week 9 28/11/08

Today we had both groups in the studios at the same time this was a bit manic but we managed to get things done. We were given instructions for both completing the pattern and constructing the shirt, this is to help us to become more independent, it was scary but will give us more confidence in the future. I got to start sewing the shirt together which was good and meant I wasn’t behind; I get extremely stressed when I fall behind. There is only two weeks left so now I am concentrating on getting everything up to date so when it comes to the deadline I am not under pressure.




This is me pinning the pattern onto the shirt fabric, this has to be accurate otherwise it can ruin the finished piece.

Here are some pictures of my time so far..... Halloween

By the beach

At uni

Freshers Ball

Silly times during uni

Week 9

I’ve just realised I never wrote about my first day, there has to be something about my first day so here we go…

I had been to the arts institute before in the summer holidays for the ‘Summer Study Course’ this was a great opportunity, I got to meet people on my course, get to know Bournemouth and the campus of the Arts Institute.
So anyway when I arrived the whole fear of not knowing where I was going wasn’t there, I even had people to meet that I had met from the course and also online through trying to find a house. So I guess what I’m trying to say is that it wasn’t the nerve-racking day its conventionally suppose to be, however I still was scared about the whole moving away from home, starting the course, which was entirely knew to me, but I guess it was more excitement then fear. When we all went into the studio for the first time, I was shocked, I mean, there was loads of us, so many faces so many names, millions of thoughts were going through my mind, some of these people are going to be life long friends, this course is going to get me my future career which will ultimately last for the entire duration of my life.
Since that first day I have learnt so much, made so many good friends and become a whole lot more independent and i still can’t wait for the rest to come!!!

Week 9 continued

The design topic at the moment is the shaker project!
I have decided to concentrate on sustainability and ethical fashion, the shakers strongly believed in quality of their work and I want to take the same approach by using all organic materials and make my outfit timeless to help fast fashion! I have decided to design a dress; I think I am going to enjoy the process of this project!

week 9 27/11/08

Today we finished our shorts; this is the third garment we have made and I was so happy with the level of my improvement I have felt masses of satisfaction during my journey in construction and feel my hard work has paid off! We now only have one more item of clothing to make and it is a shirt, I am really excited about this and love the fact I am no longer scared about coming into a construction lesson! HAPPY! :D
We also made the pattern for the shirt today and I stayed behind to finish it so I am not behind tomorrow, some friends stay to finish to and helped me when I was struggling, I have made great friendships on my course!
Today there was a presentation on ‘Red or Dead’ by Wayne Andrew Hemingway but I felt I would get too behind in pattern cutting if I went to watch it so I decided to give it a miss, I felt I missed out but know I can watch it on the internet so its not so bad!
Sarah Charles asked the group if anyone would be interested in dressing for London Fashion Week and my hand was straight in the air, this would be a fantastic experience and I do not want to miss it, it would be hard work but I know I would love it, it would be a massive adrenaline rush! It would also be great experience as I am interested in styling and promotion.

Week 9 26/11/08

Today we were supposed to have illustration but it was cancelled due to no computers, so me and a couple of friends decided to go and look at the museum in the library, ‘modip’ this was really useful as we know that our project for after Christmas is going to be based around sport and the exhibition the museum was showing was sport, I jotted down a few notes on popular fabrics used for sportswear as it might come in handy!

Week 8 18/11/08

During today myself and a friend from my course modelled a couple of the second year's work, they were really friendly and helpful with any questions i had, one if the girls Sarah, told me all about the Fashion Show they hold every year, it sounds great, and i think it will be so much fun to help out with dressing! They had made jackets, I modelled two and I really liked both of the designs, one had an overstated hood, very theatrical and the other was a cape, it gave me a chance to see what sort of things you do in the second year if you choose design, it looked fun but hard work, there work was being shown to the tutors. During the presentation there were also 2nd years from the promotion side taking part as well, this aspect is still more appealing to me.
I’m sorting out work experience at the moment and I’m hoping to work for Topshop on Oxford Street and want to work in the buying department, this would be great experience and I cant wait!

Week 8 17/11/08

Today was the deadline for the folk projects, and we had to do a presentation of our work to the class. When it comes to presentations I'm not totally neurotic its just the fear of not knowing what to say and having a massive group of people watching you, I’m a loud person anyway so I think this helps, I just need to practice more and become more confident in front if a large group of people. Overall I was happy with the finished result of my folk shirt.
We were set our new brief:
'necessary, useful and beautiful' focussing on the designers 'Shakers',
-Explore the shaker movement and originate your own philosophy and design theme from this inspiration to design a full outfit.
I am looking forward to researching into the shakers, and think there concepts are inspiring.

14/11/08
Week 7

Today was a catch up day in the studios, i love these days, its such a good way for me to get everything done and get my work up-to-date. I completed the shorts up to the stage we have to have done by next lesson, i have enjoyed making the shorts and prefered them to the skirt! I also re-made my sample seams from the first ever lesson in construction, it was so good to see how much i have improved by comparing the samples against eachother, i couldnt even sew in a straight line when i first started, was not good, and now i feel so much more confident on the machine! Happy times =)!!!!

