Second Outfit for Final Collection

My second outfit is just about done and dusted! It consists of a little bolero-style top with a stand up collar, a balloon shirt and pleather trousers.

I didn’t, however, think about that my second constructed look was made of three spate garments and would take me ages. Warning to others-think about this when you design a collection! I’m hoping it will pay off as I hope you can tell I’ve not chose the easy option but got a fuller collection with different items.

So my bolero style top; which really needs a more professional name; is made of white leather and black leather-half and half; as Cruella. The top is lined with a polyester dogtooth fabric. I do like the interior; as it looks quite striking and links in with the first look containing dogtooth.

The shirt is a balloon shirt; with gathered sleeves and a gathered back. The fabric is bought from The Cloth House in London and is said to have metal thread within in. Whether it does or not; it is really cool and holds an amazing structure. So far, this shirt is my favourite piece with a flat and simple front and then a ballooned back.

 

The trousers are based on a basic trouser block and are made from a stretchy pleather fabric. At the bottom of the ankle is a diagonal seam which leads onto a chiffon piece. I thought this represented the harsh with the soft; the two sides as in Cruella Deville. There is also side pockets; lined with the same dogtooth fabric as the jacket to match.

If I’m honest I haven’t put everything together yet on a stand-as the neck of the shirt isn’t finished yet. But I’m hoping everything will work well together.

I have now started a skirt that is part of the third look and a top that is part of the fifth look.

So as it stands his is the final line up of my Autumn/Winter 2014 collection;

·         LOOK ONE; jacket/top with one sleeve and a long tube skirt.

·         LOOK TWO; a bolero style jacket, a balloon shirt with balloon sleeves and trousers.

·         LOOK THREE; a jacket/ top and a high waist pencil skirt.

·         LOOK FOUR; a fitted dress with a peplum.

·         LOOK FIVE; a balloon shirt with a stand up collar and fitted trousers with a train.

·         LOOK SIX; a fitted dress with a separate train-but this one might change!

Professional Photo Shoot-Cruella Inspired; Model and Bulldog.

So this was moment I was waiting for…. my professional photo!

I didn’t know what to expect; I was hoping the model would look really sleek and sophisticated and then the dog would look cute and kitsch. In an ideal world-I would have liked the dog to have been positioned side wards but beggars can’t be choosers!

I am happy with the photo-I think it has the feel I was after and I do think that my little bulldog looks rather swell!

I decided this will be the first outfit of my-hopefully-six! The collection is based on the fictional character; Cruella Devil. Basing it on her signature hair which is half white and half black; I’ve looked into this significance deeper looked at opposites, split personality and schizophrenia. This was then what was investigated in a style design, applying it as half good half bad; half sculptural, half drape, half feminine, half masculine, half tailored, half floaty…

 

I like the symmetry and asymmetry of this outfit; the long tubular skirt is ultimate symmetrical with darts and a straight hem. Then the top is asymmetrical with half pattern, half plain, half structure, half soft; half lapel and collar, half sleeve; half fitted jacket, half drape top. This was then also applied to a matching dog coat-made from half sequin fabric and half woollen dog tooth.

The thought behind the dog coat was being Cruella was a notorious dog catcher, I thought it ironic to have a dog as part of the shoot. It was never to be a Dalmatian as that would be too obvious but it was only when I investigated that most dog apparel is suited to small-bag size dogs. After more searching the only larger dogs to be glamed up were breeds such as whippets and greyhounds. So as an owner of a British bulldog, I went in search to find what there was for this type of breed. I was appalled that the only outfits advertised were; pirate outfits, lion outfits… really stupid fancy dress costumes and I found that really bad. So I’m going to reach out to the breeds that other doggy designers frown upon; bulldogs, boxers, staffies, pit bulls and if I can get anybody wanting anything for a Great Dane or a Rottweiler with measurements I shall do this as well!

I hope this photo captures the two sides of the outfit and emphasises the power behind the outfit and the attitude within it. I also hope this showcases the glamour that is available for bigger beautiful slobbery dogs!

Professional Photo Shoot of First Final Garment.

So this week was my first experience of taking part in a professional photo shoot. As part of my last year doing my Fashion and Textile course, we (the students) pay to have one professional photo of one of our final garments of our collection. This will then be used in the end of year broachers and our own individual postcards that will be also be at the end of year shows such as Graduate Fashion Week and New Designers

I look at it as the first example of your work that will be shown to the public, to showcase your abilities as a designer. So I felt very aware of what I need to do in my now final year and how I wanted it to be portrayed in the photo shoot.

My years final garments ready for the photo shoot!

 

If I’m honest my final collection is turning out to be something totally different to what I had anticipated although I am trying to go with the flow, as time is not on my side and things need to be getting done! So what was originally supposed to be my final outfit could actually be one of my first designs in the collection, as I realized I wanted to make more structural outstanding pieces.

Toile of the top half of the garment.

