As part of my Fashion Design Degree, we have to complete a year in the industry, so back in December I applied for a placement at Matalan, highly recommended by our placement team, and every year they take on at least one student from my University. 

Anyway, as part of my interview I had to prepare a presentation. We were asked to create two updates for their 2015 spring collection, choosing from one of their categories, dress, tops, trousers etc. 

Now, I have always had a thing for dresses, they tend to be some of my post worn types of clothing, therefore I thought it would be best for me to go with dresses, as I could design something comerical that I know I'd wear, as a Matalan customer.

I started by looking at what was already available on their website; I had been into my local store, but unfortuantly none of the spring collection was out yet as the sales were still on. So I resorted to the internet to begin my research, and picked out some of the dresses from the new arrivals page.

I noticed that there were lots of these "sports hem dresses", so I kept that in mind, and I tried to find a dress with a nice summery and uplifting colour palette to take inspiration from. That's when I moved on to WGSN to have a look at the trend forecasts, for silhouette, colours and trends.

Once I had completed my research (picking a silhouette to take inspiration from and print trends), I moved on to making a trend board to display my main inspiration. Then I created some digital print patterns using a colour palette similar to the one I created at the beginning on my research. 

As I had to create two updates I wanted to use different silhouettes for each, so one focused on the sports hem that was already popular on the Matalan website, and the tent silhouette that has been popular on the catwalks. So the original designs developed into different adaptations for me to pick my favourite from and then apply my patterns to.

For our presentation our final designs had to be entirely CAD based, so I used a combination of photoshop and illustrator to create my designs (as well as the accompanying flats/specs).

Generally I really liked my presentation and do did my interviewers, but in the end they didn't feel that I was right for their company, however it was my first interview in terms of finding a placement, and you know what they say; practice makes perfect.

I hope you enjoy reading about and looking at my work and if anyone has any advice please feel free to share.

So remember, each day, live a little, laugh a little and love a little. ♥

This have definitely been one of my favourite projects while at University, not only did it include in depth research, but creative process, drawing, and manufacturing.

To begin with we were able to choose our own groups, and we were given a decade from the last century and an era from longer ago. We were given the 1970s and the Elizabethan Era, we then had to research and create a powerpoint presentation to show the class (we had to make sure we had visited at least one exhibition).

When doing research on a particular time in history, keeping in mind that it has to be related back to fashion, we tend to use the PEST method:

Political

Economical

Social

Technological

And it's really interesting to see how all these different areas have had an effect on fashion.

These images only demonstrate a small amount of work that went into this project, for instance the page with 8 design drawings, they were chosen from about 140 drawings! They were meant to be quick sketches, but I just can't help shading them in! Generally I don'd mind the design process, its the sewing that I can't stand, I know the theory and how it's meant to be done, but it just never quite goes right! As I said earlier, we had to do a presentation as a group, which let's just say wasn't stress free. But, we started our individual work, which I found slightly difficult, because I really don't like doing collage, it’s just not a method I am particularly fond on, however I did manage to create a couple of good ones. Although some of the collages weren’t great, I felt that I was able to get some interesting and contemporary design development from them, although I did suffer from some awful designers block. In the end I really liked my final design, however I found it extremely frustrating that my sewing skills don’t match my design or pattern cutting skills. Although my shirt came out decently it was definitely not at the quality I would have liked, but I still think it has a contemporary high end feel to it.

As part of my University course we have to complete about 48 weeks working at a placement within the fashion industry. Both daunting and exciting at the same time. And somewhat stressful, as because of my life style and circumstances, I need a paid internship that is a drivable distance from my current house. 

So when my Dad gave me the business card of the International Marketing Manager of Boohoo.com I was delighted, however my delight was short lived, as once I had spoken to the relevant people at Boohoo, I was told that their internship had to be won! Not just through interviews, but through a competition, which was rather annoying, because while I knew that I had a chance, I was unable to start any work for it, as it was had not been announced to the rest of the country.

The first stage of the competition was to research three possible trends for the Fall/ Winter 2015-16 collections and present them on a series of 6 pages. And because I really wanted it, I did three possible designs for each trend.

I can never decide which of the trends were my favourite, but it's definitely between the knit wear based trend the the digital print based trend. In fact, I would love it if the would produce my final dress design. However, they can't, as although I got through this stage of the competition, I did not get through thee second (making a video about yourself), so if they make the dress and don't pay me for the design, I won't be a very happy bunny.

And although I didn't get the placement (which I was very upset about), I did really enjoy doing this mini project for them, as it was the first thing I'd done while at Uni that wasn't a guided project.

These pages have all been redone now so that I can put them into my portfolio, I must say they look a lot more sophisticated and contemporary now.

I hope that everyone else likes my designs as well.

So remember, each day, live a little, laugh a little and love a little. ♥

The book begins with Leo Hertzberg, our narrator and a professor of Art History finding a painting by an unknown artist. After buying it, he seeks out the artist, who becomes a very close friend, their lives now entangled, the story becomes more about friendship and family, as well as Bill Weschler progressing career. When tragedy strikes, the book takes a darker tone and turns to desperation and depression, the effect it has on everyone's' lives fills the rest of the pages with some unexpected turns.

I enjoyed the book very much, although I studied a bit of Art History, I never found it particularly interesting, but the way the paintings are analysed and talked about in the book, always had me reaching for some form of device that had access to the internet, so I could look at the paintings for myself.

