All Saints Interview

I have managed to carry out an interview with a  employee from All Saints head office.

How do they design?

They have a very intellectual approach to employing their design team, they make sure that all areas are covered and that they have an expert in each area, whether that be hand drawing or CAD drawing, embellishment or Tailored Wear. An example of this is that at that time the Head Designer thought little of his drawing skills, they were not what he would call where his expertise lie, but he made sure that he had people around him that he could rely on to do his sketching for him.

They make sure that their mens wear and women's wear compliment each other and that the teams work closely with each other so as not to miss any key design crossovers, if something works well for the mens wear collection and shows growth in sales then a women's equivalent will be designed, having the same design but with more focus on the female form, nipped in wast and shaping for the bust.

How important is a design silhouette to All Saints?

Its important to to All Saints to be very aware of trends and fashions, but equally it is important to design for the form, All Saints carry a lot of their design process out whilst draping on the stand, many of the silhouettes are creating from this format. Most of the designer work in 3D and not Flat.

How do All Saints see their image?

All Saints like to have a close affiliation with the music industry, this is massively important to them, they have sponsored The Kooks and Johnny Borrell from Razorlight, they have held numerous Basement gigs in their stores and sponsor the William's F1 team, including their brand logo on the F1 cars and the F1 boiler-suits, with the thought that Lewis Hamilton has upgraded the F1 image to a more rock and roll status.

Who do All Saints see as their competitors?

Mostly they see themselves as upper high-street, very upper high-street with their competitors being Ted Baker and Topshop, they do not like being compared to French Connection although their pricing is similar.

What do they see as their target market?

They like to see themselves within the 20-30yr old Fashion conscious, music lover. Someone who has a good job, someone who is quirky and has an individual style that maybe other high street stores don't cater to. they like to think that the All Saints shopper uses theirs stores for the bulk of their wardrobe and that he or she likes to dress top to tail in All Saints, they like going to gigs and like to think of themselves as a little more important than the rest of society, being invited to secret gigs, getting backstage passes and maybe living a bit of the rock star lifestyle.

What is the buying ratio for sizes?

Sizes 4 to 14, with maybe one or two jean pieces straying into size 16's. The buying ration is weighted towards size 8 with a ratio that simulates from size 4, 2-3-3-2-1, with a ethos of design wide and buy shallow, putting an emphasis on trend and design not on profit, which sympathises with a fashion conscious shopper as a design led business.

What are their signature designs?

They like to produce a lot of embellishment, on dresses, on T-shirts, on leather on anything and everything, they do not like colour, they like muted tones, greys, black with a small amount of muted, duller shade of colour.

They are very proud of their leather, and have been known to sell with low margins, using the very best quality jackets. If you get yourself one good leather jacket then make it an All Saints one as they are of the best quality and they stay true to their retail points.

They also like the relaxed look, and have a vast array of T-shirts, all vintage looking with a print that is on trend.

Finally they have a growing Tailored collection, with a nod to the Italian tailoring and with an attention to the skilled techniques of tailoring, detail, detail, detail. and for all these signature areas design is the key, fabrics would be lux, detail would not be overlooked or removed for cost reasons. Design is the reason for the product and should not be compromised

Do they follow a 'Type' when it comes to employing sales staff?

Sort of, they like a quirky team, they like them to look as though they shop in All Saints but with a character of their very own, an individual look. They like the rock star look, employing staff that have bright red hair, or tattoos all over or piercing, people that may ordinarily in other job may be asked to tone done those aspect of their image.

So the key things I should remember when designing are, female form, embellishment, lux, trend and what is being shown on the catwalk but with an All Saints twist. Vintage look with a Rock Star feel. Focus on design and draping and not on colour.

I need to take a look at trends for SS13 and then look at the key pieces that All Saints actually place in store, then I can start designing

All Saints - Visit

I have now visited Brent Cross and Lakeside All Saints stores and the only real difference is the store fronts, and that is only really slight, but Lakeside have no Singer sewing machines in the store window and only display one in the store which is being utilised as a clothing rail, where as the Brent Cross store had more Singer sewing machine

Shop Window

The shop windows seem to be split, one either side of the doorway and one side showing Men's Wear fashions and other displaying Women's wear. At present due to the season we are in both windows are highlighting the fact that it is Sale season.

The Women's wear showed an outfit which included a leather biker jacket and a little black dress with a twist.