 

Although with all this in mind, I am still proud of the construction of the garment (even though it was longer than scheduled!) I took the time to bind all the inner seams and finish all the hems correctly and I am still very content with that.

Interior seams.

 

Me-slaving away!

 

The photo shoot went well in general, all the models were lined up in order for each student and we were lucky enough to have professional makeup artists and hairdressers on sight to get the models ready. Once the hair and makeup was done; onto getting the garment on.

My model Claudia getting her hair done by Feathers Salon Group from Colchester.

 

 

The make up company MAC were in charge of the make up on the photoshoot.

 

Pablo finishing Claudias make up.

 

I never realized how small I had ended up sewing the skirt-it was suppose to be a size 10 and was originally made form a size 10 pattern-but I must have sewn in smaller and it ended up being tiny! Also the length had been increased by about 10cm! So it was a good job the model was long and slim so it fitted her beautifully. It possibly was a little snug around the hips, but gave a lovely tight look to the tubular skirt.

Ready to take some photos.

 

Once in the studio, the photographer was really good and helped get the model into position and guided her poses. After a few minutes, he found a stunning pose twisting the top of her body and lifting her arm to behind her head; elongating her and showcasing the clothes.

Claudia posing for the photo shoot.

 

I was like a mother hen; I didn’t realize how protective and paranoid about my pieces I would be! I was constantly fluffing them-pulling the collar into place, pinning it, pulling the hem down… I know I must have been a pain to both the photographer and the model but I felt it needed it to be perfect, I had such a high expectation of how it would be.

And I would like to think it went quite successful, I think the mood and feel was what I had envisaged-creating a posh, stuck up attitude that looks very sleek and slender.

It went well until….  I had to get my British bulldog into the studio wearing her matching jacket! She was good although will all the people and the attention she was quite excited and hyper which made it difficult to place her for the photo. I admit I probably wasn’t helping as I was getting more and more stressed and uptight, but all was well in the end!

Me getting Elizabeth-my british bulldog, ready to go into the set.

 

The coat from the top.

 The photographer said he had the shot (I wasn’t sure) so we will have to wait until after the Easter holiday to see the final picture! Hopefully with the model showcasing the garment and then also the dog wearing a matching coat with matching lapel, it will have a sophisticated but slightly funny-possibly tacky, tinge to the shoot!

Claudia and I... 

The Secret Vintage Fair in Colchester.

Last weekend I was lucky enough to take part and help out with the planning of a Secret Vintage Fair that was based in Colchester Castle… and it was amazing!

I had heard about it through a tutor at the Colchester School of Art so I decided to put myself forward to help with the planning but then also for modelling. The fair consisted of various stalls and stands selling vintage or vintage inspired merchandise and was to be held in a secret location; which then turned out to be Colchester Castle!

 

The stalls where spread out over two floors inside Colchester castle (which happens to be the oldest Norman castle in England!) which looked amazing with the old brick walls and high ceilings. Being in a castle, it could have been hard to keep warm but the organizers had made a wonderful job and it was comfortable and snug. The only negative was it was rather dark in there although I think it added to feel.

Most of the people who were working on stands and also visitors, had dressed up for the occasion with most people inspired by the 1940’s and 1950’s; wearing curled up-do’s, red lipstick and fitted little pencil skirts. Throughout the day here was also a long list of “vintage style” performers such as the Haywood Sisters (who were amazing!) that added to the whole feel of the day. When you entered the castle it felt as if you had entered a time warp as you walked in as everything changed and you went back in time.

The inside of the castle.

 

 

 There was live music all day either by groups or singers performing on a stage situated on the bottom floor and also two fashion shows at 12 o’clock and at 2 o’clock. The outfits for the shows were from the local stalls at the fair such as Revolver-based in Colchester and others that had been given mood boards based on the themes within the fashion show.

The fashion show themes were

·         Cute and Kitsch; based on dolls houses, pretty pink bows and feminine flowers.

·         Spring/Summer 2013; based mainly on the monochrome that has been popular this year.

·         Eveningwear and Bridal.

 

Cute and Kitsch.

 

 

 

Spring/Summer theme; influenced by this seasons trend of monocrome.

 

 

 

 

Eveningwear and Bridal;

 

 

 

The grand finaly!

 

The castle was bursting at the brim and queues were reportedly backed down into Colchester high street. I believe a good time was had by all!

I didn’t realize how popular an event like this would be but it sure showed that there is a market for it and there are plenty of people that enjoy the vintage, retro style. The next time there is anything like this on again round this area I will defiantly be attending, I enjoyed helping out with a bit of the organizing and also with the modelling. I feel I also learnt a bit about vintage styling. I found the whole experience really inspiring seeing all different past fashions and fashions that people had done their own spin off; making it more modern. I came home wanting to completely change my entire wardrobe!

To find out if and when there will be anymore Secret Vintage Fairs happening soon, check out their face book page The Secret Vintage Fair.

First Final Outfit for Collection!

Happy Easter to everyone! Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays.

