I've spent there days back home, shivering in front of the wood fire and I've realised that I hate not having anything to do. I've spent the majority of my tragic afternoon on the Internet and have come across a few images of inspiration to try and pull me out of my doldrums.
Studio is due tomorow morning at 9am and I'm feeling suprisingly relaxed. Everything is done except a few photos of my swimsuit and i feel as though i have put in my heart and soul into this assignment.
A few months ago I wrote a blog about how i was going to go through the rest of the semester focusing on my love for fashion and not just good grades. Its interesting that passion has proved to be a stronger motivator for me. I redid things because i wanted to have something beautiful and wanted to be satisfied that each illustration, each technical drawing and each stitch line was a reflection of who i am as a designer.
This has been the most enjoyable semester of studio i have had so far in my degree. I have been challenged, stressed but my passion for fashion has been fully revived. Now I just can't wait to see my garment walking down a runway!
I will continue to use this blog to document my fashion and life reflections and I hope you stay with my on my journey.
I've spent all day in the studios, have unpicked my swimsuit several times but now have something that is a few stiches and unpicks aways from being a swimsuit. I'm pretty stoked about the outcome,of course there are a few things that i should have done differently but meh thats life.
Here are some photos:
Also after speaking to Dean today i thought i'd play around with the opacity of the bird on my illustration so heres what i ended up with ... is this better?... yes .. no?
. ok so tonights plan, start business assignment. and maybe do techs of capsule...
the deadline is fast approaching.
love Phoebe
So yesterday, after advice from a very good friend, i downloaded trials of both photoshop and illustrator. I've found that my creativity comes usually when i'm by myself , and also if i don't have a time limit, so downloading these programs at home is potentially the best thing i have done for myself for this assignment!
Bad news is...
Studio work is due in 4 days.
this sounds a lot worse written down actually..
good news is ...
after sitting on my computer 'fiddling' for the last 5 hours i'm finally coming to the end of my illustration! I think. Acutually who would know? I've been lookg and 'playing' around with this thing for going on three weeks now and i'm about to go crazy
anyway here it is so far.. would love some feedback, it all kinda of looks like a blur at the moment to me
Ok so illustration almost done, capsule collection illustrations done, only A LOT more to do
you will be hearing from me every night this week so be prepared for a lot of venting.
Oh and hears a little music I've been listening to, dramatic yes, i feel it has set the mood and help inspire me for my illustration.
I've been trying to source different silks for my collection. These are the ones i've found and will use within my capsule collection:
I've incorporated some 'stocking' tops in my collection too, heres an image to give you an idea what it will look like:
Also, i've decided to incorporate a print within my collection, after sorting through heaps of Aboriginal artworks i decided that this print would be best for the collection. It will be printed on silk habatue and will be used for the linings of the garments as well as some of the pieces. Heres a fabulous website full of amazing aboriginal artworks, where I found the piece below. http://www.aboriginal-fineart.com.au/
The Print
Collaboration with Aboriginal Artist Jeannie Petyarre
I'm currently sitting in my room waiting for dinner, and a rush of satisfaction, relief and accomplishment has kinda just hit me.
I have had a fabulously productive day finally...
After weeks of staring at a blank illustrator window I've finally hit a breakthrough for my swimsuit illustration.
Would you belief it only came after I inserted an emu's head onto my pose?
OK i know I'm starting to sound delirious, but that sudden burst of creativity has actually saved my illustration!
Amazingly enough it is looking pretty cool! I promise i will post pictures soon.
For now you will have to be satisfied with my illustrations for my completed capsule collection, which I'm very happy with.
I'm yet to source the fabrics although i know exactly what I'm looking for!
Have you ever tried being spontaneous? Not so easy.
I've been trying for the past week with my fashion illustrations until it suddenly dawned on me this morning, that by trying to be spontaneous my work is looking more controlled and static than ever.
Luckily upon having this realisation and a couple of glasses of red, plus some inspiration from Molly Grad's 'spontaneous' fashion illustrations, my gosh i think i might be onto something! Her website is coming soon http://mollygrad.com/
I also found these illustrations, i think the colour schemes would work well with my Australiana concept
Oh and just for fun, heres one of Molly Grad's runway shows (coincedently shes the head designer from swimwear label GOTTEX). appropriate much?
Today has been one of those days. If you haven't realised by now, I'm very highly strung and easily stressed out. So add some problems with my potential exchange to Milan and not having any clue with what to do for my illustration as well as a long list of assignments i have due in the next week, i was not in a great mood. I feel as though i have so much to do and not enough time to do it. Although I've finished my tech drawing, i'm really stuck on my illustration. I think its because there are just so many things I could do with it. I think I'm just going to do another illustration, becuase the one i was playing with on illustrator looks so computerish kinda like a black and white logo, in other words not what i want.