Week 7 11/11/08

Today was the debate ‘for’ and ‘against’ Ethical and Couture Fashion and I really enjoyed it!I was in the team ‘For’ Ethical and Couture Fashion. I really felt I learnt a great deal on the two subjects in dispute and liked the idea of a debate; we had judges, an audience and even a whip! :) Was a good experience.

Here are some of the arguments i researched and used:


Arguments for ethical fashion

Organic Materials


-Synthetic materials are made from petrochemicals polluting to the environment causing global warming
-Non biodegradable and difficult to dispose off
-Can cause serious illnesses and even death to cotton farmers.
-Pesticides also affect local eco-systems, killing certain plants and animals causing an imbalance.
-Hazardous chemicals are also used on wool for example sheep dips where they have been linked to illnesses with sheep farmers.
-In many parts of the world garments are dyed or bleached using toxic chemicals without proper precautions affecting workers, and flow into sewers and rivers damaging local eco-systems.
-Organic cotton is grown without the use of chemical pesticides these are expensive and can result in damaged to health and environment.
-While organic farming is more difficult it saves lives from not using pesticides, we no longer have debt problems, income is more profit at the end of the season and farmers land and soil are preserved.
-One cup of pesticides and fertilisers is used in the production of a typical T-shirt and up to a third of the weight of the t-shirt is made up from chemical residues which can irritate the skin.

In the UK we sort approximately 250,000 tonnes of textile waste every year and this is sorted into five categories
The top 5% are described as ‘cream’ or ‘as new’ and are usually sold in charity shops in this country. A further 45% are classified as ‘second hand’ and are sent to third world countries or those experiencing situations resulting in extreme poverty. 25% of clothes recycling goes for fibre reclamation and are made into new clothes or other textiles. 15% of the textiles are used for wiping cloths by various industries and the remaining 10% are actual waste.

Quote:
The secret behind selling ethical fashion is that 5% of the market will buy it, being eco, regardless of aesthetic, 45% sit on the fence but could be convinced and the other 50% don’t give a fuck. Do you give a fuck?

The world of fashion may be stylish, glamorous and exciting. But have you ever stopped to think about its wider impact?


Week 7 10/11/08

Today we were doing sketchbook work for our project folk, I really enjoy recording my ideas in a sketchbook. We were learning how to do flat drawings, this is something I need to practice as I find it hard to produce accurate drawings, but I found books in the library and have brought a couple from Amazon so I am all set! After uni, we were allowed to stay behind to catch up with our skirts, so I got that done, and I didn’t mess it up, I love the feeling of satisfaction, its so rewarding!

9/11/08
New York Trip

When I found out the course trip was to New York, I was sooo happy, I have always wanted to visit New York, i mean, its NEW YORK!!!
But........I can't afford it this year, which is i such a shame but i have decided to wait until I leave uni and visit New York whilst travelling to other places to.
I have always wanted to explore the world, and I can’t wait to have the opportunity to do so when I have finished education and have saved up enough money to enable a fantastic experience.

Finished work in construction -
Shirt:

The shirt was final garment to make and the most difficult, as we had to both complete the pattern and make it independently, it was hard work but it was good to see how much I was able to do, I was pleased with the outcome and feel much more confident after this task!

Shorts:

With the shorts I felt it was a shame to make them in calico and whish we had made them in denim.
I learnt how to apply another zip but this time it was a different type, I can see my improvement in each garment I make which gives me great pleasure, I really enjoyed making the shorts and I feel this is down to my progression and think the more I enhance my skills the more I enjoy construction, I really took my time and wanted to reach perfection with the shorts, ok so it wasn’t perfection, but I feel it was close, close enough anyway :D!

Skirt:

The skirt was the second completed garment, and I found it much easier to follow the steps and could feel myself developing to a great extent, it was the first time I had done a zip and found this difficult but great to learn, I enjoyed using a real fabric as we had only ever sewn onto calico before. Again I was pleased with the result and felt i had achieved a lot.

Bodice -

The bodice was the first garment we made so naturally I found it the hardest, I struggled a lot and found myself redoing parts over 5 times, yes this was extremely annoying, I think I perhaps may have been near tears, sounds silly, but it can be so frustrating! But anyway eventually I finished and I was pleased with the outcome for a first construction of clothing!

Week 6
6/11/08
Today we had construction in the studio and we were making patterns for different types of sleeves.
My favourite was the gather sleeve.
This is the gather sleeve in progress:

This is moi, working extremely hard of course!!! ;)

Monday 27/09/08

London London London London London London London London

j'adore London.....

Fabric sourcing
Brief: Explore the fabric shop areas to aid your design work for future projects and gain fabric understanding.

Applied Fabrics - printed fabric, textured fabric, pleated or quilted fabrics, embroided or beaded fabrics.

