Shaun Samson.
http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/5117/1/Shaun_Samson_London_UK

I found these images really inspiring. The use of knit and smocking is unusual and has a real impact on the eye. I want to explre using techniques such as this in my own work, as I really enjoy the textures and tones that are created through the manipulation of the fabric.

These are pages from the 'trend book' brief we handed in a couple of weeks ago. Our aim was to use illustrator to create a trend book styled digital sketchbook, presenting various technical processes. I was really pleased with mine, as I hadn't used illustrator before and found it primarily quite difficult, but after spending many hours just fiddling about I feel that I have really achieved something.

http://www.prickyourfinger.com/

I found this website whilst searching for illustrators on the web, I loved the introductory stop animation that plays before you enter the site (the above being stills from it). I just enjoy how the words and imagery is made up of random objects and haberdashery bits, creating a really interesting and dynamic logo.

Animation/Illustration.

COMBO a collaborative animation by Blu and David Ellis (2 times loop) from blu on Vimeo.

I came across this video whilst I was browsing Vimeo. I love how the illustrations are combined with the animation to create something with great impact. I really admire the time and skill taken to produce this, as everything is painted, then repainted to create a canvas for another image. I enjoy how it is not forever, how the image is drawn then destroyed, just the remnants from the paintwork to suggest it being there. To think that something has been made, then easily transformed in to something new interests me as I like the thought of something evolving from its former self in to something just as magnificent.

Knitting and stitching show 2009.

Lisa Connelly.

This textiles piece instantly drew me over as I was interested in the technique used to create such eye catching illustrations. To me it fascinates me how these would have been constructed, from layers of thread, using hand and machine embroidery. From seeing this technique used, and it being able to create a great stylised image, it encourages me to think about using stitching in my own illustrations. This works to develop a much more unique and texturised design.

Kerry Mosley - 'Through the eye.'

These are just amazing. On first look from afar I did indeed think they were drawn or painted, but on closer inspection I saw how they were embroidered and embellished to draw out the shape, form and tonal areas. The skill I see in these pieces is brilliant, and it encourages me to think more about textile techniques and the varying ways in which you can use them. Until I came to the show this year, I hadn't comprehended how textiles can be used so widely to form works of art.

Rosie James - 'Waiting for the 7:23 to Victoria.'

This was one of the first pieces that grabbed my attention fully. This shows just a section of the piece, in whole it is about three or fours times this length. I was drawn to it by the simplistic linear quality of the figures, and saw it instantly as great inspiration for trying out on illustrations of my own. There was great intricacy with the details on the figures and how Rosie James had overlapped each individual figure to create the composition of a crowd waiting for a tube was fantastic.

Susie Vickery.

This women had her work on show as well as her sketchbooks. I loved how she had made her sketchbook completely using fabric, which had been printed on to, and embroidery. They were really amazing as everything was very well thought out, with tape measures used to note the page numbers and as a page marker. Her textile pieces were also very intricate with detailing and how limbs and various elements of each figure were attached using buttons and over locking. Her style, to me, was very quirky and eccentric, mixing embellishment techniques with found imagery to create a very unique style. I want to try this year in my own sketchbooks to make them more tactile and visually exciting, by experimenting with different techniques of presentation and materials. The work I saw of Vickery's has definately inspired me to use more embellishment in my sketchbooks to achieve my aim.

Jill Flower - 'Lady Ruff.'

This was really cool how the different layers had been made from a mixture of fabric and paper, stitched in to and embellished upon to create texture and contrast between each layer. As well as this, Jill Flowers had brooches and bracelets made in a similar fashion. I really loved the tactility of the piece and how it was quite raw looking, with loose threads and a mish mash of colours and patterns.

Patimarkon Tangsakul.

The details on these garments are really delicate and create very pretty and feminine patterns, which compliment the pastel shades and fine stripes. I really like how the black contrasts with the softer shades to accentuate the pattern, and give definition to the edging.

Laura Wooding.

The texture and conceptualness of this dress are really exciting, as it is more of a piece if art rather than a easy to wear garment. It interests me the many ways you can manipulate wool, to develop various textures and visualy exciting forms. The layers add another dynamic, as they encourage the wool to sit in ripples and create shadows within eachother.

Lois Porte.

Te-Chien Chen.

With the two images above, I enjoyed the material and texture that had been created. Particularly the chunky knit of the wool, and the folds in Te-Chien Chen's top, as they create shadows and new shapes and form when they hang on the body. Again the use of wool interests me, as seeing the various garments over today I have learnt and been inspired by the amount of different techniques there are, and the ability of the wool to be manipulated.

George Strood.

I think this dress is beautiful, as I love how the ruffles are folded and in contrast to the simplicity of the dresses structure. The tactility of the wool excites me, and how patterns can be created in how the wool is knitted together, particularly in the bust area.

Overall the knitting and stitching show has inspired me with ideas and possible techniques to use in the future, and opened my eyes to different ways of embellishing fabrics. I want to try and explore these in future projects, so I can develop further understandings of techniques and, hopefully, far more stimulating sketchbooks.

