Personal and Professional Development 1

Today we were paired up with our 3rd year. Mines called Lara Poole. I actually couldn't have asked for a better fashion student to assist SO HAPPY!!!

Lara started the session off my showing me several of her sketch books (which i love and she's going to let me photocopy yay :) ) she explained her final module and that her collection was working with interchangeable panels. Which meant that they could be alternated in a number of ways to achieve a completely new different shape. As she wasn't able to show me a full on garment she sat down with me to watch a stop motion video in which she had made which explained each process and outcome. I love this idea and feel that each design works really well.

Above I have included a video of a probes, skin dress. Created by Hussein Chalayan. A stop motion video in which i find truly inspirational in terms of innovation. The outlining shape resembles one similar to a dress designed by Lara

I asked her what inspired her and how she had managed to generate ideas for such a complex collection. She said that she had started by looking at computer games and the origami fortune teller. This idea has been carried through to her packaging and step by step label instructions of how each garment maybe reassembled into another. It was said that the buyer would also be provided with an individual origami fortune teller themselves...Playing the game before they got ready in the morning would determine which outfit they would wear for the day.....I actually love this idea!!!!!!

working with origami in my millinery elective I was able to relate to what she was doing and how each form was constructed.

Below is a copy of the roles in which I shall assist Lara with through out my time as her design assistant

For the rest of the day I matched and sewed buttons on to her interchangeable panels. Although Lara felt a little reluctant to assigning me this task at the beginning of the day (as she felt I would find it boring and tedious) I didn't actually mind doing it. I had sewn buttons on before but I had never been shown how to line them up with a serrate panel. Although the task was easy I still learnt something new :)

I'm really looking forward to working as an assistant for her again next week..Stamps have to be made on the lazor cutter and she said I could go down with her and see how they are made. This will be useful as I wanted to attend the lazor cutting workshop but it was to full.

Lara finally got her fabric through to make her trousers..Collaborating with her origami panel idea she has decided to incorporate buttons down the two sides. This meant that today I made about a million and one buttons for her. But I didn't mind this task as I had never used the button making machine before so it is another skill in which I have managed to acquire. I thought that there would be more involved in the process but it was easy and produced some really cute, individual fastenings.

As the buttons are constructed but trapping the material, working with the idea of encasing I thought this idea would fit in well with the interdiciplinery module. So in my lunch break I took a sample of my own organza and made a couple of my own buttons. With organza being a sheer material they needed several layers but I am happy with the overall appearance and tomorrow shall experiment with encasing the letters to spell blossom within them. Although I am probably not going to use this particular type of fastening in my final garment I believe it will work well during my experimentational design process.

Labels for the collection still need to be made and as each garment deals with a large number of buttons we both thought it would be a good idea if the label invoked this idea. Because the typography used in the brand name has not already been programmed into the embroidery machine it was my task to create the template. This process involved a specialised computer programme that lets you determine the size of the text along with the direction the stitch is to lay. It was a time consuming but it was one task I was definitely happy to follow through. It has provided me with another skill and technique in which I shall contemplate using in future collections of my own.

The final collection is nearly there now. All that has to be done is to hand finish any seams in which are to small for the industrial machines, pressing, unpicking any tacking stitches and the cutting of any loose threads.

Today was my last day as a third year design assistant. I wish that I had been able to work with Lara for than just once a week. She is an inspiration and I can honestly say I admire all of the work in which she has done. I believe if I had had the opportunity to work with her earlier on I could have learnt so much more. She could have taught me more about the inspiration for collections, promotion and styling. I would have been able to see how a look book is put together instead of just seeing the final result along with how a stop motion video is assembled.

Overall I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and have left with several new techniques and processes (in which could be used in future modules)

So what have I learnt through out my time working as a third year design assistant?

Over the last couple of weeks I have learnt

. How to line up and attach buttons

. How to create buttons, from start to finish using the button press

. How to manipulate text for the embroidery machine - using a specialised computer programme to determine the size and type of stitch used

. I have gained a basic understanding of how a stop motion video works

. I have obtained a list of several good fabric shops in London which I might take into consideration for my final year

Interdisciplinary Processes

Metamorphosis

For this module we were handed a spider diagram in which were were to select a form of metamorphosis, a media along with a word

I have decided to combine the idea of a biological change from a bulb to a flower with graphics and the word encase.

Although I must admit when handed the brief straight away I gave myself a couple of well deserved days off. I believe this important as I felt physically drained from the last project and wanted to make sure that I was going into this one focused and inspired.

I have now begun to leave an open notebook on my desk at all times. This project is filling my head full of ideas already and I want to make sure that I don't forget any!!

Looking at photographs of the stages of development of a rose I noticed that the bud encases delicate petals and vibrant colour. The shell could also be used to encase graphics both of a photographic, drawn and written format.

