Brixton...

Just thought I'd put a bit about Brixton and the new project we've got. Its all about transition and the outcome is basically a fashion garment to be worn at our own fashion show at Brixton market!! I went to Brixton for the first time and although its not the fanciest of places, it will still be really exciting to have our work displayed there on models and there are some really lovely little shops and cafes in the market so hopefully it will attract a good crowd and be a good night- if they put all the fish away... (fingers crossed anyway!!)

Unexpected Knotting

Also I've been to a few workshops to help with the project and learn a few more skills- macrame and pom pom making. I had never even heard of macrame but someone said it was good for people interested in construction like weave and knit so I put my name down for it! As I had no idea what to expect I was really pleased when I turned up and saw all the examples the tutor had brought of lovely, what looked like hand woven pieces and structures hanging on loops and poles all made with lots of lovely yarns and different fibres. Macrame is actually knotting and is surprisingly easy even though in the diagrams on the help sheets it looks awful!! In the day I managed to make about 5 samples which I am really proud of and I think I will use the skill in some way the project as a final outcome because it gives a really interesting texture and it is possible to make little twists and holes, which resemble the lichen structures I am focusing on.

Pom pom making was also really fun and so relaxing, it reminded me of been 7 and sat on my grandmas sofa making them all night with my sister when we went to stop over! It was funny because we all spent hours making these big fluffy balls and then the tutor showed us an easy way to do it which takes about 10minutes!! Ah well, at least it bought back some good memories...

RIP McQueen

I have literally just been crying my eyes out after watching the Alexander McQueen Documentary on More4, it so so sad. He was such a genius and I had no idea how much pressure he was under constantly to produce not only his own line, but lines for Guicci and Versace, he was making 10 collections a year which is just so much hard work its no wonder he resorted to drugs to even stay awake at times. I couldn't believe some of the stuff the programme said about his collections though, and how people didn't like them because of the way they portrayed the female body and provoked too much of a reaction, but I thought isn't that what fashion is about? Making people rethink and look again at something, and really challenging what is right and wrong? His Highland rape collection was really criticised for been too 'out there' and been derogatory to women but the garments were so beautiful and amazingly crafted I found it hard to believe what the critics said- after all everyones entitled to their opinion I guess!! If you've not seen it I really recommend it, it shows a lot of his work and gives an insight into the industry which is normally behind closed doors.

Brixton

It was my first time exploring Brixton today and although I had quite negative expectations after hearing all the bad reports on the news, I really liked it. The whole place seemed so busy and vibrant and full of different people and cultures. The market stalls were so colourful and intersting with fruit I had never seen before and everyone was so friendly and chatty, telling me how to use the different foods, and what they actually were! Although I still have no idea what I'm doing for the project, I'm looking forward to going back to Brixton!

Reflective Statement- Unit 1

During the first few weeks of the course when we started doing the Rough Guide project I at fist wondered how on earth looking round London was ever going to help me learn practical skills and become a textile designer but looking back I think it was one of the most important projects I’ve done. It taught me that to achieve a really good and interesting final outcome, design idea or image, you really need to research properly. A couple of drawings isn’t enough and it took a whole week of collecting photos, drawings, rubbish and leaflets for me to really get a sense of place and understand the area and appreciate it.

I think I have also really learnt to look at all the information I have first then start to edit and analyze it, which really makes doing lots of research important! I have learnt to look at my photos differently and also take photos from different angles, levels, viewpoints and directions to capture the most visually interesting scene I can out of something which may look very ordinary.

I have worked really hard on my blog, trying to write down what we needed to as part of the tasks, but also include a few other posts, such as little reviews of the exhibits I have been to on my own and my thoughts on how the blocks were going, with images of my work, so others can judge and hopefully write comments about how they see the work. I think it is a helpful tool to show your thoughts and work to the public in a friendly and informal way, and it is nice to decorate and make your page a little bit interesting so people actually want to look at your work! I think I have done well in the tasks and wrote quite a lot for them all, but I think that at times I totally forget I’m doing a blog and slip into essay language, which isn’t good. I also wish I was better on computers so I could make my blog look really good as I’ve seen some with lovely backgrounds, pictures in different places, fancy text, links to other pages and websites, search boxes and even movie clips and I think that these added features really make the blog more interesting and easier to navigate. I would especially like to be able to use links and search boxes properly as it would make it much easier to see my different posts and find what you were looking for straight t away with the blog, as some posts don’t have the most obvious names. When I’m next doing my blog for a task I’ll keep an eye on the language I use to try and keep it chatty and informal and like something which I would enjoy reading so hopefully others can as well!

Robert Opie Collection

I think I can honestly say that this museum visit has probably been my favourite of any museum I have ever been to. It was full of old packaging, advertisements, toys, games, clothes, furniture, food, cosmetics and basically everyday products and appliances which we use everyday and which are all branded, but we don't even notice as the names and logos are so familiar.

