PPRD: Current Issues, Celebritie Fashion Ranges

More and more celebrities are using their name to launch their 'own' fashion label which I personally feel like it is making it harder and harder for people who have wanted to be in the fashion industry for all their lives and have trained and studied hard for it.
Here are some links to some celeb lines;

http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StaticPageDisplay?catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&brdcrmb_trail=&identifier=ts2-kate-moss-aw10

http://www.victoriabeckham.com/dresses/

http://www.fredperry.com/women/amy-winehouse-landing/

Of course it is a very clever move by companies, such as Topshop, because young girls look at celebrities and want to wear what they are wearing so get the right celeb and you can make a lot of money. New, upcoming pop star Jessie J has spoken out saying that she wouldn't mind to release a fashion range and she loves fashion.The companies claim they have "full control" but I'm personally not sure about that one, I think it just means that the celeb can add one more thing to their line of 'talents'

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/why-the-high-street-is-being-swamped-by-celebrity-clothing-ranges-443467.html

Above is an article from the Independent taken from 2007 talking about the launch of Kate Moss' fashion range and how we could expect more and more celebrities to be doing their own ranges as they become a brand.

I really respect Stella McCartney because she wanted to be a fashion designer and with her dad being the famous Beatles member, Paul McCartney she could of easily launched herself by her dad's name. However, Paul McCartney wanted his children to live normal lives and not live of his fame so Stella worked hard for her dream. She did internships, studied and genuinely worked and it paid of.

I think if more celebrities want to complete 'their lifelong dream' to do a fashion range they need to work hard for it and even study because otherwise the fashion industry will be swamped with celebrities names and not real talent. It's hard work doing fashion, although most people think it's a lot of cutting, sticking and making pretty dresses, and talented people should get the recognition they deserve.

PPRD: My Ideal Job Advert

Assistant Pattern Cutter Required!

Company: Fred Perry/ Adidas (wishful thinking here)
Position: Full time
Salary: £18, 000 - £20,000
Location: London
Experience: 6 months - one year

This company is looking for an enthusiastic pattern cutter to join our established team as soon as possible. You will be working closely with the whole team to meet tight deadlines. They are a fast paced company so knowledge and confidence is essential. As an assistant pattern cutter you'll be learning the robes under our team of pattern cutters and will help translate designs into working patterns and amending the fit.

Manual pattern knowledge is essential and it helps to have some knowledge of computer pattern cutting either using the Lectra or Gerber system.



CAN THIS JOB BE REAL PLEASE!

Professional Project: Styling

For my research into Mods I brought the book I'm One 21st Century Mod by Horst A.Friedrichs (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Im-One-21st-Century-Mods/dp/379134319X) and I have found it really useful. The book is basically all pictures of modern day mods and it's really useful for ideas on styling and make up.

The mod style is really simple and clean cut. They wear minimal accessories apart from a watch and a bag for the women. Men generally wear a slim tie with a shirt.

The make up is very minimal again but with heavy emphasis on the eyes, eyeliner is a must.

PPRD: Companies House & Fashion Index

Companies House http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/ What is it promoting? Company information and business help. Summary of content Companies House has over 2.2 million companies registered with them and their job is to relate information to the public. It helps with all aspects of business, from finances to seeing if a company name is available. What issues of fashion does it relate to? Business. How can it help you? Again, like Mintel, this site isn't really useful to be unless I was interested in business. If you were though it's got lots of different information. Fashion Index http://www.fashiondex.com/ What is it promoting? Fashion supplies, contractors, manufactures etc Summary of content Fashion Index is like the Yellow Pages to the fashion industry. If you need to know supplies of buttons Fashion Index will give you names of different companies that supply buttons. What issues of fashion does it relate to? The manufacturing of fashion. How can it help you? This is very handy to find different suppliers of many different things. Personally I will now be using it in my professional project to see if I can find a company that will create a logo badge for me.