So goal for this evening is to:
take a deep breath
do a tech drawing of one of my resolved capsule collection designs (will post a picture next post)
attempt a new line drawing illustration
finish my portfolio for my Milan Exchange Application.
watch an episode of blackbooks with a hot chocolate and draw
o, I've spent ages trying to think of how to present my fashion illustration for my swimwear and so far have not come up with me, so i'm back to researching presentation and CAD Ideas: here are some of my favourite images i've stumbled upon. I'm praying that one will inspire me.
A week ago now, we were able to fit our swimwear on a model.
To tell you the truth i was a bit disappointed because mine didn't fit the model as well as i wanted it too.
All i could see when she tried it on was all the mistakes. That probably wasn't such a bad thing as i was also thinking of ways to fix them. One of our design teachers, Jillian helped me fix my pattern so now i'm trying to seek the motivation to make this swimsuit one last time!
On the sample there were a few major things that i want to look at changing:
the straps need to go over and under the bust- rouching will be added to the pattern to create shape
the legs are a bit too highcut so i'm going to lower the leg about one cm
the sides need to be taken in a bit on the bust
it looks horrible around the crotch area
Overall it should be not too hard to fix, although at the moment I'm really struggling to get going and start the final swimsuit. I've done my pintucks but i'm actually really scared of ruining the fabric so i've been quite hesistant to sew. I've got to get over my fears and just get it done!
The final type of fabric we have to consider for our capsule collection is woven fabrics. I have a sudden obsession with pants at the moment and think that a pair of light pants would be very suitable for my target market as well as practical for going on holiday.
I've been inspired by the pin tucks used in my swimwear as well as pleats as think they fit well with my stretch wear and cover ups. My journal is a bit mismatched because I've been drawing the stretch wear, cover ups and woven garments styled together. This has helped to inspire me with my designs as well as giving me ideas for my styling.
Overall I have a clear direction with where I am heading with my capsule collection however i want to push it so that each garment is pushed as far as they can go. I'm going to do this by redrawing my favourite designs and editing them as well as taking fabrics and prints into consideration. At the moment I'm thinking the colour scheme will be in sun burnt colours mixed with olive greens but this could change as i keep going with my design development.
I've mentioned her before and now I'll mention her again, Sophia Kokosalaki creates wearable but unique pieces that have inspired me by how she incorporates her cultural Greek roots into her designs. Her design aesthetic is very similar to mine and I love the way she uses detail and fabric manipulation to create modern and intricate garments
As part of our capsule collection it is vital to take into account who our brand's major competitors may be. After putting much thought into this and comparing myself and my designs with countless designers I've decided that Sophia Kokosalaki's consumer is very similar to my target consumer.
Not only do our designs involve a lot of fabric manipulation and are made of delicate fabrics like chiffon, they also both suit a certain mindset of a woman wanting to look feminine and modern. Pattern is used sparingly however effectively and the shapes of the garments always are a little bit twisted and unique.
Even though I adore Sophia Kokosalaki I need to differentiate my product from hers to make it desirable to my target consumer. Firstly my designs are different because instead coming from the point of view of Greek culture my designs are inspired by Australian art culture, making it even more interesting due to the lack of knowledge from overseas. Furthermore i want to create less dresses than Sophia and focus a lot on coats and pants as well as tights. Lastly Kokosalaki uses a lot of delicate fabrics in her designs, i want to incorporate stretch wear as well as light silk chiffon's and add a bit more colour than her neutral colour palettes.
So after weeks of sampling and pin tucking and measuring my final sample is pretty much complete. There's still a few things I'm unsure of to do with the fit of the garment but i won't be able to sort those problems out until the swimsuit is on a proper size 10 model. Unfortunately I'm not of a supermodel stature so i couldn't measure it on myself and the mannequin used in the photos below is a size 6-8 not a size 10.
One of the major problems that occurred when making my swimsuit was that i stretched the fabric out of shaped when i unpicked some of the binding and over locking and this is noticeable on the leg holes and the under bust of the garment. I'll really have to try to be careful not to stretch the garment when I'm making the final swimsuit. Also the fabric got really thick in different areas which made the binding really messy. Hopefully because the wool isn't as thick as the cotton Lycra (what the sample is made of) it won't be as much of a problem, but if not i will have to move some of the seams around so they aren't overlapping.
As a continuing trend with stretchwear, our capsule collection needs to include other stretch garments.
When I've been sketching i've been using pin tuck details and piping, the same elements that were used in my swimwear collection to make it more cohesive. Below are some of my designs including tights and tight dresses. I also want to play around with the below aboriginal artwork and work it into a print to use on some of the fabric.
