when she becomes a giant so has to wear the Red Queens curtain, is the magnificent red dress shown above. I adore this dress because it completely fits with the wild fantasy world. The blood red colour shows that she is a fierce character and the white and black fabric on top has been decorated with hearts and snowflakes to symbolise the conflict that she is inbetween. The tutu skirt is so feminine and princess like and is full of volume which grabs the viewers attention.

The Mad Hatter's outfit has been inspired from London hat makers in the nineteenth century. Colleen Atwood explains "They called hatters "mad hatters" because they used these toxic glues and dyes all the time, and they were actually quite mad, a lot of them. So it was quite cool to read about that business in that time, and that they were actually quite in demand and made quite a decent living at that period."

The White Queen wears a white dress which is romantic enough to be worn as a wedding dress. The sheer jewel embellished fabric gives her arms and shoulders a more delicate look. The bodice is decorated with delicate embroidery and rose applique. It has a corset underneath to give her a traditional Queen silhouette. The white colour emphasises her virtue and goodness in contrast to the Red Queen. Pale skin and white blonde hair teamed with dark red lips complete the look.

The Red Queen costume takes the traditional royal dress and adds a dark twist. The oversized collar supports the huge head that she has. Red, Black and Gold are used to keep with the original designs. The hearts on the skirt have a gothic feel with their thick black outline. By having a black outline on the bodice, the Red Queen looks even more out of proportion and resembles a wasp shape more than a human.

Although the storyline is absolutely crazy, this film is worth watching for the 3D effects and the fashion eye candy.

Laser Cut

2010-02-07T04:44:00.000-08:00

While looking for inspiration for a laser cut dress to make, I came across Valentino's Spring 2010 Collection. These beautiful clothes are taken from Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli's second collection for Valentino. This Spring they "tell a new fairytale" which reveals the Valentino house from their point of view. Soft tones in sheer fabrics are utilised in creating mini party dresses for the younger Valentino customer.

This lavender coloured jacket has 3D laser cut roses applied all over. This creates an incredible texture. Subtle hints of flesh are shown between some of the roses to complete the romanticised look.

This floor length nude dress has a laser cut floral pattern and a golden eyelet pattern decorates the outer sheer layer. The flowers start off small and get larger as they flow down the dress.

This striking dress is made up of laser cut black orchids swirling around the body and is tied off with a gigantic chiffon bow. The black colour makes the dress more gothic.

This rose dress is brought to life with a waistcoat decorated with laser cut fanciful frills.

This collection shows how laser cutting can be used to perfectly cut out floral patterns with acute attention to detail. I am excited to make my own patterns and try them out on the laser cutter.

For the full collection, visit www.style.com/fashionshows/review/S2010RTW-VALENTIN

Clean Your Clothes!

2010-02-07T04:11:00.000-08:00

The Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) was started in 1989 when a group a Philippine factory workers were instantly fired for demanding the minimum wage. Today the campaign reaches 12 European countries. Each national CCC brings together unions, consumer organisations, women groups, third world development groups and research groups to improve working conditions in the global garment industry. The Clean Clothes Campaign reminds us that it is human beings - just like us - who make our clothes. Surely if the tables were turned, they would not expect us to work below the minimum wage for many hours in unsafe conditions just so they could have the latest fashions at a bargain price?

http://www.cleanclothes.org/

Goodbye Christmas

2010-01-06T15:41:00.000-08:00

As we say goodbye to Christmas and hello to spring (soon!) here's a dress I made for my friend Cassie who dressed up as an elf recently. I used a black strappy dress and sewed green sequin fabric on top and finished it with a white fur trim. Cassie made the fabulous hat!

Snow

2010-01-06T15:23:00.000-08:00

Snow is my favourite kind of weather! I love the way that it turns the mundane into something quite picturesque. Here are some photos that I took in my back garden today:

GTech boards

2009-12-22T15:29:00.000-08:00

Along with the garments that I made this term, I researched and analysed each garment. I looked at the history, how designers manipulate the garment and how it is designed for the current high street. Here are my findings:

Oh Christmas Tree

2009-12-22T15:22:00.000-08:00

With a couple of hours to come up with an outfit beginning with T for a fancy dress party, me and my housemate Sarah decided to dress up as Trees of the festive kind. We sewed tinsel and Christmas decorations to over sized green tops and teamed this with brown tights, boots and a big bow on our heads!