It was funny to see all the packs of traditional brands like Cadbury Roses, Johnson's Talc, Marmite, Kellogg's Cornflakes and Heinz Baked beans dating from the very first packaging to the one we are used to today. It was also interesting to see how although materials used for the packaging had usually changed from glass and tins, to cardboard and plastic, the imagery, colours and brand logo all remained consistent, building up in our head a familiar and trustworthy brand which we have grown up with and will continue buying as we have become confident and brand loyal.

I have decided to focus on the Kellog’s brand as I feel it is something we all grow up with from been a baby and no matter what your diet you cant escape Kellogg’s food.

Kellogg's was founded as the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company on February 19, 1906, by Will Keith Kellogg and his brother John Harvey Kellogg at the Battle Creek Sanitarium. The invention of Kellogg's cornflakes which started the whole corporation was in fact an accident. The brothers were part of a Christian group, the seventh day Adventists, who were strict vegetarians, had no alcohol, tobacco, or caffeine and believed that spicy or sweet foods would increase passions so ate only tasteless foods such as oats, corn and rice.

On August 8th, 1894 the brothers accidentally left some wheat out while they went to work and when they got back they found that the wheat had gone stale, but as they didn't have a lot of money they decided to continue to prepare and eat it anyway by forcing it through rollers, hoping to obtain long sheets of dough. However, what they actually got were flakes, which they toasted and the first cornflake was made.

On April 14th, 1896 a patent was filed for the cornflakes and from then on the invention has been accredited to the bothers. In 1906 the brand tried to mass market cornflakes and added sugar to them to appeal to a wider audience and they also started experimenting with other grains and in 1928 Rice Crispies were invented. Since then Kellogg's have invented many many more products, such as Frosted Flakes, Nutri-grain, Special K, Coco pop's, All Bran and Fruit n' Fibre. The company saw decline in it figures in the early 80's so decided to advertise the "health benefits" and convenience of their cereals and this led to a 26% rise in cereal buying among 25-49 year olds in the US and their profits rose from $3.7 billion in 1983, to $5.4 billion in 1988.

Kellogg's as a brand has a very wide and varied consumer base, both men and women, young and old, they make a product to suit everyone. Most children are brought up eating different cereals like Frosties and rice crispies, and many of the character cereals Kellogg's sell through a partnership with Disney and the Simpsons creators. Not only are the cereals endorsed by favourite children's characters's, they are sweet and tasty and many often contain free toys and offers, making them irresistible to children. For adults as well they are seen as a cheap, convenient and healthy start to the day for their children. As we grow up we usually stick with the products we have always eaten and grown up around, however Kellogg's also markets some of its products towards adults, such as Fruit n' Fibre, Special K and All Bran as they are seen as nutritious and Special K especially is marketed as a weight loss product, which appeals a lot to women.

On their website Kellogg's have a whole section devoted to their values and commitment to the environment as try to portray a very positive view of the company. They say the company has a commitment to integrity and ethics, pride in the brand and its heritage, seeks to serve and delight consumers through the quality of the products and services, promotes and protects their reputation, is committed to continuous improvement and are willing to change.

Kellogg's have also been trying hard to reduce their environmental impact across the world and becoming more green. By sharing transport they have cut road miles by 270000 between 2006-09, reduced global waste by 41.5% per tonne since 2005 and have goals to further this, reduced emissions by 10% since 2005, reduced water use by 17% since 2005 and all their packaging is recyclable. All these measures have been put into place as part of long term goals and a plan for Kellogg's to become more green and preserve its friendly, family loved appearance and so far it seems to have worked!

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...

Just finished the print block today and I am so confused!! Margret really liked my work which made me feel so happy, she even told Kathy that she wanted me and Kim in print next year (!!) but I really don't know what to do...I do really like print and I know I can do it, but I've been doing it since year 5 and i'm almost bored with it and this makes me think I don't like it.

I also really liked weave but it seems so long since we did it, I almost cant remember it and I don't want to make a mistake choosing my pathway. Do I go for something new which I know I really enjoyed doing? Or print which I have so much practise in and know I can do well....

Change of Essay...?

After starting to research for my object analysis essay I think I will need to slightly change the subject for it as I cant really find much on Suzanne Lee and her work other than the information I already had from the trash fashion exhibit. I think I will start my essay with the same focus, why we need to be sustainable in fashion and the effects the consumer culture we live in is having on the world but then instead of just looking at Lee's bioculture work I will look at designers who use nature as either inspiration or material to create more environmentally friendly fashion. So far I have managed to find information on bio jewellery, creating jewellery using human bone, David Anderson who uses a material like plastic but made from corn and creates beautiful clothes with it and Donna Sgro who uses creatures such as butterflies and peacocks and the way they shimmer in the light as her inspiration to create fabric which doesn't require the use of water and polluting dyes. By investigating these designers I hope to see how we can return to nature to create garments instead of using man made and synthetic materials and also investigate other possible natural sources of fabric for garments. I will also use the essay to ask questions such as is it possible to create such large volumes of clothes that we buy today using natural sources or do we have to change our whole consumer culture?

