Toile: step one

Step one = Toile

So ive picked a design with the help of my tutor, taking into consideration my non exisitent construction skills and i'm finally making my toile... its going... ok?

although i think we picked one of my simpler designs (construction wise) im still struggling with the complexity of translating my own design into an actual garment. It's worlds away from creating a garment based on instructions given to me by my tutors or folow the steps in a book. There's so much to think about and im having real trouble with deciding the order in which i construct my pieces. I'm also having to use the cover stitch machine which has become my latest technological foe... but im determined to finish it to a high standard and before my toile review deadline.

Im aso dicovering that sometimes you have to adjuct your initial design once you start making it out of fabric. This is a hard lesson but a necessary one, which will enable me to be better prepared next time i create something.

Work Experience - Beau Couture

Okay, so not content with the length of my current C.V i decided that more work experience was needed and so i took myself off to the Enterprise Pavilion at the university. After talking to Matt & Claire in the office, i came away with the email address of a graduate who needed help finishing her first collection and another exciting project which i shall talk about later on. 

The graduate was Natasha, who runs her own company called 'Beau Couture' and who makes really beautiful clothes with countryside and sea side inspirations. All of her clothes have amazing shape and textures. The first project she asked me to help her with was a photo shoot of her new collection, which was an amazing experience. 

She shoot four different sets of lingerie, all of which were stunning and so well made. The photo shoot itself was the first professional shoot i've been on and i loved it. It almost made me want to do Buying and Merchandising next year - almost... 

I'm going to continue to do work experience with Natasha and 'Beau Couture' and cant wait. 

I also recommend other students go to the EP, as its such a great way to gain experience of the industry right on your doorstep. 

Work Experience

Okay so its coming up to work experience time which is proving to be more stressful then i thought it would be. If its not a scary lessons on C.V's and letter writing (no offense Sarah, but i was scared!), then its the actual attempts at writing a decent C.V and trying to create a individual and interesting view of yourself, when all you want to do is scream 'give me a job in fashion PLEASE!'. But at least one of my placements is set - hopefully - at the Peclers office in London. I was extremely cheeky after the presentation they did and managed to get my hands on a business card. And after several emails over several weeks, i have finally managed to begin arrangements for a placement in the summer. I've been crazy about fashion forecasting since we were introduced to the Peclers magazines at the start of term and so I'm really excited about this placement. 

London Fashion Week

ON/OFF

After a million weeks trying to get my name on THAT list - you all know the one I'm talking about.... the list for London Fashion Week dressers for the On/Off show.... I'm finally going!!! and I'm so overexcited! Apart from it being good work experience and a great chance to meet people in the industry... it's just plain awesome :) 

I've been desperate to go to London Fashion Week since i can remember and i can't believe I'm actually going... 

Lectra

Last week the unit on Lectra started, which i was really excited about as i love pattern cutting and this was just an extension of that area of study. The initial setting up of the program and digitising the pattern was really interesting and quite simple once you got going. It surprised me how much work you do before actually digitizing the pattern pieces as i thought you just went straight into it. The second part of the unit was slightly trickier as there were so many functions and buttons to understand and use so i was getting a little bit stressed by it, but once I'd familiarized myself with them it went a lot smoother. I think I'm going to enjoy this unit and it will be really helpful in the future as I'm looking into pattern cutting as a career path. 

Fashion Capital Presentation

For PPRD we were put into groups and we had to create a powerpoint presentation on a fashion capital of our choice. Of course i lept at the chance to do the presentation on London as its my favourite capital city of all! Theres just something about London that carries a sort of magic or romance. Its acombination of street style, high fashion, brilliant music scenes and a continuoes stream of chaos that makes it such an exciting place and i cant wait to present our powerpoint.

Within the powerpoint weve covered the history of london's fashion scene, including its hey day in the sixties, famous icons such as Kate Moss and Twiggy and the many talented designers its art schools have produced including Christopher Kane and Louise Goldin, as well as designers Vivienne Westwood and McQueen I am presenting the partson the history and the desingers and design schools and the research has been both insighful and fun!

Fashion Vs Sport Design Project

Okay so after some pretty in depth research and some much needed mental persuasion to over look my doubts on this project, i've finally made soem headway with my sketchbook. As we have to collaborate with an exisiting brand to create our design i have chosen Lacoste, beacuse i love their rand image and adverts and becuase i actually own their bags and perfume so i thought it was best to go with a brand that i had a personal connection to.

After reseacrhing their brand i decided my design should be simply, elegant and neutral coulour wise. It should also have a twist in the design and use one block colour and then lots of white or nude, as refelcted in the Lacoste clothing ranges and adverts.

As i started researching and designing my garments took on a sixties twist, drawig influence from sixties air hostess uniforms, tennis skirts and Pierre cardin's work, of which i am now a devoted fan!

This glance to the past mixs well with the futuristic edge i wanted my designs to have originally and the cuteness of the A line skirt adds a softer touch to the hard colours and sharp edges of my exaggerated shoulders and necklines in my current designs.

Currently i am continuing my designs and research but i am planning to pick a final design soon and to prepare for making my toile - exciting! :)