PPRD: Fashion Monitor, Mintel & Drapers Record

Fashion Monitor http://www.fashionmonitor.com/ What is it promoting? Up to date fashion news and contacts. Summary of content Fashion Monitor is a website that is full of contacts jobs,, news and events going on in the fashion industry. You can sign up for free or paid which offer different perks. What issues of fashion does it relate to? The promotion of fashion, including news, jobs, events. How can it help you? It has a whole range of fashion contacts, from Giorgio Armani which you need to be a paid subscriber to view, and different job advertisements. "Fashion Monitor is ALWAYS up on my computer. It's perfect for finding out about upcoming events and getting quick contact info when you're on a deadline. It was also a huge help when I was looking for a job - it definitely has the best industry postings available and was a great resource for finding out who represents what, who works there, etc...." Jess Evans, Soap & Glory . Mintel http://www.mintel.com/ What is it promoting? Information and statistics from different business areas, including fashion. Summary of content Mintel is all about market intelligence and delivering critical analysis that will help you stay ahead of the market. What issues of fashion does it relate to? Business. How can it help you? Personally it can't help me I don't think as I'm not really interested in the business side of things however it would be useful if I was after statistics and facts. Drapers Record http://www.drapersonline.com/ What is it promoting? Fashion news, jobs, trends and reports. Summary of content Drapers Record has everything to do with fashion from the latest catwalk trends and news to loads of different job advertisements. You can sign up for newsletter about any different fashion related subject your interested in. What issues of fashion does it relate to? It deals with quite a wide range of issues. How can it help you? Out of all the sites we have had to look at this is the one I knew about and use when looking at jobs. It's a good site to look for jobs and keep up to date on what's going on in fashion.

Inspiration: Fafi

I put this graffiti artist on my last blog but she is still inspiring me so much (she is the talent behind the picture on my blog page)

http://www.fafi.net/

I think her work is incredible! she has worked with Adidas and Mac Cosmetics. I love her style of drawing, her fafinette characters and so strong, powerful, urban yet still womanly.

PPRD: 5 Year Plan!

Arghh this is really scary trying to figure out what you want to be doing with yourself in five years time, all I know is I want to wake up on time tomorrow and watch the first Grand Prix of the Formula One season but here goes;

2011 (age 19-20)

Have my interview for a top up year at Birmingham City Uni. - Done
Enter the final few months of my foundation degree. - In the process of doing
Finish my final project and hopefully get picked to show at our end of year show.
Hopefully get a work placement for part of Summer.
If I don't get a work placement, work back at Early Learning Centre and save up some money to do things like festivals etc.
Hopefully start up learning to drive again.
Come September move to Birmingham and enter the final year of education.
Be a bridesmaid at my Dad's wedding.

2012 (age 20-21)

Graduate from Birmingham City.
At BCU the final project you do is a 'live' project with a company that you would like to work for so hopefully gain some work experience or a job with the company I chose at the end of it.
Maybe move back home for a few month's until finances have settled down then get a place of my own near where I'm working.
Once I've got a place of my own get a doggy!! (Below: My dog, Echo)Celebrate mine and all my mate's 21st birthdays.
Celebrate my Mum's 50th.

2013 (age 21-22)

Spend the year getting settled, maybe I'll be in a serious relationship at this point although I'm not fussed if I'm not.
Aiming to gain more and more experience in pattern cutting.
If I have just been doing work experience up until this point start looking at getting an actual job.
Once I have a steady income look into get my ideal car maybe on finance?
Celebrate my brother's 21st and my Dad's 50th.
Still living at my own place near my work, if it happens to be around London maybe get a season ticket for West Ham?

2014 (age 22-23)

Aiming to be in the job I love and being a lot more settled.

2015 (age 23-24)

Still be in the job I love, earning good money and gaining more experience
Looking to be in the finacally situation where I can help my Mum and Dad out a bit.

I have two companies that I would love to work for Adidas and Fred Perry so throughout education and work experience I will be keeping these companies in mind because ideally one day I would want to be pattern cutting for one of them. One day I would like to be earning enough money to take me and my Dad to the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix as we both love the sport and love that particular race.