Inside the store you where welcomed with a large doorway and a very clean and sharp looking display, which delicately advertised their sale. Even during peak sale season, they do not appear to want to allow the sales signs to dominate their branding.

When you first enter the store you also become aware of space, mood lighting and nothing is bright, the walls are, although mostly painted white brickwork, they are warn and weathered, helping to create a vintage basement feel. The mannequins are cream and a little worn looking helping to give a slightly vintage feel about the store, quality over new.

The sizing, although we are currently in Sales season so selling stock that is left over from the AW12 season, appears to be weighted towards size 6 and 8, with a few sizes venturing towards the size 6 and 4, but small amounts at the top end of 12 with very few at 14 and none that I could find any higher.

The swing tag is heavy and worn looking, with a feeling of vintage and antique with a modern twist. They are made from thick card and have leather and metal detail and secured by string attaching to garment. 

The sales that where made were placed in large vintage looking off white bags with only the name Ass Saints print on the side

The clothes inside the store range from evening wear, through office wear and include everyday wear and casual. You could essentially buy your entire wardrobe from All Saint, if you could afford to.

The sales staff all look as though fashion is important to them but it looks easy and a bit rock star meets Glastonbury. They all look a little quirky and as if they have a style of their very own.

They look as though they have a design philosophy of grungy designer wear, with an attention to detail and a strong eye on trend and fashion, looking at Topshop and Vivienne Westwood. They seem to relish in their vintage looking rock T-shirts and they have a very strong leather collection including many leather jackets. These appeared to be their signature pieces, along with draped dresses and masses of detailed embellishment.

All Saints - Brief received

We have received our brief for the All Saints project, we need to visit All Saints, research the brand, design about 6 outfits that would complement their SS13 collection.

I have started by looking at All Saints online profile, they have a website that is focused on their Spitalfields branch, they have what appears to be very fashion and design focused items but they lack colour and maintain a very black, brown and muted tones palette.

I need to try and speak to someone that works for All Saints, maybe get myself and interview with someone and I need to visit a few branches of the store.

To Do:

1. Visit Brent Cross and Lakeside All Saints Stores
2. Try and acquire an interview with an employee
3. Research All Saints history and ethos
4. Research All Saints profile and image
5. Research All Saints online store for design and collection and fabric compositions

CV and Linkedin

I have updated my CV and have amended some of the parts so that it shows my career path in what I think is it best light. I have included the link to my blog page which is also my online portfolio page and will be my link to Linkedin.
I have set up my Linkedin page and have completed it in full. This now included all my skills and all my work experience and education. It also have links to projects that I have completed and am proud of, which show the skills I believe are important to the type of work I wish to gain and the level of the market I wish to join.
Now I need to improve my connections, which is proving difficult as all the contacts I have made within my time working in the fashion industry do not appear to have Linkedin status, sadly, but I will try and gain connections regardless, positive mental attitude and all.

Blog - Updated
CV - Updated
Linkedin - Achieved and complete

Updating Blogger

I have spent a great length of time updating the apprearance of my Blog so that it has an image I can be proud of. I have cleaned it up so that it is not so busy and looks easy to reasd and easy to navigate, I have added a design pportfolio and a dress making portfolio so help with gaining job interviews and help with the two areas of the industry I have an interest in, design and making.
I am a lot happier with the outcome and although I still need to add a link to my linkedin page, once its set up, I feel it is now somehting I am happy showing others.

Things to do: Up date my CV and set up my Linkedin account

Linkedin/CV Seminar

I attended a seminar about improving your Job Opportunities by getting your CV up to date and joining the technology revolution. Linkedin, it would appear is the new online networking system that allows you to connect with like minded professional, keep up to date with companies you have interest in and to elevate your career opportunities by broadcasting your CV to other professionals.
I became aware of the importance of making sure that you maintain a professional online appearance through all social and professional networks and that you need to be aware of how your image is being presented online.
As I have no online CV I thought it would be a priority to get Linkedin, in order to do this I will need to update my CV and then use that as a tool to get my Linkedin account up and running.

Online Profile Seminar

We were invited to attend a seminar that would improve our online profile knowledge, this seminar included ideas about creating your own website and also how to improve your online presence.
I found it all very interesting and very motivating. I enjoyed learning about how to create your own www. address and the benefits of this and how to use the blogger page as a website. I also learnt the importance of using the blog as a way of introducing viewers to you as a Designer. How to layout the page and tips on how people navigate around websites.
Although I already have a Blog, I decided it would be necessary for me to revisit the themes of my page, the layout and the navigation.
To do: redesign my blogger pages so that a possible viewer would spend more time on the site and would be able to find what they were looking for with ease

Creative Pattern Cutting

I have manipulated my pictures from my draping on the stand exercise and have added the bodice from the first exercise to the outfit from the second exercise to see if the bodice works and if it looks nice and I think I really like it.