When I found out we were researching applied fabrics I was pleased because I knew this is a popular fabric. We collected an ample amount of swatches, however we were limited to how much we could spend, during our research we found out just how expensive applied fabrics are. We spent £10 on a swatch of 10cm from The Silk Society, and the rest we managed to flutter our eyelashes and get a small sample for free.
Here are some pictures I took whilst exploring the fabrics shops:

week 6 7/11/08

Today we had a full day of construction and I actually managed to do part of the garment without having to unstitch, this was a great feeling :)! I can feel myself improving and I think I just need to keep practicing and I can only get better woooooooooooh! We were making a skirt, and it was good to see how zips are attached onto the material, however this was they area that I fell behind in, but nevermind we are having a catch-up session on Monday evening so I can do it all then!
Two second years asked me and a friend if we would model for them on the 18th so that should be fun, we are modelling a garment they have made.

... continued week 6 7/11/08

Today I spoke to couple of Fda Fashion second years, they were lovely and very helpful, I wanted to know what I would be studying next year if I choose to specialise in Promotion and Styling, it sounds great and now I’m even more eager to go down that path, I am intrigued by design however I think my personality traits and skills are more suited for Promotion.
I did some research into styling and buying and here is what I found:

Stylist:
Job Description: Fashion stylists are responsible for bringing to life a photographer or directors vision for a fashion photo shoot, layout, music video, commercial, print advertisement, etc. Fashion stylists often scout locations, create the mood for the shoot by selecting and setting up the appropriate props, fashions, accessories, and even models to fit the theme of the shoot. Companies such as magazines, newspapers, retailers, advertising agencies, and music production companies often employ fashion stylists. Many stylists also choose to run their own businesses.

Salary Range: $0 to $100,000+
Entry level pay may range from $150-$200/day
Experienced pay may range from $500-$5,000/day
Top level stylists can earn up to $100,000 and more

Outlook: Aspiring fashion stylists should expect to work their way to the top. The most successful fashion stylists have extensive networks of contacts within the fashion industry to get the job done quickly and on budget. In addition, clients usually hire stylists they have used in the past or those who have proven success in the business. Once established, stylists who maintain a good professional reputation can expect plenty of repeat business and often take advantage of this by setting up their own independent businesses.

Qualifications:
Education - A 2 or 4-yr. degree in Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising, Art or Visual Merchandising is helpful but not required.

Experience - Previous retail experience is helpful, as are internships with fashion publication and apprenticeships under experienced fashion stylists.

Personal Characteristics/Skills - Eye for style; creativity and resourcefulness; persistence and self-motivation; broad knowledge of fashion history, trends and forecasts; good interpersonal and networking skills; technical know-how for setting up sets; ability to market oneself.

Career Path: Intern/Stylists Apprentice > Assistant Fashion Stylist > Staff Fashion Stylist




Fashion Buyer
Also called: Buyer, Apparel Buyer
Job Description: Fashion buyers select and purchase apparel and accessories from designers, manufacturers or wholesalers for retail sale to their customers. Buyers use their fashion sense, knowledge of trends, and understanding of their target customers� desires to create a range of selection within their retail stores. Due to the length of time it takes for a designer or manufacturer to fill all their orders, buyers often make their purchases up to 1 or 2 years in advance. Buyers must also be good at budgeting and planning their inventory so that a good selection of clothes is always available. Buyers for larger department stores usually specialize in a specific line of clothing or accessories.

Salary Range: $30,000 to $100,000
Entry level pay may range from $30,000 to $45,000
Experienced pay is around $50,000+
Top level pay may range from $70,000 to $100,000

Outlook: Good to Excellent. While the overall number of buyer positions available is expected to decrease, positions become available due to internal promotions or transitions. Prospects for advancement for buyers is also good. Buyers who start at the assistant buyer level have a good chance of becoming full-fledged buyers within 3-5 years.

Qualifications:
Education - A college degree in Fashion Merchandising or some related field is required. Coursework in Business and Fashion Design is very helpful.

Experience - Retail sales experience is very helpful because understanding customer buying behavior is a key part of being a successful buyer.

Personal Characteristics/Skills - Fashion-lover; Knowledge of fashion history and trends; good analytical skills; excellent budgeting and planning skills; inventory management; good negotiation skills; flexible work attitude; ability to deal well with deadlines and stress.

Career Path: Assistant Fashion Buyer > Fashion Buyer > Fashion Buyer > Divisional Merchandise Manager

All information found at www.fashion-templates.com

Illustration - week 5 31/10/08

Illustration

We had a presentation on illustration, i found it really helpful as this is something I struggle in, lets just say drawing isn’t one of my great expertise. We researched various fashion illustrators, in particular I liked the work of Sarah Beetson as it was fun and vibrant.

Above are some images I found and loved.

Quote taken from presentation :

'Men are linear and compartmentalised whereas woman are interconnnected'

6 weeks in and IM LOVING IT!!
Living in a new place, meeting new people and gaining new knowledge its fab.
I’m excited about starting the topic of buying, promotion, and styling after Christmas as this is what I want to specialise in, I’m finding it hard work learning the skills of pattern cutting and construction as it is all new for me, however it is rewarding seeing me progress and grow to learn the techniques The teachers and tutors are lovely and I’m growing closer to people on the course.