Embelishment

Here are some close-ups of the embelishment on my final prints. I'm really chuffed with them, especially the last one but after 6 hours of beading i had to call it a day and move onto the next sample but maybe after tuesday's hand-in i'll come back to it - and finally get around to uploading better pictures!

Deckchairs

 It was mentioned in one of my tutorials that some of my prints would also be suited to interiors and accessories so in keeping with the 'Beach Hut to BBQ' theme i have thought about windbreaks, parasoles, deckchairs, gazibos, floor cushions....

Above are some pictures of some deckchairs i have put together (1 for each range of prints) using my digiprints from Fabpad. They are made from lolly sticks to continue the seaside feel. Better pics to follow soon! 

Beach Hut to BBQ

I am starting to finalise my project and have put my prints into simple dress outlines to get a better feel for how they will look. These designs will be developed in my FMP but for now i have gone through my wardrobe and taken silhouettes from existing dresses i own that fit the concept.

I have made an origami stand to visually communicate my concept in interview situations - potentially for FMP i would like to make this into a giant window display or photoshoot scenario to use in a lookbook or on a website.

Good things fall apart so better things can fall into place...

Below is the final fashion spread i produced in level 5, based on Amelias magazine to showcase my paper jewellery.

Photography - Charlie Whiteway

Model - Becky Souster

Hair & make-up - Farah Adaci

Styling Assistant - Mel Wakeham

Beach Hut to BBQ

For my current project i am working on Digiprints for a brand i will develop for FMP called 'Beach Hut to BBQ'. I am really please with how my prints are coming along - i have gone from some really simple repeats using Paint (i know!!) to create 5 different ranges. I feel more confident developing my ideas and i'm realising more and more that some of the best work happens by accident. Here are some examples...

Back to School

This summer i went back to my old secondary school to help out with the end of year fashion show. It showcases work from the whole of year 9 and the GCSE textiles group who are in the picture. Their task was to design and make a corset based on the Surrealism movement, whilst the year 9 pupils had to make a whole outfit to reflect their chosen art movement. The emphasis each year is on 'Radical Fashion' and some of the ideas were amazing! Since starting my uni course i have realised that sewing is really not my strong point, but going back and helping the class made me realise i have come such a long way since i was at school. For example i must have fitted about 30 zips throughout the day, something which i struggled to do in the first year of uni, infact i seem to rememeber taking a whole day just to do 1!

Summer Project

Our summer project is all about marketing yourself and developing your own personal design philosophy - which im finding easier said than done! Although i know what interests me, its difficult to translate this into a design philosophy. As a starting point i have made a small sketchbook containing little scraps of fabric, magazine cuttings and pictures etc which inspire me. I am making a conscious effort to not be too neat about it as this is something which slows me down all the time!

Key inspirations/words: lomography, vintage, layering, illustration, graphics mixed witth hand drawings, ecclectic, embelishment, texture, prints, femininity, magazines - Amelias, Oh Comely, Lula - florals, bohemian, romance, clutter....

Oh Comely

I'm really excited to have come across a magazine which has elements of all my other favourites; quirky articles and features (like 7 ways to toast your toast!) as seen in Vice, girly and kitsch imagery like in Lula and the work of contributing illustrators just like Amelias.

Heres what they have to say about themselves:

"oh comely is a magazine about people and their quirks and their creativity, rather than money and what it can buy. It's nice to see you here.


It's a magazine that inspires people to be creative, talk to their neighbours and explore new things, rather than buy stuff or lose weight. Imagine sitting down with a cup of tea and a creative friend to hear all the strange things she says, all the curious stuff she does, and about the things she loves."

Boukates

I have finally started experimenting making bouquets out of paper. Initally i was going to just look at making bridal bouquets but when i went to the wholesalers to buy the foam i came across little silver buckets which lead me to consider wedding favours, centrepieces and gifts - housewarming, anniversarys, birthdays, new babys, mothers day, easter, or just to say thank-you!

Here is my first creation i made for my new baby cousin, Milly.

Points to develop: wrap bucket in fabric? more details on flowers - stitching, stick on gems etc? different shaped flowers - or could i make a point of having all the same shapes so my work is easily recognisable?