I can't tell you how many times i've heard these words throughout both my fashion and business degree, and with due cause. At the end of the day, someone needs to wear my clothes otherwise it's just not fashion. Therefore it is crucial to know who your target market is, what they like and what they'll buy.
For the sake of the capsule collection i've said that my target consumer could be from any age group however loves orginality and simplicity. She's sophisticated but always up for a good time. All my designs will therefore incorporate features that could be worn by numerous body shapes and different pieces will highlight and conceal different body parts. This will make my design process more focused, hopefully leading to more original workable designs.
I realised waking up this morning that i still haven't posted my final design.. or any of my designs for that matter. Below is my final swimsuit collection, based on the lines in aboriginal artwork. Out of these designs we only have to recreate one of these. I've decided to make the swimsuit in the top left hand corner. I chose it because i think reflects me as a designer the most. It is simple but sexy and the pintucks will look effective and unique.
I
I've started making the pattern and a sample to see how the pintucks will work and how i'll go about making the straps as well as the overall fit of the garment.
Observations from the sample tell me a few things:
Instead of using piping i'll use a stripping foot which will flatten the seam so there isn't too much bulk in the swimsuit.
the straps are really annoying me and i may have to eliminate the fourth shoulder strap from the design to make the swimsuit more practical
instead of using panels, i'm making the swimsuit in two pieces to again eliminate bulk
As part of the 6 black swimsuit designs, we also need to create a capsule collection based on the same concept.
I'm really excited about this capsule collection because i love my concept and really want the opportunity to push it to the furthest level.
Last week the class started designing cover-ups which could be anything really, like a dress, jacket, shawl. So firstly i looked back at certain design elements from my swimwear like the pintucks and the piping and tried using that on the following designs as well as flipping back to some aboriginal artworks in my journal that reflected circular shape which i've interpreted as large volume.
I was really inspired by the 'cover ups' in Emilio Pucci, Diane Von Furstenburg and Sophia Kokosalaki's Spring-Summer 2010 collections. i was particularly inspired by the sheer flowing fabric and the simple yet sophisticated shapes and Ive tried to incorporate this in my designs.
I know it has been a while since my last entry and to be honest i have probably been a bit slack overall with this blog. This being my first blog I have found it hard to express my thoughts let alone discuss my processes, so I want to start a fresh and try my hardest to be as honest and profound as i possibly can be.
Before as a sit in my room listening to Amy Winehouse, flipping through the latest RUSSH magazine i came across a sentence in the editor's letter that really struck a cord with me.
'Artists inspire empathy for the process, rather than finding glory in the end result'
Sometimes as a fashion student i worry too much about the end result without focusing on the beautiful, creative journey that fashion should take me on. Therefore for the remainding 5 or so weeks of semester i want to use my imagination and learn because of my love for fashion not just my desire to succeed.
love phoebe
I hate it when you do so much of something and it still seems never ending.
This is exactly how I'm feeling right now as i sit painstakingly cutting out my illustrations.
On a brighter note, I've come up with a name for my collection and I'm pretty sure on how I will be presenting it!
The collection will be called 'Liri-ma' which is used by aboriginals as the word for 'swim'.
All the designs are based on the intricate and fluid lines in Aboriginal artwork. I found these to be more inspiring than the symbols and dots that are so regularly incorporated in this art form.
After doing the technical drawings for my designs on monday I'm still putting together the illustrations and the final presentation album, as well as fixing my journal up so it makes sense to people other than me. I'm not sleeping tonight.
love Phoebe
Two days, countless drawings, and way too much caffeine later and I can finally come up for air.
I have finalised my collection and I love it!
It was so hard trying to decide which design features to discount and which were the most effective, hopefully I have succeeded.
The designs mainly feature piping and wadding to represent the simple, bold lines in Aboriginal artwork.
Along with my design breakthrough i also have a layout idea! (my journal breaking was a good thing it seems)
Stopping in quickly at a tourist store, i was lucky enough to uncover a hessian photo album which will perfect for displaying a bit of mood board, my illustrations and tech drawings. Before I start all that though I need to just come up for air and breathe.
I've spent my whole weekend cutting, pasting and drawing. Fashion is not glamorous. Unfortunately my journal is starting to break , hopefully this means i will hit a break through. Although I'm still unsure of my final designs i am pretty clear on my concept, so here it is: (excuse me if this feels a bit like deja vu)
Australian Aboriginal artwork is the longest traditional art form in the world. For a nation like a Australia who still doesn't possess a strong identity, its pretty amazing the esoteric culture that has been disregarded. Through the use of bold lines, abstract symbols and rich colours, Aborignal artwork is unique and immediately recognisable. Aboriginal's use art as a way of connecting the past to the present and it is deeply ingrained in their spirituality. The themes of Aboriginal artworks are usually homogenous, however no matter the subtleness of the details, every piece possesses a strong legacy.