These videos capture the essence of true biological change

In order for me to recreate the hollow shell I paper mached a balloon. Instead of working with torn paper I constructed the entire structure out of the letters in which spell Blossom. This idea did not work as well as I thought it would as many layers had to be used for it to hold together. The letters blurred into one. However I was left with the structure in which I wished to obtain. Although I like this sample realistically I do not see how it could be worked into a garment.

I have just sewn together about a million and one herbal tea bags..My room smells all lovely and fresh :) Instead of leaving the tea bags in their original state I cut up a photograph of a rose and packed sections in a number of bags, at the top of the sample. Stretching across the top row I encased letters which spelt the word Bloom. Combining these ideas together recreated the sense that it is the soil that is needed for a flower to bloom.

I found a photograph of closed tulips and have just done a bit of work on photoshop. Layering and manipulating images of flowers into the insides of the tulips. This idea suggests that there is beauty within the closed structure.

Original Image

My manipulation

I encased the new image behind a variety of different medias. Starting with textured, printed paper. I like the encased image however it would only work on a small scale. If enlarged it would probably appear to patch worky, not the look I am going for!!

Testing with bubble wrap I like the effect provided once I had depicted the image with a hand stitch. I would only be able to hand stitch these samples as an industrial sewing machine does not work on bubble wrap unless the bubbles have been popped before. Even if this was done you still have to pull the material through the sewing machine, which can't be to good for it!!

Constructed using images of the stages of growth of a flower here are several other pages in which I constructed using photoshop

I like the colour scheme of this particular composition. Section could be taken and used in my final piece.

The word Bloom and the typography used works well for a possible brand name

My favourite sample is one in which I sewed together a large quantity of ruffles, recreating the appearance of a flower. I then placed them inside a perspex pod. You are presented with a shell - resembling a bud. The vibrant organza inside shows that there is beauty encased within. I shall definitely attempt to incorporate this idea into my final piece.

With several of the ruffles I experimented with stamping the letters in which spelt blossom and bloom. The stamp in which worked most successfully was the white cotton fabric with the black ink. Although you are able to vaguely see the word spelt out in the organza once placed in the pod this detail is not viable. I like the idea of collaborating the ruffles with either of the words, however if this idea is to work I would have to either print the letter on an open space of fabric or on ruffles in which remain outside of the pod.

It was out first day back at uni today since the Easter holidays. We were given our module handbook and I really do believe that it would have been useful to have had this information before we broke up. Knowing that we would be making a maxi skirt from either some or all of our samples meant that I could have generated more relevant ideas. So I am now going to have to go away and produce a little more.

I spoke to Adrian at the end of the day and he really helped me!! When looking at contemporary designs, I found several garments in which I fell in love with

Roksanda Ilincic
 - Fashion in Motion
November 2008

Christian Lacroix
Fashion in Motion
October 2006

They both project a romantic feel, one which would collaborate well with my ideas. For the prototype in which were are to have ready by Thursday I am going to experiment with layers and layers of sheer fabric. Placing them in squares and removing a circular panel in the centre (for the waist) I shall rouch segments and encase a number of the petal pods. I shall also see how the garment would appear if I as to combine pods with a number of open flower samples.

We had our tutorials and Angie wasn't so keen on the whole pod idea. She liked the ruffles flowers inside. But encased she said they just looked like screwed up balls of fabric. She did however like the samples I had created using wax. So after the tutorial session I began moulargeing a couple of ideas onto a half scale manikin and liked how different sized samples can be encased into and onto the fabric.

I am going to make a variety of different sized ruffled samples using wax on top and see how smaller, more vibrant colours would appear encased.

For my prototype I generated an idea which took a square of fabric, removing a circle in the centre for the waist I began to drape the fabric around the body. I encased several of the ruffles within the fabric as well as attaching a couple on top. I feel this idea needs changing as looking as the structure I want to include more detail. As the garment stands at the moment it appears a little bland and boring.

I have looked at past and present haute couture maxi skirts/dresses and was inspired by a number of designs. Chanel has provided amazing material to work with along with John Galliano. Their attention to detail and the amount of fabric used is phanominal!

Chanel Haute Couture

John Galliano

Alexander McQueen

I like the graphic flower images in which have been applied undernieth the top layer of fabric, this could be a possible way of application for my images

Hussein Chalayan

I have decided that I want my final piece to contain a large quantities of ruffles, trapping several within layers of contrasting fabric so I must make make make!!

I am already starting to feel that these ruffles are going to be the bain of my life for the next 4 weeks...but I decided on this design aspect so I must quite complaining and just get on with it!!!

Working on the stand I have come up with some successful and some not so designs. I know that my skirt needs to contain a large quantity of fullness in order for me to encase a reasonable number of ruffles. I started off working on the stand with just one layer of organza.