PPRD: Work Placement

Unfortunately things never worked out for me when it came around to us doing work placements last year and I ended up doing a 'live' project for a golf company and I have to be honest I hated it. It was awful!

It wasn't even the fact that we had to design golf wear for teenage girls that put me off because I like sportswear in general so it wasn't too big of a stretch for me, it was the fact that it wasn't a 'live' project. We never heard from the golf company at all so got no feedback whatsoever.

I scraped through this project with regards to my marks and I can't say I'm shocked. Here is the illustration I did of my capsule collection; I did basic shapes and colours because I spoke to people I knew who had played golf before and was told that there is certain etiquette with regards to dress on a golf course. There couldn't be too much skin on show and colours couldn't be too print as this would distract other players. With that in mind I created clothes that covered the girl up but was still comfortable enough to walk around and 18 hole course and trendy enough that if they wanted to they could mix it with their everyday wear.

In conclusion, I learnt to persevere with things and also the importance of getting actually work experience. I'm looking into trying to find a work placement for part of the Summer as I think it is essential to have that experience going into the working world.

PPRD: Exhibitions Part 4

At the beginning of this year the Gallery at uni had an exhibition that was perfect for my final project so I made sure I went and it was also good for PPRD.

Philip Townsend is a photographer that captured the essence of the Sixties and this tied into my project as I am doing about Mods. He took the first pictures of the Rolling Stones before they had a record contract and this exhibition was in line with his new book that is out now called "Mister Sixties"

I found it really interesting to look around at all this different photographs, I could really imagine being in the Sixties and witnessing everything that was happening. It was really nice aswell to visit an exhibition that wasn't like a tradtionally musuem or gallery in the sense that it was on our uni campus.
The only disappointing thing about the exhibition was the lack of images of Mods, there was only one however I shall defiantly be referring to Philip Townsend in my project.

http://www.philiptownsend.com/index.php

On Going Saga Of The Parka

This parka so far has taken me 9 days to do the pattern, make it up etc and I just need to patch on and make my final changes of this toile and then hopefully it's ready to make it my final fabric. I've had to add to width of the hips, take it in slightly on the side and back, change the sleeves, move up the side seam pockets and curve off the front but it should all be worth it in the end.

Below are some pictures of the parka so far; These are my fishtails at the back, they hit the middle of the knee which I'm unsure whether I like that or not?!

This is the top of my parka it has a hood and it will be fastened by 3 poppers near the top and then have a double ended zip as well.

The bottom of the parka at the front on my final one will be curved unlike how it is in the picture.
I'm really excited to see it made up finally. The fabric I'm making it out of is an army tent! which is a bit unusual but it should make it look like a proper parka. It will be lined in the same fabric I'm using for my shirt.

Toile Review #2

Coming into this toile review I had managed to get both my jackets and my shirt done but I hadn't managed to get the minor changes done like making pockets bigger etc so I was so nervous going into this review.

I have mixed feelings about how the review went and I came out ready to break down. I just felt as though I had so much to change still and time was running out. Here are some images of my toiles; These are my shorts shows one of the changes I had to make from my first review, making the waistband more exaggerated but I am going to lengthen the shorts by a couple of centimetres. This is my new shirt taking into the changes from the first review. I flipped the arrows up so you could see them (they will be in a different colour to stand out from my fabric) and I have made it more like a man's shirt by adding a placket instead of a grown on button stand etc. In the final piece I will of got rid of the darts at the back and front and also the centre back seam.

Group 5 Fundraising

For the end of year fashion show the 1st 2nd years and 3rd years have been spilt into groups to raise money, each group has to raise around £600!!

I'm in a group with Celia, Hazel, Jodie and Sarah and two 1st years called Chloe and Kim

We decided to kick of our group's fundraising with a cake sale! everyone loves cakes and other baked goodies. We did it on Valentines day and here is a picture of just some of the stuff we sold. We raised £57 which is such a brilliant start.