I think it gives the outfit and the sculptured parts on the bottom of the dress, balance. I also like that it only appears on the left hand side of the garment, giving the look an asymmetric feel, but I think I will look to see what the outfit would feel like with the pleating on both sides, just so that the idea can be eliminated with fact and research and evidence.

Now all I need to do is convert the draped pleated bodice part into a flat pattern that works and can be manufactured with the existing pattern bodice.

I think I will add it as and additional layer and insert it into the middle seam and the side seam, but I will need to increase the middle hem line so that is runs parallel with the existing bodice lines.

Creative Pattern Cutting, more.

Have attempted some more draping using an alternative method. Started with creating a bodice block by draping the fabric on the stand and pinning where the darts, or panels will form. Then growing the outfit from a basic block shape so that it is more structured and angular.
I've decided to see if the fabric will hold a structure growing from layers with in the skirt part of the outfit.
I think that in order to achieve this with permanence I will need to include some boning in the elevated section.
I have also looked into adding a cuff around the shoulder, but I do not think I like it too much.

I would like to try and add the bodice from my first draping attempt onto this outfit to see if it will work.
I am going to add it to Photoshop and manipulate the pictures to see how it will look, but in the meantime I will use this exercise to make my flat pattern.

Creative Pattern Cutting

I have done some experiments with draping on the stand to try and create a design like Marchesa or Cirnansck. I have included pleating to create a bodice shape, I like this shape and would very much like to include it in my final design for this project but I am not convinced with the whole gown look.

I have cinched in the waist with a piece of fabric in red poly satin in a rich red. This will help with the hourglass silhouette.

I decided to use the same colour fabric at the bottom of the gown to balance the colour, but the design would work equally as a cocktail dress with the bottom red removed.

I would like to carry on draping on the standard try and create something more sculptured and more angular.
 Will need to try this process again and see if I can create an alternative look.

.

Creative Pattern Cutting Brief

Looking into Draping on the stand, I have researched some YouTube tutorials so that I know how to get started. I have learnt that mostly draping consists of taking fabric and allowing it to form shapes on the form, naturally or using the dummy to pin unusual shapes to using a basic bodice of dress form to gain avant-garde designs.

I have also learnt that some pattern cutters are given a design by the designer and it is their job to create the pattern for the designer, which they may do starting from draping on the stand to create not only the shapes required but also the feel that the fashion illustration conveys.

Jeremy Laing

Diane Kruger 

Designers that look at though they use draping to allow the fabric to show them which designs they can achieve are Jeremy Laing and Diane Kruger. Their designs seem to hang from the body in a way that is in balance with the fabric, it looks effortless and natural. Although this style of design looks very beautiful, it lacks the wow that I want to achieve, it doesn't seem to defy itself and looks quite organic. I like to design a more sculptured style, something that reflects the themes I design from, something with more strength.

Marchesa

Marchesa

Marchesa has many styles that have this strength within the design  a more sculptured and more contrived look. I like this type of draping and would like to achieve something like this from myself.

Marchesa seem to include angular shapes but still gives each dress a softness that seems paralleled by nature. Although they include triangles and pointed shapes, you are still left with a sense of the dress being part of a beautiful flower.

This is a concept I would like to be able to achieve, and allow my garments to translate

Moschino

Cirnansck

The final looks that I have researched and I like that appear to have been created by draping on the stand are ones that use the fabric to wrap shapes in to the figure, these designers seem to use the waist as a natural point to nip in the silhouette quite tightly, causing a beautiful hour glass outline. Designers that use this style are Moschino and a designer called Samuel Cirnansck. Cirnansck includes a heavily embellished bodice that looks as though a flower has dew sprinkled on its petals. I like this style, and I like the effect the nipped in waist gives the silhouette  I would very much like to use this idea but am unsure how it will work with the background my final project is heading towards.

All these pictures are from Stylesight


I will need to practice draping on the stand and see if I can achieve any of the ideas I like and see if I can achieve angular looks without compromising the softness of a feminine silhouette.
1. Find fabric that will drape but will equally fold and hold structure.
2. Experiment with draping to produce feminine shapes with a twist
3. Include manipulation of fabric to create a bodice with a nipped in waist.