Not successful the ruffles appear to have been randomly placed onto

the fabric a strict structure has not been obtained

Here the ruffles were to heavy for the fabric and distorted the garments intended shape

Ruffles are successfully placed and held in place by the contours created by the draping

Although I like the sheerness and the contrast in which it projects against the waxed ruffles I believe that a more successful outcome will be achieved if I begin to experiment with multiple layers. Possibly in a combination of colours?

Below are several examples in which I managed to achieve by working on the stand

When manipulated onto a half scale manaquin this design worked however when replicated full scale I realised that it would not work as a garment. Because the corners have been wrapped around and lifted at the bottom it means that the customer would not be able to move

This is my favourite design. I obtained the shape by twisting each corner of the two layers of fabric and placed them asymmetrically around the body. As well as providing a number of folds in the fabric (for me to encase ruffles) I feel twists leading up to the waistband resemble the stem of a blooming flower...the theory in which my body of research lies.

As I selected the word graphics I know that I need to contain this aspect into the maxi skirt also. Looking to designers for a little inspiration as well as flicking through my research I have decided to work with this image

I was undecided on how I ought to attach the twisted fabric to the skirt, as the fabric is wrapped around the body they are not able to be sewn down. Talking to adrian he suggest I sew a safety pin to the back of each of them. These would act as a badge and it would also mean that the customer would be able to decide on how they would like to wear the garment. Altering the positioning of the ties would change the overall appearance. I could also manipulate the badge idea into my craft package. Providing the customer with a selection of badges is another form or customerisation.

I want my hanger to coinside with my skirt. Working with the typography Bloom through out my project I shall use this as a brand name and some how integrate to letters within or around the wire frame.

I went down to Jewelery today and managed to get some wire which holds the same as the wire hanger. I have entwined the letters Bloom from one end to another and was able to solder the edges together. Although I liked the overall appearance I wanted the frame work to corispond a little more to the maxi skirt. So I wrapped a combination of the purple and red organza around the letters. Doing this created the appearance of twists.

For my craft package I started off with a flower board to hold several badges. I decided to use a combination of waxed and non waxed as this asthetic has been applied through out my garment. Working with a customerisation feel I thought that as I had applied heat adhesive transfers to the fabric it would be a good idea to include several of the transfers in a leaf patterned envelope. The buyer will then be able to add to the pattern on the maxi skirt or if they would like to, transfer it onto any other pre-determined fabric. In order for the transfers to be ironed on correctly I shall compile a little instruction booklet to go with the envelop.

With the number of items I wish to include the back of the garment with appear to cluttered and confusing. Taking this into consideration I have decided to make a little bag to hold the give aways in. This bag will also act as a little keep sake for the customer and she be constructed from the same leaf pattern as the envelope. The Bloom logo shall also be present on the bottom right hand side.

The swing ticket shall be attached via a wax ruffle broach this feature will mean it is easily removed as well as providing the customer with another little something.

Final garment photographs

Front View

Side Views

Back View

Bloom brand swing ticket. On the back of the label I placed an image of a single bud next to a bar code made from the stalks.

Millinery Elective

In preparation for our elective we have been asked to research costume history, fashion designers past and present, paintings, prints shapes and fabrics.

When looking through numerous periods where millinery played a large role in costume I came across several images of 17-18th century fashion in which inspired me. I like how hats featured not only as an accessory, they defined the entire outfit. Working with over size proportions and details such as feathers, peals and decorative flower representation.

Today millinery tends to play a large role more on the catwalk. Outrageous forms and ideas help the customer to remember the designer, enabling them not to fade into the background.

I have noticed that several millinery designers today have used the origami technique in order to create an individual, structured, new form.

mariaelisa duque

Fred Butler

Alithia Spuri-Zampetti

Fernando Sierra

Dora Mojzes

Chanel Haute Couture

The models in Christian Diors haute couture spring/summer 2007 selection have also integrated the origami idea and have been made to represent a Geisha

Looking at Geishas in Japan I like the use of millinery. Flowers have been places in their hair. The way their hair has been tied back resembles a small black hat.

I like the ornate patten found on numerous Japanese artifacts.

Now I have put all my research together I have begun to generate several ideas. I definitely want to experiment with origami and see if I can work this idea in the form of flowers onto my final piece.

I'm looking quite forward to starting this project. I have not as of yet had any experience in this field and as the accessory is used widely on the catwalk today I feel it important.

I am a little apprehensive about how much we will be able to do with the supplied black felt hood though, as I thought we would have been given a little more freedom in terms of the materials that the final hat would be constructed from.

However once the week is over and we have been taught the relevant techniques my feelings will probably change as I don't know how the standard structure maybe be transformed.