Blood, Sweat and Tantrums

2009-12-22T14:40:00.000-08:00

Here are the five womenswear garments that, through trial and error, I learnt how to construct the patterns and create during Garment Technology this semester. I expected that using a jersey fabric for the hood would be difficult to use on the sewing machine as the stretch could alter the shape. However I soon learnt how to ease the fabric through the machine. I was most pleased with the strapless evening bodice as it is something I could adapt to make a dress for a friend. The bright turquiose fabric was fun to work with as the colour really pops out. The hardest garment was definitely the rever collar which took many many attempts before I got it right! I enjoyed making the puffed sleeves as we had freedom to decide the length of the sleeve and the amount of volume created by the gatherings. The raglan sleeve was a nice garment to end with because the woven woolen fabric was really soft. To make the sleeves look more professional, I matched the checks together at the seams. The skills I have learnt will help me in my designing.

Hood with facing

Strapless evening bodice

Rever collar

Puffed sleeve with a cuff

Raglan sleeve

Saffron Seduction

2009-12-09T06:55:00.000-08:00

For my digital design module we had to design a range of printed clothing. I researched the Tehran Bazzar in Persia as my inspiration. I used images from mosques, elephants and persian carpets to make my own prints using the software Kaledo Style and Kaledo Print. Here is a selection of my work.

Rick Owens Second Year Project

2009-12-08T08:35:00.000-08:00

Today I finally handed in my RICK OWENS project! Before researching everything there was to know about Rick Owens collections, I found out about his life. It was insightful to find out what influenced his creativity to make his garments so uniquely different compared to current fashion designers. From his father teaching him ancient philosophies; dropping out of pattern cutting school to make knock off Oscar gowns; his drug phase; meeting his muse and wife Michelle Lamy to opening his own line in LA in 1994.

I then researched his four stores around the globe, situated in New York, Paris, Tokyo and London. Visiting the store in London was a new shopping experience as his waxwork head rested on top of the pillar and eerie music played in the dungeon-esque rooms.

The next step was to find out who shops in the stores. So I interviewed a lovely man who had come from Paris to visit the Rick Owens store. I also spoke to a girl from Korea who was a fan of Rick Owens on Facebook. I found out about their interests and what they liked about the brand. I then created the customer profile as part of our group work. See the Customer Profile above for the muse we had in mind when designing.

With the customer and brand in mind, I started to research suitable trends for next Fall. I found a Thriller trend on WGSN but it was too commercial for Rick Owens so I made my own interpretation.

As Rick Owens doesn't like to follow trends I researched architecture and art that I thought would match his style. I found Marteen Baas who burns classical furniture and Tim Burton who shares Rick Owens ideal of turning the ugly into something beautiful.

We then came together as a group and created the Gothic mood for our collection. The black swan represents the transformation from an ugly duckling, the architectural buildings represent the silhouettes used. The clawed hands subtly bring in the thriller trend and the Gothic woman makes the theme more dramatic.

After sourcing the fabrics it was time to design. I designed about 40 pages of designs before deciding on the final collection below.

Not just a pretty face

2009-12-03T19:13:00.000-08:00

I think its great when celebrities put their fame to good use! The gorgeous Reese Witherspoon brought some Hollywood glamour to Houses of Parliament on Wednesday morning as she discussed domestic abuse as the global ambassador for AVON. The beauty company support charity Refuge in advising thousands of abused women everyday. Unfortunately, Gordon Brown had a (legally) blonde moment later that day when he said he was "grateful that Renee Witherspoon is leading this campaign."