We also did another cake sale on Wednesday of this week and this one had no theme so we could do whatever we wanted and we practically sold half of our stock when we walked into our studio! We had owl cupcakes, lemon meringue cupcakes, apple cupcakes, fairy cupcakes, biscuits, brownies, and rice krispie cakes so something for everyone. Our aim was to equal or beat the first cake sale and we completely smashed it raising £85 unfortunately I forgot to take photos but luckily Jody Harris took some. Here you go;

Fashion as a Forum

I have been struggling with Fashion as a Forum ever since we got the brief but with a week to go till the deadline I'm still trying to get a draft together. Although I have done a fair amount of research on the subject and my chosen area I'm finding it difficult to write down my thoughts. This is the more academic work I have ever done and I'm not sure whether that is the cause of it but I'm determined to tackle it.

On the plus side Sarah James read through the few words I had written and she seems to genuinely be interested in what I have got to say and what I've written is good. This is definitely the boost I needed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/digitalrevolution/2009/11/rushes-sequences-master-shorti.shtml

Yohji Yamamoto

It feels like I have been waiting forever for this exhibit to start and I still have a couple of weeks to wait!!!! It opens on the 12th March at the Victoria and Albert Museum so head down there. For more info here is the link; http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/fashion/yohji-yamamoto/index.html

I'm really looking forward to seeing this exhibit as I really respect his work, it's so tailored and makes women look beautiful but what I find more inspiring is his collaboration with one of my favourite brands of all time, Adidas. I love the Y-3 collection because it proves that sportswear can be fashion!
This image is taken from Y-3 Fall 2011 collection and I just think it's incredible no-one would ever look at that and instantly think Adidas and sportswear which makes the collaboration that much more special and inspiring.
(http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/slideshow/F2011RTW-YYADIDAS?event=show2262&designer=design_house94&trend=&iphoto=16#slide=16)
This is taken from Yohji Yamamoto's Spring 2011 ready to wear collection, I find that it is quite a dark, glam and mysterious collection with flashes of bright prints. (http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/slideshow/S2011RTW-YJIYMOTO?event=show2182&designer=design_house95&trend=&iphoto=1#slide=1)

PPRD: Current Issues, John Galliano

This is why it pays off to read newspapers or newspaper website regularly!
John Galliano was arrested over anti-Semitic remarks. I hadn't heard about this news story that broke a few days ago until my housemate, Kayleigh, told me about it and I must say I'm totally shocked. Whether or not it is true, it shines a bad light on the fashion industry as it is already seen as bitchy. He is a hugely talented designer and it is a shame that he has been suspended from Dior but as it stands I think that it was the right thing for Dior to do because he is very high up in the public eye.

Read up on the story on the link below;
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1361071/John-Galliano-called-Jewish-whore-ugly-eyebrows-says-art-historian.html

This affects me as a fashion student because we need to be aware that we are in a very tecnology driven world nowadays where every phone has a video recorder or camera that can take something and upload it straight onto Twitter or Facebook for the world to see. It means that we need to be very aware of our actions whether we get into the public eye, like Galliano, or not.

McQueen and I, More4

EMOTIONAL!!

Wow, I can't say that I have ever been the biggest McQueen fan but this show showed everyone what talent the fashion industry has lost!
McQueen was obviously very passionate about fashion and he was never afraid to show the world his point of view which I found very inspiring and I shall definitely try and take that attitude with me after watching the show.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/mcqueen-and-i

The Model Agency, Channel 4

The series, The Model Agency, kicked off this week and in all honesty I thought it was a bit poor, it seemed to repeats itself a lot and there just didn't appear to be any structure and I understand that it's a fly on the wall documentary but it seemed to go nowhere.

I shall however keep watching as I think that throughout the series it will pick up. I still recommend it for anyone who is interested in the fashion industry because we have programmes like, America's Next Top Model, which shows us the industry from the models point of view but we haven't really seen it from the agencies view so it will be an eye opener.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-model-agency

*UPDATE*

I'm starting to really look forward to Wednesday nights now so I can see what has been happening at the Model Agency. I was right and the series has started to pick up now and in a sense the training wheels have come off and the hour long programme seems to run with a nice flow now and it doesn't repeat itself as much now. I'm finding it really interesting finding out what goes into a model agency and I'm learning a lot, mainly how most of the models don't seem to care about the job at hand and they turn up late to shows, miss castings or are just generally rude which I think is just uncalled for as there are so many people desperate to be in their positions but unfortunately don't get signed by agencies.