I realize that I need to take time out to keep on top of my blog. But the truth is with the last couple of weeks; I have had to get the first outfit of my collection designed and made which has taken all my time up!

After the Easter holidays there are only 6 weeks left of my 3 year degree and it feels as if this will be the most hectic and worked period! For the last two weeks I have been going to the studio everyday Monday to Friday and usually drive in for 9 o’clock in the morning and I’m not returning until 7 or 8 at night. And all this for only the first outfit…!! I dread to think how the others are going to go; working out one out per week.

So my final collection is based on Cruela Deville; mostly on half black and half white. I researched the half and half hair originally created by the English author Dodie Smith in the book 101 Dalmatians and explored it more as a theory of half light and half dark or good and half bad. I also looked at it as split personality, looking into schizophrenia which is something I feel I can relate to. So taking this and converting it onto what I would perceive Cruela and what she would wear, I also looked at people such as the heiress Daphne Guinness, who could be interpretated as a modern fashion conseience celebrity.

Cruela in the original drawings for the Dodie Smith book.

Cruela Devil in the Disney movie 101 Dalmatians.


Daphne Guinness; heir of the Guinness brewery empire.

My idea is that I would use the theory of half and half and apply it to everything; half black, half white; half structure, half drapery; half hard, half soft…etc. So as a place to start I designed what I was hoping was going to be a dress which would be made up of a top half that was half black chiffon and half structured wool. Carrying on with Cruela in mind; she always wore very structured garments, skirt suits with shoulder pads and pencil skirts. So this influenced the design and helped me to create a half a jacket on the top half of the dress. As I carried on exploring the design, it ended up becoming a skirt and top as the fabric I was using made this easier. So after 4 toile’s I decided to make the final one! I feel it has gone relatively well, I feel I need to look at the skirt again as the fabric; which is black sequins that don’t sit correctly on the waist band but all in all I feel quite pleased with the result.

Versions of the toile before the final one.

 

A beautifully sewn piece... that I then realized I had to unpick!

 

Final top; half jacket with collar and lapel with half chiffon top with 3/4 sleeve.

Side view.

 

The icing on the cake is that Wednesday there will be a photo shoot where my first outfit will be professionally shot in a studio by a professional photographer. I am really excited for this and hoping to get a couple of extra accessories done in time to also put into the shoot! As soon as their taken and ready I’ll pop it on here so everyone and have a look and tell me what you think!

A picture of a half way through an accessorie....

 

Designer inspiration; Stephane Rolland and Alexandre Vauthier.

So the third and final year is well on its way. I have to say it is the quickest and most presure project I have done throughout my degree.

For any future textile or fashion designers that are going onto Colchester School of Art; this is when you need to pull your finger out. Me and most of the students in my group are coming in every day even though we only have a structured class once a week; as you learn that every day is precious and the closer it gets to the deadline the more you have to fit in to each day to make it worth wile.

So for the first couple of weeks I needed to work out what on earth I am doing; what my theme is and the base of the collection, my colour palette, my market, work on a mood board and start designing garment ideas. Throughout this process I was researching designers and the latest collections when I came across a couple of designers that I hadn’t overly heard of but fell in love with their collections.

I will also make this point of buying expensive magazines or trend books even though I know they are sooo…. expensive and you grudge paying it-bit I have found it is really worth it as they have some amazing images and can help you plan to know if you are heading in the right way with trends and colours. This is where I found these designers in a magazine bought from Selfridges in London at the cost of £15 although it had all the couture spring/summer collections shown at Paris Fashion Week.

Stephane Rolland is a French designer who shows at Paris Fashion Week and who I fell in love with his 2013 spring/summer collection. His collection was clean cut and although elements of tailoring with lapels and stand up collars the overall feel was a beautiful flowing, feminine collection that consisted of long straight dresses and fitted fish tails. Fabrics included where what appeared as heavy although possibly cut on the bias as they flowed wonderfully and detailing on trains and hems such as feathers and beading. I thought the collection looked so pure and striking as if every part had been made to perfection. It was clean cut and I feel the fabric and colour helped to portray this clean cut effect.

 

  

 

Stephane Rolland 2013 spring/summer collection.

Another collection that has had an impact on me and I recognized it instantly as a collection I would love to take influence from was Alexander Vauthier. His 2013 spring/summer collection included tailoring in jackets and trousers but also drapery in tops and dresses. The overall feel was sophisticated, using black throughout the collection made it more powerful and including different textures of fabric made it stand out. Matt fabrics such as structured woollen fabrics and leather contrasted against softer fabric such as sheer, chiffon types and sequined shinny fabrics giving the collection a depth.

   

 

Alexandre Vaulthiers 2013 spring/summer collection.

I feel that both of these collections have what I was originally looking for which was the contrast and looking deeper than that the schizophrenic change between the feminine and airy against the heavily constructed and dramatic pieces. This is also linked to my colour palette of only black and white-which can be perceived as good vs. bad or heaven vs. hell which can link into my schizo/ two faced theme of the collection.