After looking at countless pieces of aboriginal artwork in order to develop this concept I've been able to design a lot of swimwear. The hardest part now is deciding where i want to take the final collection and what the main design features are that i will use. At this point in time I'm leaning towards a lot of padding, rope detail and cups. However this changes everytime i open my journal. Sampling different parts of the designs has definitely helped me think about my designs and how they will work, so I'm continuing to try and create samples for things i'm unsure about.
I've spent the last week trying to further develop my concept and have looked at so many aboriginal artworks I've lost count.
The lines and shapes in artwork are so unique and have inspired me so much i can't stop thinking of new designs. I'm looking at using rope detail, cutouts, piping and padding. This project is so exciting at the moment!
I've also started doing fabric samples to get more of an idea of how my designs are actually going to eventuate. I'm still at a bit of a loss of how i should present my work as there are no guidelines, i'm thinking of maybe doing a big poster or even A4 cards. There are so many things going through my mind in relation to the project its crazy, whoever knew a little piece of lycra could be so complicated ?
After endless thoughts and brainstorming I've finally come up with something! (strangely enough it has nothing to do with what I've spent the last 3 weeks researching)
oh well if that's what it takes right?
After flipping through countless magazines I've seen the constant theme of Australian beach culture reoccur. I also looked at a book on Australian Style by Harper's Bazaar which got me thinking about what Australian identity really is.
Because Australia is a relatively young nation, we lack the history and culture that European countries and older nations possess and celebrate. But is this really true? Maybe our identity has simply been lost.
I want to focus on Australia's identity crisis and how we use superficial stereotypes to promote our nation's character instead of focusing on the deep history and culture that has been lost. Searching through a book on Australian Aboriginal artwork I found this quote that inspired me to go forward with this concept:
'Art is a means by which the present is connected with the past and human beings with the supernatural world. Art activates the powers of the ancestral beings. art expresses individual and group identity and the relationships between people and the land'
Wally Caruana in Aboriginal Art 1993
I think the concept fits in really well with the brief as well as with 2011 swimwear trends. I'm going to keep looking at Aboriginal artwork as the lines and detail are simple yet are so distinct from any other type of art.
Its going to be challenging but also effective (fingers crossed).
love Phoebe
Currently, my mind is going crazy because of the many ways i am trying to explore the brief!
I started by taking the brief name of Woolen Mermaids and looking at the mermaid tail and the effect of fish scales. Consequently I'm now conscious of every type of tile work in Brisbane that is reminiscent of scales and believe me its quite a lot. These observations made me think of mosaic tiles and the beauty of being able to put a puzzle together from a lot of disjointed pieces to make some thing whole again. Then my chaotic mind thought back to the whole idea of the ocean and what mysteries, such as the mermaid that lie beneath. Hence my exploration of sea urchins, coral and sea creatures began. i was particularly fascinated by the sea shell, it's textures and the amazing unique detail that even a tiny shell holds.
Excuse me if it feels like i'm going off on tangents but at this early point of my design development i'm trying to start looking at simple things that will hopefully end up leading me to my end concept.
My journal is quite incoherent as i try to search through trends recent collections to gain an understanding of what is being done, and predict what will happen for summer 2011.
I've just looked at my journal and seen a picture of a wave that has compelled me to design some hooded swimmers.
so until my next ramblings, keep your head above the water
This blog will attempt to give insight into my inspirations and afflictions endured and utlised to address the project brief of Woolen Mermaids.
I'm not going to lie, i'm pretty excited at the idea of being able to make my own swimwear. For one, i'm sick of having to fork out $200 everytime i throw out a chorine satuarated piece of lyrca. However i also feel there is a lack of creativity in commercial swimwear, which is really the only type of cossie a uni student can wear if they wish to go swimming.
Ok so heres the lowdown of the Woolen mermaids brief; its based on Christine Schmidt's PhD thesis 'Second Skin', which celebrates the Australian icon, Annette Kellerman. Our job as QUT fashion students is to reinvent her ideals about the swimsuit using a contemporary and minimalist aesthetic and 1 m of merino black wool lyrca.
I intend to make this blog a reflection of my whole design process, from inspiration to design selection to the making of the final swimsuit. Sometimes it will be a way for me to vent and hopefully celebrate my relationship with stretch and swimwear. So along with the many coffee breaks i will take this semester i will endeavour to collect my thoughts and hopefully release some of my stress through this blog.
This is a blog devoted to my existence as a QUT fashion student. It is an insight into my processes, thoughts and concepts as well as an occasional bitch about the inevitable drama and stress that comes as part of the fashion package deal.