Well Today was our first day of the elective.

Alison gave us a talk on what we would be doing over the next couple of days. She explained that as we only have the week to start and finish the final piece and that we really ought to make a start straight away, leaving any research to be done at home.

Although I feel I had gathered a substantial amount of research to take in with me today I believe that if we had been told that we were to select a basic hat block within the first hour I would have generated a larger selection a design ideas.

I selected a hat block in which contains a slight dip at the side. This will allow room for my origami idea to be incorporated. Back tracking through research will be hard. I do not like working in the way as it does not enable you to be as creative, it also places limitations and restrictions on the design process.

Once I had chosen my hat block I steamed the hood in order to recreate the shape. Alison's demonstration made this process look simple however when coming to do it myself I found it quite a challenge. Because of the shape in which I had chosen it was hard to flatten out the felt in order for it to lay flat underneath. It was also hard to pin to the block and the fiddlelyness hurt your hands when trying to iron out any remaining creases.

Photos of my chosen hat block

The hat needed to be stiffened and re pined to the block before steaming it again. I thought this process was over!!!

The hat is half way there now and i'm interested in seeing what tomorrow will hold as I can see it coming together...slowly but still coming together before my eyes.

One thing that I have learnt at uni today is that we definitely need more irons! The process of fitting the felt to the block was a long one and combining this factor with the number of people within the group, meant that people were sitting around just waiting. Which pretty much seemed a waste of time.

Once the felt had set to the block I cut away the excess fabric.

Trying the hat on I noticed that because of the dip in the crown it did not lay how intended. I asked Alison how this problem could be rendered and she suggested to make another little hat to fit inside. This would be half the diameter and would only lay around the dip.

As soon as she told me that I was like noooooo as the procedure took long enough before.

However because it was only to fit inside I chose a straight forward design and managed to complete the shape from start to finish in an hour. Which I am relatively pleased about :)

Placing the smaller shape inside the hat I tried it on and I am definitely happier with the direction the final piece if following. The design is more how I envisioned and lays on the left had side of the head. Leaving room for visible decoration in which I shall lay along the dip.

I found it a bit of a pain that the only lining fabric that was available for use was a metallic purple polyester. It would have been useful to have been told this previous to the start of the week. As I had to leave uni early today in order to go out and buy a black polyester lining, a factor in which could have been prevented.

If told, the fabric would have been to hand, meaning that I could have made my lining today rather than leaving it for tomorrow.

For the decoration I had already decided that I was going to work with origami. Through varied samples I found the fabric felt could be successfully manipulated, withstanding a clean and sharp structure. I experimented with a number of different representations and liked how the rose appeared in paper. However, due to the set folds, the fabric did not hold this structure. The butterfly was most successful. Each fold was pressed and when the shape was achieved I outlined the white felt with a black machine stitch and the black felt with a white machine stitch. Such techniques added a greater level of detail.

When attaching the decoration, varying their sizes, I laid the butterflies at different angles. Once finished I viewed the hat from a distance. I was not pleased with the overall image. The way the butterflies had been placed did not appear as intended so I unpicked each stitch and started again. Using fewer butterflies, I alternated between black and white and laid them more rigidly. This design worked more cohesively with my body of research and I am happier with the end result. Moreover, I stab stitched each corner in order to hold them down securely. This detail helped to prove an end result that appeared cleaner overall.

Today was the final day of our elective. I still had my lining to do. I don't understand why Alison didn't conduct a presentation at the begining of the week showing us each method in which maybe used. Teaching us the technique in the way that she did was pretty pointless and time consuming as it meant that the majority of people were left waiting around when they could have been carrying on with their work.

I decided to use the drawstring method for the application of my lining. I managed to attach the fabric in successfully, however if I were to follow this process through again I would have incorporated a pleated lining. Using this alternative would mean the hat might have laid more firmly on the head.

A photograph of the cap in which was attached to the inside

Below I have displayed a photograph of the inside to show how the lining has been attached. The image on the left is my hat and the one on the right is the cap placed inside.

To obtain a professional end result, Alison suggested I finish the hat off by stab stitching petersham into the inside. I decided on this application seeing as I wanted the final piece to appear minimal and clean cut around the bottom section. The small cap inside was different. In order for me to cover the top of the lining, I folded petersham over the raw edge and secured it with a stab stitch.

What have I learnt from this millinery elective? I now understand the stages involved in the construction of a hat. Although each process was easy to understand patience is important. Persistence while moulding is essential as it is hard on the hands and difficult to smooth out every crease in the felt. The end result was worth it and I now appreciate the complexity and the time taken in the production of numerous designs found whist conducting research,

Overall I am pleased with my final outcome. I believe it successfully meets the brief that was set, originating from a variety of different sources of inspiration.