London Fashion Week

As we all know it's LFW this week and I wish I was there!!

Been watching a couple of the live streamings and so far Central Martins MA Fashion has been my favourite, it was so unique, fresh and exciting. My favourite garment was a piece of menswear that looked like big, off centre, leather padding but when the camera zoomed in closer it was a huge fist - I thought this was awesome!!

Everyone needs to at least see one show from LFW
http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/

Fantastic Telly Coming Soon

For the people who are obsessed with fashion we have got some treats coming up towards the end of February so look at for these:

McQueen and I on Friday 25th February, More4 at 9
It's a one off documentary celebrating two of fashion's biggest innovators, Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow! I think this will be well worth the watch.

The Model Agency on Wednesday 23rd February, Channel 4 at 10
This documentary goes behind the scenes at Premier Model Management.

The Art of Television

I simply love this advert.

Phewwwww! Toile Review #1

So the past couple of weeks of practically living at uni all came down to yesterday and my toile review and I think it went well?!

I hadn't managed to complete all my garments but I had managed 7 out of 9 so I am still impressed and I did have all my working drawings and fabric swatches done and dusted. I'd even managed to find all four model which is a miracle considering about 12hours before my review I had one model!!!!

Everything that I was told needed adjusting was things I knew about or had already considered which is great but if I thought I could now relax a little I was mistaken, I have to get my parka mocked up by Tuesday so it's back to living at uni for me again....

*Thank you to my four models*

Here are some images of my polo top and my markings for my high waisted shorts/ jeans;

Window Displays in Brighton

Whilst in Brighton we saw some pretty cool window displays and I thought I would post the ones that I could take a sneaky photo of on here.... (Sorry about the quality of the pictures)

This is AllSaints window display and it's such a shame the picture hasn't come up clearly, but the entire windows are covered with really old,vintage sewing machines and I just thought it was really cool. AllSaints always have really interesting window displays and it's nice that they are still thinking about it when it's sale time instead of the massive big, red posters most shops seem to do.
This is Aubin & Will's window display and hanging from the ceiling was all different pattern blocks and I just thought that it was a really interesting idea because pattern cutting is such an unknown cog in the fashion wheel. Most people when they ask me what area of fashion I'm interested in and I say pattern cutting they look at me like I've just said random words and then I have to explain about it but I like the fact that Aubin & Wills are showing what is behind the clothing even if people don't understand it.

Graffiti in Brighton

SIMPLY AMAZING!

We saw this graffiti at the end of North Laine, Brighton and wow! I absolutely love it. Whoever has done it is soo talented and it is even more amazing when you zoom in. The detail is incredibly. I believe that graffiti, like this, is art and anyone who thinks it isn't because it's not on a canvas is just silly in my opinion, you still have to be talented to produce work like this and that needs to be recognised.

PPRD: Exhibitions Part 3 and Windy Brighton

Me and my housemate, Kayleigh, went to Brighton on Friday so I could get some more research done for our professional project. It was a very successful trip and very windy, We are very lucky we didn't get blown away.This trip to Brighton meant I could kill two birds with one stone, go to another exhibiton/gallery and do lots of research. The http://www.modernworldgallery.com/ is a mod gallery which showcases brilliant art and for any mod it is well worth the visit and the staff are really friendly (even letting me take a photo of them for research). There is soo much to look at whilst you there from paintings, prints and postcards. The place was literally rammed with all sorts to look at. It was a really good for my research and for PPRD so it was a win win situation. Through this project I am started to appreciate the mod lifestyle even more. No trip to Brighton would be complete without a trip to North Laine (when we eventually found it) I have visit Brighton once before with my college course a few years ago and it has really changed from what I can remember, it seems to be more upmarket? but besides that we found a really good little mod shop called "Jump the Gun" (http://www.jumpthegun.co.uk/cms/Home) which sells everything piece of clothing you associate with the mods from the mohair suit to the desert boots. Likewise with the gallery the staff here were really friendly and even told me to go to the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery (http://www.brighton-hove-rpml.org.uk/Museums/brightonmuseum/Pages/home.aspx) which had an original mod mohair suit in their fashion department. Unfortunately by the time we got there we didn't have long to look around but it was amazing from what we saw. They had outfits from all different subcultures such as goth, casual, mod and skinheads.