Creative Pattern Cutting Project cont.....

After some research into draping on the stand I can now understand that it is very useful for designing fluid and flowing collections. Lanvin appears to use draping on the stand for their collections. Lanvin shows how fabric can be draped over the female from with such skill it makes the outfits look effortless.
As beautiful as this is, it is also not a look I am trying to achieve, although it may be one I could explore with fabric initially to see if it suits me before I completely write it off.
I have also looked at Vionnet, their collections also appear to use draping as Madeleine Vionnet was famous for this method and it is something that become a signature of her designs along with bias cut silhouettes, so it is only fitting that it would still be used by the current design team.
I like the pleating and the idea of the volume and lines that the fabric create. I still want a more sculpted look, something a little more angular, a little more controlled.
I will continue researching draping designers and look into Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen, I want to also look at Comme des Garcon and some of the couture designers like Dior.
I have started to drape on the stand, and I con honestly say it is a lot harder than it looks.

I started by trying to make the fabric follow the forms of the dummy. trying to create a wrapped design around the bust and to a bustle at the rear and included an origami shape that I hemmed to see if it would hold together.
I want to find some taffeta or heavier more rigid satin to see if I can achieve better origami with a stiffer fabric, but I like the idea of a bustle made from origami flower type creations, however the draping on the stand needs work and better fabric may achieve this.
I also tried to create a cuff like form over the corset bust top edge. Not sure if draping is the best way to achieve this result either.

Creative Pattern Cutting

Been given a new brief, to research designers that may use Draping on the stand to generate designs, then using my final major project designing process to help produce some creative designs using draping methods and deconstruct my efforts to enable to production of a flat pattern and from that a toile of the work, followed by some design development generated from the process.
This caused me some trauma!! I am comfortable with flat pattern cutting and would even consider myself as quite proficient, however draping on the stand and the levels of freedom this suggests is far too much pressure for me. I think I have the ability to see in my head the 3D version of my designs, fully finished  and I am able to mentally pull the design apart and lay it flat on the table. Draping on the stand requires that you forget this and work in a different way, which is quite difficult for me as I am already very comfortable with the flat pattern process.
However, it is a brief that requires just as much focus and dedication as all the other projects, regardless of whether it is within my comfort zone of not.
I need to research designers that drape - to start with I will look at Vivienne Westwood, Lanvin and Vionnet and see where these take me
I will also need to research the process of draping on the stand, how you should start, what you need to do in order to complete the job, look up some online videos and tutorials and then play with a few ideas.

Sainsburys TU Brief - final illustrations

I decided to go with brights but tone down the colours slightly as I believe it is more fitting for the Sainsburys signature so going with a more mustard yellow and a more navy blue. The final line up will be 6 outfits comprising of a short and jacket combo, including a blue check print on the short turn up. The jacket will include elements of the boxy jackets seen on the runway from Chanel but a little more fitted. The other outfits, a dress, skirt, shirt dress, trousers, shirt and peplum waistcoat/shirt. All items can be worn separately with items already possessed in a customers wardrobe but equally can be worn interchangeably with each other. It would make sense for Sainsburys to include each item in alternate colourways, example: the mustard shorts should also be available in blue with yellow check or white with coloured turn-up. The white shirt dress could also be available with blue trim and so on. This would increase the customers choice without adding cost to production, as it would use fabrics that are already being purchased. Using poly cottons and gingham's, with suiting fabrics in blue and mustard's and viscose mix fabrics.

The crit went well, it appears I have covered all the areas requested within the brief, it may be that areas could be improved on, but that is always true of work. Nothing is ever truly complete, everything can always be improved on or added to, but sooner of later you need to put things into perspective and use your time productively. Next brief 'creative pattern cutting', research, experiment and design.