To help refuge, sign the government petition at www.avoncompany.com/women/speakout

Rick Owens RTW

2009-12-03T18:46:00.000-08:00

Rick Owens

For design development this semester we were put into groups of three and given a designers name. Simmone, Sabrina and I were given Rick Owens to research and design a collection for. At first glance of his work, I was gutted to be given Rick Owens as he appeared to design the same clothes in the same colours from year to year. But I soon learnt that Rick Owens is a very sought after designer as his clothes transcend seasons. His key styles such as asymmetric zips, draping leather, contrast panels create a unique gothic mood that imitations such as All Saints can never match. Here are examples of his latest collections:

Reggae Reggae

2009-12-01T03:12:00.001-08:00

On Saturday, I was invited to my friend Sophie's Jamaican themed party. I researched the country's flag colours and typical dress. Then me and my friend Cat decided to make green, black and yellow tie-dye t-shirts to wear. First of all we bought a yellow t-shirt each, green fabric dye and black fabric dye. Then we tied up the t-shirts with string to create a lined effect. We also experimented tieing stones up to create a circular effect. Then we bundled the whole t-shirt up and tied it together. Then we made the dye up by mixing it with 5 litres of warm water and 4 tablespoons of salt. We stirred the t-shirts in the dye for an hour then left them to dry. We then repeated the process, being careful to leave some string on so the yellow would still be visable. We then put the t-shirts in black dye for half an hour. When they were dry we untied them and were very happy with the results. Cat cut her t-shirt up for a more relaxed effect. Here are the tops in action:

Emerald City

2009-11-26T16:26:00.000-08:00

Last week, I went to visit Harrods in Knightsbridge. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz, Harrods created a magical Oz shopping experience. On entering the store, you can follow the yellow brick road to the shoe department. Ruby red shoes can be bought for Dorothy's of all ages. I was impressed (as always) with the Harrods window displays. Each Wizard of Oz character from the wicked witch to the tin man were dressed in designer garments which magically fitted the theme. Large books with quotes and film clips were also shown. To match emerald city, the main colour was a rich emerald green which was used for the Christmas decorations on display.

Cemetery Man

2009-11-25T12:37:00.001-08:00

In year 1 Design Development, I designed a range of menswear designs for All Saints' Autumn/Winter 2009/2010 collection. I looked at the All Saints male customer so I knew who I was designing for. For the range, I was inspired by the Gothic Villain trend from Textile View magazine. I then went to York and took photographs to create my own trend which I named Cemetery Man.

Valentino: The Last Emperor

2009-11-24T01:48:00.000-08:00

Valentino: The Last Emperor, has been shortlisted to be considered as a contender for the best documentary Oscar. It is the only fashion film to be nominated. Getting rave reviews around the world, Valentino: The Last Emperor is a feature film that looks behind the scenes of Haute Couture between June 2005 and July 2007. The film was produced and directed by Matt Tyrnauer, Special Correspondent for Vanity Fair magazine. The fly-on-the-wall film documents the dramatic end of Valentino's career, tells the story of his extraordinary life and explores the larger themes affecting the fashion business today. At the heart of the film is the brilliant relationship between Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti - his long time business partner. "What can I say? An Oscar would be an incredible crowning for an emperor," Valentino said on hearing the news.

Autumn/Winter 2009/10 Trends

2009-11-23T14:35:00.000-08:00

Last year in our Design Development module I discovered the menswear and womenswear trends for this season using trend journals such as Drapers and Textile view. I also looked at the Pre-fall catwalk collections. Then I went to York and photographed everything from shop signs to the famous tourist attractions such as the York Minster and National Railway museum. I combined the trends with photos from York to create my own trends. Here are a few examples:

London Calling

2009-11-22T04:58:00.001-08:00

My favourite place in the UK is London. I am always inspired when I go home as London is such a vibrant city. I love how the old buildings contrast against the new. I love how busy the tube gets and the moodiness of the train journeys. Below are a selection of images that I took at a couple of boat parties across the Thames river. The images show how the landscape transforms from sunset to night. I like the blurred effect that was caused by the movement of the boat. With my fashion degree I hope to be constantly working in London or New York.