Viktor and Rolf s/s 2010

This collection also impacted me as I love the ruffled, pleated and ruched elements. The colour palette is very feminine with the use of pastels, but I enjoy how it is cut with black to add some contrast and to emphasis the structured areas of the jackets and dresses. The over exaggeration of the ruffles makes, for me, the garments really exciting. I particularly love how the models head is enveloped by the lilac folds, and how this neckline leads to the ruffles falling down the arms and body. I really enjoy how Vitor and Rolf take simplistic, structured pieces and add layers and innovative ideas to create amazing, individual designs.


Victor and Rolf excite me with their designs and always come through with innovative ideas that stimulate and provoke thought in my mind.

Gareth Pugh s/s 2010

I found these images of Gareth Pugh's collection for spring/summer next year, whilst looking over coverage of New York, London and Milan fashion weeks. They caught my eye as I enjoyed the structured and elaborate head wear the models had to walk down the catwalk, they compliment the designs well and add a unique and exciting element to the show. For me the garments and presentation are fairly futuristic, with a natural quality through the use of colour.

1st year.

Images of an outfit I made during 1st year, inspiration being birds and nature.

Beau Couture work experience.

Over the summer I spent time working with Natasha Postill, the founder of Beau Couture. Natasha graduated from AUCB, in Bournemouth, about 3 years ago and has been working on her business and brand since. This summer she was toiling and constructing her first collection for spring/summer next year.

When I joined her she had already designed and constructed a few of the garments, so she threw me straight in to helping out with pleating, pin tucking and aiding with the construction of others. I was the only person there to help that day, as she worked from a make shift studio at her parents house, so there was little room. I could see how hard she had worked to start her business and build it up to be making her first collection, she seemed really excited. When she told me about how she'd gone about setting up Beau Couture, I was really interested as it made me consider the possibilities of doing something like this myself in the future. I could see how stressed she was over it all going to plan, but also the enjoyment she still got from doing it.

I went for at least one day a week for the duration of the holidays, so over all about 2 months. I helped with many things from smocking, pin tucking and pleating, to toiling, cutting out patterns and garment construction. I enjoyed all these different elements, as it showed we a wide variety of areas and processes that have to be taken to create a collection.

Whist I was there I also had the opportunity to go with Natasha to a photoshoot. It was a great rush, when I arrived that morning Natasha had heard back from London Fashion Week and wanted imagery of her collection. So we had to hurriedly find models, a photographer and a location. Thankfully the people at the Enterprise Pavillion at AUCB were a great help and gave us the number and address of where we could find a photographer and a studio. When we got there we had to sort through all the clothes and iron them all, before dressing the models. Natasha was very pleased with the location as it was in a basement, so the walls were peeling and unmaintained which contrasted nicely with the raw calico that would be photographed against it. The photoshoot was a great experience as, although a smaller scale to those for bigger fashion houses, etc, I was able to see the process of dressing and styling the models, positioning the models and seeing what looked best in the camera, then the finished product. Although a busy and hectic day the photographs came out really well, and only needed a few little touch ups before being able to send them off.

In the last few weeks of helping Natasha she was organising a manufacturer to be able to help her with making the garments once she got orders. She had chosen a local manufacturer called Remploy, who employ people with disabilities and learning difficulties to give them a job in the community. I was lucky enough to go in with Natasha one afternoon where we were teaching the employees how to smock and pintuck, ready for when she needed garments to be made. Although sometimes it was difficult for them to grasp, they were all progressing well and were mastering there disciplines fairly quickly.

Beau Couture's main focus is using sustainable materials and ethical fashion. This threw up many difficulties when sourcing materials and finding local manufacturing facilities. But it also taught me that if you research well enough you can get past these hurdles, find places and produce something that coincides with your original aims and ideas.

Overall my time working with Natasha was really enjoyable, as I got to do a bit of everything and see the pros and cons of starting up your own business. It also gave me an insight in to what processes you must go through to make your own collection and present it to buyers, as well as the help you can get from around you, for example the Enterprise Pavillion at University.







www.beau-couture.co.uk

Reflective writing.

A part of our summer project was to watch 9 videos about reflective writing and make notes.I found after so long the videos started to repeat what they were saying, but still found them really useful, as they had some good points and ideas for recording various things in a reflective manner.

Main points made were that it is important to express and discuss your ideas, thoughts and feelings in a very honest way. As Heather Pickard stated, it is important to record how you see yourself, and the skills you have to be able to analyse how these will help you in industry and in the future. I figure it is best to record things as soon as you think of them, as then your ideas, memories and thoughts are fresh in your mind and you'll record your gut feeling. I carry a notebook with me the majority of the time, which I use to note down various things, keep a record of events, things I need to do and things I find or gather up when I'm out and about. But I realise after watching these videos that I rarely go back and reflect on the things I've noted down. I think this is something I should try and do more often, as it will help me to gather my thoughts and organise things I've learnt, to provide me with a way to identify the good things and any difficulties I may have encountered and noted.

Darren Raven encouraged me in to thinking more about my reflective writing and how to express this, with his example of his own reflective journal. He records quotes, lyrics, ideas, diagrams and images in his notepad then organises them in a file in greater depth and with images. As he said, a brilliant way to remember experiences and various memories theoretically and visually.

Although repetitive, the videos were very useful and make me want to put more of an effort in to collecting my thoughts and ideas, to reflect upon at a later date. It has also given me encouragement to jump in to doing my PDP much more regularly than I currently am, and to just record everything and anything that I've seen, heard, liked, disliked, as it will help me to assess and interact with my thoughts.