Sainsburys brief - getting into the personality

I needed to produce a Customer Profile, a visual profile of the lady that shops in Sainsbury's but more crucially in TU.
I visited the stores, I listened and looked at the clothes they sold and the people that where in the store. I understand that they store has two key customers. The actual obvious customer, she is a lady that will always shop in the store, she needn't be worried about but equally do not ignore her. Then there is the aspirational customer, the customer that sainsburys would like to aspire to solicit. The ideal, the customer that they can make money out of and as ugly as that sounds, it the reality of business.
This customer is a mum of two or three children, she is a busy mum. One that holds down a well paid job that will probably be part-time in some fashion. She and her husband have a comfortable lifestyle, which has become a little tighter since the recession. She drives the modern, bright family car, probably a 4x4, he drives the car they refer to as 'The Wreck', it is only to take him to work and back and he feels much happier knowing the family have the safer car at their disposal.
She shops on the run, mostly. She likes Sainsburys because it offers her a wide range of healthy meal choices, it offers her choice for packed lunches and it offers her a basics range she can rely on. This is a key word for her when she shops, reliability. She like to shop in stores she can rely on. She has to shop online most of the time and rarely has the time to try clothes on, so want to make sure she shops where she knows the customer service will be excellent.
She buys most of the family clothes in stores such as Next and Debenhams but likes to take advantage of bargains, so doesn't snub supermarket clothes, they are excellent for school wear and she buys a lot of her husbands 'undies' there too. She gets all his workwear from Next, but the odd item has been known to make its way into her shopping trolley.
She like to browse around the TU Women section too, and likes that it keeps trying to reinvents itself, and its clothes reflect the fashion sections in her Sunday magazines. Their new Top Shop range is very exciting, fashionable but safe. She knows she can rely on its sense of style, but equally she can spice it up with other items from her wardrobe for those occasions she is feeling fashionably confident.
She take any chance she can to take care of her health, she runs when she can and always tries to eat fresh vegetables and fresh fruit. This is also reflected in her sportswear, she doesn't spend that much on these items and likes the fact the TU has some fair priced, easy to wear jogging clothes.
Our Sainsburys family are an aspirational family for most but if you look a little more carefully, they are actually not that different from most of us, they are anyone and everyone.

Induction Brief, proposal

At present I am working on a proposal for my Induction Brief deadline. Friday 4pm. 

The proposal must follow a pattern, introduction, design ethos, customer profile, aims, objectives........

I am finding this quite interesting, having to justify to myself and to the rest of the world how my work is relevant. I wish I could have followed all of my research up with a proposal as it has helped me to have faith in my work, to believe that what I am doing is interesting and inspired. I am enjoying this project far more than any of my previous and am looking forward to researching further and to actually researching for my essay.

My essay will be worked around couture and haute-couture and whether there is any need or desire for either in this modern world we live in, I will look into the history and the birth of couture (Haute) and follow its chronological path, I will look into how it has altered throughout the years and what effect modern times has had on the art. I will look at all levels from high end designer to the dress maker on the corner, I will look into the craft of couture and the standards that are required, hopefully using many within my practical project

I am hoping that my research for my major project will assist my research for my essay and that one will become the other. I want my final year to work as a whole as well as individual parts.

I need to look into which books I will need to borrow from the library and which websites I need to cite.

I need to print off my blog so that it can be handed in as a hard copy, this in itself is not straight forward as it is not easy to print from this website - will need to look into how to do this best

I will need to run through all the information I have used and cited within my work so far and create a bibliography - Harvard referencing style

Induction Brief - more Essay

I have been quietly thinking about my essay whilst continuing my Induction Brief unit and I have come up with some ideas, originally I wanted to do something about 'The Rituals of Dressing Up' but am struggling to find the sort of material I want. I have continued to think and see what areas will reflect my work and as I would like to create a couture collection, and there is some debate as to whether couture is a dying area of the fashion sphere, I think I would like to look into whether Couture is dead????

• I will look into the definition of couture.
• The skills require, in order to be able to produce couture work - you've gotta start somewhere!!
• The difference between Haute Couture and plain Couture
• How did the couture business start
• Who started it
• Why was the phrase 'Haute Couture' coined
• What maintains the business Haute and couture
• What has happened to the discipline during economical downturn - austerity?