In one review I read that the person writing the article didn't enjoy the first third of the book, but that was my favourite part, it's so uncommon to have such an insightful story that for the most part has a happy tone to it, the article also stated that the tragedy was anticipated, I can honestly say that I wasn't expecting it at all, in fact I read it before I went to work, and it ruined my entire day, there was the occasional trembling lip and tear escaping from my puffy eyes.

I definitely think that 'What I Loved' is worth a read, with insightful and symbolic themes and interesting alterations of different peoples perspectives, there isn't a single page that is uninteresting.

There were times while reading it that I didn't like it, I thought the tragedies weren't needed, but then it would be a different book altogether, which you never know I may not enjoy. One of my biggest disappointment is that the work by this fictional artist does not exist, the way it's explained and the symbolism of the collections really makes me want to stumble across it in a gallery, because sometimes your imagination just can't do it justice!

I look forward to reading other books by this artist, hopefully one that stays happier for a little longer.

And remember, each day, live a little, laugh a little and love a little. ♥

 I realised I haven't blogged in a very long time! Like, a very long time, but guess what? My laptop has broken again; wooo! And Dan uses his for work and then in the evening we want to spend time together, so I don't get too much access to his laptop. But I've stolen it for a few minutes while he's reading!

I would like to share with you all, the climax of my Foundation year. On the 10th June, we had our final show exhibition, where we have our own display space to display your final outcomes a long with any other bits of work that are appropriate.

My final major project was on Natural Phenomenon, you can read through all my processes and stuff; including my statement of intent, reflective journal, contextual influences essay and evaluation....here! If you're interested you're very welcome to read it, if not I won't be offended...probably!

For my final outcome I created two dresses both inspired by the Northern Lights, and although they look very similar, there is a slight difference in the colours, one has green and yellow highlights to represent the more common Aurora Borealis, and the other green and purple, which is less common. I also did a photoshoot of the two dresses on a couple of my friends, Lauren and Rokiah ended up being quite a few peoples models. I decided to add light trails to the back of my final photograph to make it more visually interesting and because I had experimented with light trail photographs earlier in my project and some were so beautiful, I didn't want to waste them, I'm so proud of my final photo that it will be going up in mine and Dan's house at some point! I also included some of the samples I had some throughout my project in my exhibition space, because my tutors felt they were two strong not to include them.

I had a lovely evening at the private view of the exhibition, getting all dressed up, and Dan coming with me, we also met, my Dad, Mum and Kerry there, and we walked around the exhibition, drank wine and had a great time, and there was an after party afterwards; woo!

A couple of days after that I got my mark, which was all very quick, as I thought I'd have to wait a couple of weeks, but it turns out I got a MERIT; YAY!

In fact, it's taken me so long to write about all of this, that yesterday my place at university was confirmed! I am officially going to UNIVERSITY; aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!

So now that I officially have a place, finding somewhere to live is slightly more crucial! But it's going to be amazing!

So remember, each day, live a little, laugh a little and love a little. ♥

Hey everyone,

I was wondering if you could all lend me a hand?

As part of my current art research, for my 'Big Brother' project, I need people's opinions on art, yesterday, I posted a status on facebook asking 'What is Art?' People on facebook were amazing, I got about 34 responses, which is quite a few. But now I need to ask another question, a question that sparks a much bigger debate, where there is no right answer, but lots of strong opinions. And I shan't express mine or I'll end up ranting.

So here's the question:

I need as many responses as possible for my project, primary research is very impressive.

Please don't feel the pressure of social desirability bias, everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I desperately need honest opinions, any examples of artists you can give either would be amazing!

So please please please, comment away!

So remember, each day, live a little, laugh a little and love a little. ♥

So my newest project at college is based on the book 1984 by George Orwell, which I still haven't finished reading but shh!

For those of you haven't read it, or know nothing about it, it was written in 1948, about the future of a corrupt government and their mission to seize control over everything that you are. The story is based around Winston, a character who does not agree with the strict and ridiculous views of the party, so he obtains a diary, any form of self expression is against the law, he begins to write, and so on and so forth, I haven't gotten to anything exciting yet.

I swear I keep meaning to finish it, but the book is on my phone and it hurts my eyes and there are other distracting things going on in the world!

Over the Christmas holidays I was meant to be doing research and I just felt completely uninspired and anyone that does art knows that that is really not good at all and that you might as well crawl up into a hole and die (which I kind of did, because I got ill the second day in and had to stay home). So after talking to my tutors I decided to look at slogans and stuff like that, political things, other opinions and just stuff really, so here's some stuff ive done so far:

When reading the book this is how I picture big brother, he is meant to look like Barty Crouch from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, however I wanted to make his moustache bigger because I thought if I drew him exactly like the images from the film, he would have looked a little too much like Hitler, however he ended up looking like Hitler anyway, which although it was appropriate to the story, isn't how I wanted him to look. However, it is rather funny in lessons making sheets and sheets of photocopies of "Hitler's" face, all of the lower art students much think I'm a rather strange person when I'm walking around the halls with Ingsoc party slogans written allover my sketchbook.

One of the artists I've been looking at in my research is Barbara Kruger:

She uses found photographs, layering them with text, such text usually questions our views on feminism, classicism, consumerism and individual autonomy and desire. These ideas are contrasted with the images she uses, usually taken from mainstream magazines. Some of her more famous slogans are ones such as "I shop therefore I am," and "Your body is a battleground."