Graduate Fashion Week

2009-11-22T04:22:00.000-08:00

Each June, fashion graduates from 5o universities across the country come together to showcase their final collections. The work and collections are judged by a very respectable panel from the fashion industry who give out 13 awards at the end of the week. The winner of the River Island Gold Award has the privilege of working with the company. This really inspires me to work hard on my final collection in the third year. When I went to GFW this year, I was overwhelmed by the quality of work displayed. Although the catwalk tickets had sold out, I found a door with a window that looked straight onto the catwalk entrance! Here are some photos that I took of the exhibition:

London Calling

2009-11-22T03:56:00.000-08:00

As part of our digital design module, we had to take a square, divide it into shapes inside and then rearrange the shapes into six different tiling patterns. We then had to repeat the process with a hexagon. I was inspired by London arcitechture and looked at photos I had taken from a Summer boat party on the Thames. I also looked at the photographer David Gutierrez who had looked at the contrast of colours on the underground and from day to night in London. I made the final garment design using my favourite square tiling pattern.

Year Ten Artwork

2009-11-20T00:48:00.001-08:00

The Champs de Mars, La Tour Rouge

In my first year of GCSEArt, we focused on architecture. I researched how RobertDelaunay used Orphism in his paintings - such as the Champs de Mars, La TourRouge - and used this technique in my gouache paintings of the Eiffel Tower andthe London Gherkin. I also experimented with polyblocking. I finished myproject by making my own interpretation of the buildings in my hometown,Watford.

Oh, is it winter?

2009-11-17T11:38:00.001-08:00

From the December Issue of Glamour magazine, this shoot shows that colourful accessories and a splash of bold eyeshadow can warm up any wintery day. This has inspired me to dress brightly whatever the weather and to remember to include strong colours in Winter collections.

Zig-ah-zig-ah

2009-11-16T15:34:00.001-08:00

On Saturday night I was invited to a fancy dress party with an"S" theme. So my friends and I decided to go as the Spice Girls. Tomake my dress I bought a blue T-shirt from Primark, blue sequinned fabric, redglittery fabric and shiny white fabric.

I decided to give thedress an edgy Vivienne Westwood theme by using contrasting thread and leavingthe edges rough. Heres a picture of me with my fellow Spices!

Whimsical Wear

2009-11-16T14:39:00.001-08:00

Below are some images from my year one Fundamentals of Imaging project. The task was to research and develop a service to provide to a target group. I decided to research and develop a fancy dress shop for students in Leeds. The outfits were to be made by fashion design students so would be discounted in price. In my research I included fancy dress outfits I had made for freshers week parties. This project inspired me to continue making fancy dress outfits for me and my friends!

But then women and shoes are a crazy combination...

2009-11-14T07:06:00.000-08:00

This morning at 9am, 19 H&M stores around the UK launched the new collaboration with Jimmy Choo. Hundreds of excited women braved the harsh weather conditions in hope of reaching the glamorous outfits (£29.99-£149.99), shoes (£49.99-£179.99) and handbags (£17.99-179.99) at a significantly reduced price to the current designer range. Some customers had been waiting overnight including Miss Smith who was at the front of the queue in Regents Street. "I blew my budget but I couldn't help it once I got in there," she said after spending £500 on four pairs of shoes and two handbags. "I'm totally exhausted and all I want to do is get home and try them all on."

This is the seventh designer collaboration H&M have made but the first to include handbags and shoes.When Matthew Williamson collaborated with H&M in April he was worried that people would stop buying from his mainline. He told The Guardian "I was worried it would have a negative effect on the main line. Why would a woman buy my kaftan when she could buy an equivalent for £40 at H&M? But the opposite happened. We had the biggest upturn in sales at the Bruton Street from January to June than we've ever had in that period in five years. They are different customers."

Tamara Mellon, the brains behind Jimmy Choo said "I wanted to create pieces that would reach a cool and young customer in this one-off collaberation."

This video clip shows the range available to buy.

To grab your very own Jimmy Choos call 02073232211 or visit http://www.hm.com/