One problem i encountered was that the flowers were slipping down the wire so i tied knots underneath but this was difficult, time consuming and looked messy so instead i have invested in some crimp beads to hold them up.

Revival

Following my last project in which i made paper jewellery, i decided i would carry on the techniques i picked up but apply them to bouquets. For inspiration I have had my eye out for all things wedding related and came across this amazing little room out the back of one of my favourite vintage shops - Revival in Totnes. The mixture of vintage clothing, suitcases, hat boxes gives a really overwhealming cluttered look which makes it so exciting as everywhere you look there is something to see! I have spoken to the manager about my plans and she is happy for me to do a shoot in the room but at this early stage i am not too sure what kind of approach i am after. However, as i want to appeal to people who are conscious of the environment, shooting in a vintage shop will reflect the recycling message i want to portray.

New Look

I currently have a summer job working as a Sales Advisor for New Look and i love it! As a brand, New Look inspire customers to try new looks and interpret the trends in their own way, something which they encourage particularly in their visual merchandising.


I was given the chance to go to a visual merchandising course in Plymouth, lead by Emily who is the regional VM for the south-west.
I had such a brilliant day, learning lots about both window displays and in-store merchandising, things which New Look take very seriously to continue their brand image, encourage customers to enter the store and ensure they can shop eaily when they are inside.


The main points i picked up about each area are:


WINDOW DISPLAYS

• Windows looks must appeal to all customers, of all shapes and sizes and with a wide range of budgets. To ensure this, each mannequin must be different (ie can't all be wearing trousers - instead have one in a skirt, shorts, jeans, dress etc and vary the lengths whilst ensuring a 'flow' so the customers eye follows the length of the window).
• Mannequins are accessorised but not in the most obvious way to inspire new ways for the customer to wear the trend (eg long dresses were pinned at the side with a coursage)
• By accessorising with bags, hats, scarfs and jewellery (evenly spread across the number of mannequins) the customer can buy into the trend without having to spend a fortune and can introduce the pieces into their own wardrobe. This last point is essential as working in-store i have realised that alot of people don't have the confidence to try out new things.
• When there are more than 1 mannequin in the window they should be positioned in a way that they will catch the eye of customers coming from different directions.
• Generally one trend (during the course 'wild', 'eerie' and 'gypsy' had just launched) per window, or per set of mannequins so you can see the different looks clearly. While the window should provoke interest and be exciting, if there is too much going on it will look messy!

MERCHANDISING

• Looks from the windows should be placed just inside the door ('See it, Buy it!') so the customer can easily find what they are after.
• Unless working on an area promoting all the same product - usually basics such as denim and casual jersey - it is encouraged to not have two of the same items next to each other, eg 2 t-shirts. Whilst considering this you must also ensure clothes are blocked in lengths to look neat, as many different outfit combinations are on one side of the wall/gondola, the colours flow and  best sellers are at customers eye line.
• New Look also have their own specific guidelines about the construction of shop fittings to represent their brand image and ensure all the shops look consistant.
• Outposting (having a bar amoungst the clothes with accessories on) is really useful in showing different ways to wear. For example next to a cream and coral floral dress i hung a pair of gold sandals and a long, simple chain necklace. However, this is limited to 2 looks per gondola as otherwise there is too much going on for the customer to take in.
• With accessory walls, everything must be clearly grouped according to style, size, trend, colour to make it shoppable.
• Till point areas should be utilised with products under £5 to encourage that quick impulse buy! It is important that items displayed there are universal and will go with any outfit (eg a plain pair of silver earrings, a neutral coursage, a set of bead bracelets).

Throughout the day we were encouraged to put our new skills into practice and in groups were given tasks such as analysing the windows and making changes, putting together 6 looks reflecting one of the trends and re-merchandandising new stock to make it shoppable and presentable.
Below are some pictures of the windows we worked on (unfortunatly i could not take photos of the merchandising instore)....

Denim was introduced to break the looks up as they were previously very dark.

6 looks to reflect the current 'eerie' trend - grey, purple, mink, lots of loose layering and gothic prints

Coral was introduced to the last 3 mannequins to break up the look and add a pop of colour to the 'wild' trend - animal and bird prints, satchels, lots of browns and beiges.