I will start by looking in the following bibliography:
Couture sewing techniques / Claire B. Shaeffer
Shaeffer, Claire B
Newtown, CT : Taunton Press, c2011
250 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 26 cm.
The dressmaker's handbook of couture sewing techniques : essential step-by-step techniques for profe
Maynard, Lynda
London : A. & C. Black, 2010
160 p. ill, spiral bound
Couture in the 21st century / by Deborah Bee ; portraits by Rankin
Bee, Deborah
London : Harrods ; London : A&C Black, 2010
160 p. : ill.
Secret world of haute couture [DVD] / BBC
London : BBC, 2008
1 DVD (60 mins)
The Zapp method of couture sewing / Anna Zapp
Zapp, Anna
Iola, Wis. : Krause ; Newton Abbot : David & Charles, c2004
128 p. : col. ill. ; 28cm.
Couture culture [electronic resource] : a study in modern art and fashion / Nancy J. Troy.
Troy, Nancy J.
Cambridge, Mass. : MIT Press, c2003.
xii, 438 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
Couture sewing techniques / Claire B. Shaeffer
Shaeffer, Claire B.
Newtown, Conn. ; [Great Britain] : Taunton, 1993 (2001 [printing])
217 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 26 cm.
L'officiel de la couture et de la mode Paris
Paris : Editions Jalou Sa
Irregular
Collezioni haute couture
Modena : Logos
2 issues per year
Couture Culture: A Study in Modern Art and Fashion [electronic resource].
MIT Press
Balenciaga and his legacy : haute couture from the Texas Fashion Collection / Myra Walker
Walker, Myra, 1954-
Dallas : In association with the Meadows Museum, c2006
xvii, 162 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 32 cm.
How fashion works : couture, ready-to-wear, and mass production / Gavin Waddell
Waddell, Gavin
Oxford, UK ; Ames, Iowa : Blackwell Science, 2004
xii, 211 p. : il
Also I will use the Internet websites, such as Vogue.com and trendsetter.com and the news paper websites. Hopefully this will provide me with a way forward for my essay and hopefully I will then be able to plan my essay, paragraph by paragraph, what to include and what to not include. Also I hope it will give me a more focused title and concept.

Induction, colour, print??

I have draped Wall paper on the stand to help me gain ideas for colour and print for my Final Major Project.
I want my collection to have a Couture fell, they need to shout beauty, structure and vulnerability. I want to design evening wear/ bridal/ couture wear.
I need to look into Couture. What it means and what makes something couture. I do not mean the french Haute Couture. I want to make custom made, made to measure garments, one offs for someones special occasion.

The colour would need to reflect the occasion. What is the occasion? Maybe a wedding, maybe the Red Carpet, maybe an exhibition piece with three or four more wearable pieces.

I want to design for a Fall collection, rather than summer. I want the heaviness of the structure to be balanced by the colour.
I tried draping stripes, large prints, pinks, black and whites, silver (a colour I was interested in using after visiting the V&A Ballgown exhibition) and purples.

I like the stripes but I think there is a possibility that they drown the look, maybe mix with a plain colour. This could be useful to engage the other outfits within the collection.

I am not sure about the colours though, they look like an ethnic tribal clothing look. This is not the look I am after. Maybe try a two colour look, maybe black and white, maybe as I like these two colours mixed with the silver. This give a sharp and clean look and the white maintains a vulnerability.
Need to look for fabric like this. Stripe, white, black and silver.

Induction again!!!!

More work in my sketchbook has made me look into the London skyline and the buildings that encompass it. The shapes of some of them remind me of origami or folded paper. The structure is hard yet beautiful. I took some photo's whilst in London of the various building and was very interested in the way some looked like pleated fabrics in the skirt of a ball gown.


I also liked the way some of the buildings had scaffolding on them adding to the lines created like a column in the middle, lets say a bias cut dress, tight and narrow, with a layer of scaffolding added as a layer over the top, like a cage, which also reminded me of a Jean-Paul Gaultier dress from Haute Couture Fall 08/09
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Loving the idea of the structure being a single layer. A cage that surrounds the wearer, to protect or to hold inside????

The Saffold 2003 Steven Kenny

This reminds me of the artist Steven Kenny http://www.stevenkenny.com His work has both a protection and safe guard feeling. The artist seems to paint his objects as if they are vulnerable yet there is something about them that makes you lightly fearful. This in itself give the paintings a primitive beauty yet a carnival of darkness awe.

Maybe use elements of this idea within my design development. But not compromising the beauty within the awe.

Induction Brief continued again....

Ive been busy adding to my sketchbook and I feel as though its going in an interesting direction.
The origami i have produced has made me create shapes around the structure and stiffness of paper.

My Origami

I like the way it looks like a flower but also has the hardness that allows further structure to be placed upon it, like Dior's creations for SS07.



Dior SS07

I like the enormous structures attached to the dress and would like to have a dress that has the impact of a 'here I am people' dress, yet maintaining a fairy story beauty.


Still need to investigate colour. I will need to visit a DIY shop and get some wall paper, drape on the stand and see how colour and print could look on 3D. Hopefully this will help to gain some kind of idea for impact but also beauty.