Overall it was a brillant and useful day out.

PPRD: Exhibitions Part 2 and The Big LDN!

All in the name of research me and my mate, Anais took a trip to London. It was a long old day what with Oxford Street being so close and all that. No in all seriousness we got a lot done, we made it to all the fabric shops around Berwick Street, eventually Carnaby Street (after awful directions from my Mum) and to a gallery exhibition. (Part of Merc's window display)

Whilst walking down Carnaby Street we spotted a billboard covered in really interesting photographs advertising a free exhibition at a shop just off Carnaby Street so we decided to find it. The shop was called Youth Club and the exhibition was all about the third edition of the Street Style book (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Style-Ted-Polhemus/dp/0956278817/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1296926077&sr=1-1) I thought the exhibition was really interesting, the front of the shop had vintage clothes, photographs etc then you went down the stairs to the exhibition with all the pictures.

I really recommend it. http://www.facebook.com/youthclublondon?v=app_4949752878
I personally love the book Street Style by Ted Polhemus as I find it really useful for any projects because it covers a wide variety of different sub-cultures but it was really nice to be able to see the images blown up big.
All in all it was a really good, long day.

Professional Project

So this is my first blog about our final project oops!
For my take on the word Revolutionary I have decided to look at MODS. I really like the whole Mod look it's really tailored, smart and streamlined but it's me so obviously I'm going to have to put a sportswear twist on it.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=17202106&id=600665172&saved#!/pages/MODS/168174000094

Up until this point I have gathered a lot of different research but it is still going. My 100 designs are almost done but my four outfits have been chosen so I'm currentely working on them to get toiles done for the 15th arghhh!

Here are images of my chosen designs;

PPRD: Exhibtions Part 1

For PPRD we have to visit a few different exhibitions and I started off by going to the Ashmolean museum in Oxford to see the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition that was on before Christmas.

It would definately be a lie to say I really enjoyed this exhibition 100% because I felt so out of place being there with everyone that was majorly into art. Having said that it was a good experience to witness work by famous artists up close. The main reason I went to this this particular exhibit was not because I was a massive fan of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, although I had watched some of the TV series Desperate Romantics on BBC 2 last Easter that was about the brotherhood, but because it was during the time of our drapery project so I wanted to see and was interested in how these famous painters showed fabric. It was truely stunning, it actually looked like the clothes were really fabric.

Fashion as a Forum

When we first got given this brief I was really confused by it but thanks to today's exercise my head is slowly coming around to the idea so hopefully I can start to think about what role new media techniques play in promoting and exhibiting fashion.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/mary-portas-secret-shopper/4od#3153701

Everyone needs to watch this episode! It may look like it has nothing to do with new media but trust me...and if you don't find it useful it is just well worth the watch. Mary Portas really understands and knows what she is on about so if she tells you to do something listen. It proves that if we learn how to use new media, like social networking, properly it can really work to our advantage.

Jeremy Scott for Adidas

This is an image I can across whilst doing the draping project and I fell in love with it for two reasons:

1) It's Adidas my favourite sports brand.
2) It's not your typical sportswear.

I think the collaboration between Jeremy Scott and Adidas is really inspiring. It takes sportswear to the next level.

Drapery!

Today we got our marks back for our drapery and jacket projects.... and that is all I'm gonna say on that subject!

However I will uploaded a few pictures of my final draped piece - the hoodie. I am so pleased with how the hoodie turned out because I thought sportswear and drapery will not merge well. Enjoy!

(P.S thanks to Kayleigh Dean for modelling for me once again)