Consumerism

Just thought I'd put a little about how interesting the lectures at the minute are and how relevant I think it is that we look at just how much we buy, and we we buy so much to help tackle the environmental issues which face the planet. It was really interesting to think yesterday about the extent to which we are manipulated and almost duped by the advertising industry and huge global corporations into buying what they want to, not the essential things we actually need. Products are only made if they will generate profit and we are always told to buy the newer, bigger and better version which means a constant cycle of consumerism. Through advertising we feel that by buying a certain product we can fit in with a certain stereotype or social class and create the identity we want for ourselves.

I think next time I buy something I will think a lot more carefully about why I am buying it, do I really need it or just desire it? Am I becoming the victim of the marketing industry by buying into a brand with a need to communicate a sense of identity? Or am I making a rational choice by looking at all the products on offer and choosing the one that best fits my needs? Chances are probably not...

Final Prints

Been at it again all day, doing the prints on photoshop, but its been worth it I think as I've got some nice designs out of it and can't wait to see them as finished scarves on silk! I'll be like a real designer!

Alexander McQueen

I just came across these print designs from the Alexander McQueen Spring 2010 collection and the bold and photographic nature of the design has really reminded me of my work and inspired me to play with mirroring and reflecting pattern to create more graphic designs.One thing I find it really hard to do when design pattern, especially in print is visualise them in use in actual clothing or interior fabric. I always just think its too bright or bold or graphic to be used as anything other than a sample but I think these pieces help because the prints are so different but combined with the angular shape of the dresses, the reptile colours, scale texture and graphic shapes really work well together

Photoshop nightmares!

I think it may be finally time to give up on photoshop for today...Started designing printed scarf ideas at 10 this morning and I reckon 12 hours at it is pretty good going. Lets see if I can do the same tomorrow!! These scarves better look good...

Bio culture essay...?

After seeing both the Trash fashion and Art, Fashion, Identity exhibits I am going to base my research around the work of the designer Suzanne Lee, who merges the fields of science and technology and fashion to combat the ever growing problems we have in todays society with over consumption and use of unsustainable resources. I will begin my research by looking at why there is a need for a more sustainable supply of clothing and materials and just how damaging our wasteful consumer society is to the environment. Then through analysis of Lee’s bio couture clothing, I will investigate the new and exciting ways designers are finding ways of creating fabric using as few natural resources as possible and without creating a devastating and irreversible effect on the planet. I think it will be interesting to find out how designers are now seeing the need for renewable textiles and see to what extent they are using new materials to create more environmentally friendly collections. I think it will also be interesting to look at how it is almost viewed as a social stigma and embarrassment to break the rules about buying new clothes for different and special occasions and being more environmentally friendly. Recycling textiles and reusing old fabrics, customizing, or up cycling old garments is a brilliant idea for the environment but it is interesting to question how socially acceptable the ideas are and how the stereotype images of recycles clothes actually differ from the real thing. The role of traditional craft also plays a part, as handmade, ethically produced garments using local materials has very little impact on the environment compared to massive factories, but once again there are social prejudges towards clothes which may be considered “crafty” and it will be interesting to see how sustainable craft can be more than brightly coloured felt and more high end fashion.

Obsession with clothes...

Although I have already written about going to this exhibit before Christmas, I went again last Friday and after a lecture on consumerism I saw the exhibit in a totally different light. Before I had been more interested with what each piece was and how it looked, the usual things we see in fashion and art, however this time I saw a link between each garment and the artist’s attitudes to over production and consumption in the fashion industry.

There were some pieces which were made to show how we use clothes to give ourselves an identity and we feel the need to consume more and more to secure this image of ourselves. There was a video by Cindy Sherman (Clothes, 1975) which showed her dressing up as a paper doll, however when a hand came and look the clothes away she was left naked and her true self exposed, without the clothes to give her a position and identity. And a similar video by Yoko Ono (Cut piece) in which people were invited to cut sections of her clothes off and once again leave her true naked identity exposed. Gillian Wearing used film to show a group of police men and women positioned for a photo. At the start the officers all looked the same, straight faced and authoritative however over time they began to move slightly and fidget, showing a glimmer of personality and almost loosing the power the uniform gave them.

There were also pieces with messages about our over consumption of fashion, such as a set of photos by La Maison Martin Margiela (9/4/1615, 1997) which showed garments which were once pristine white, treated with bacteria to erode the fabric to represent the relentless cycle of the “fashion calendar”.

A set of felt garments by Andrea Zittel (A-Z fibre uniforms, 2003-6) also showed how we are now obsessed with constantly having new clothes for every event and season. She had made a set of “uniforms” to be worn for different tasks, on different occasions and in different seasons, however unlike todays cheap garment production using unsustainable resources, she had used the traditional technique of felting to give the garments a timeless feel. I think this is her way of criticizing the fashion industry and even though the outfits are only meant to be worn for a short section of time they are traditionally made with little environmental impact, unlike many of the mass-produced clothes we buy today.

Dai Kees’ “Triptych in a butchers window” depicted 3 animal carcasses made from vogue pattern pieces in leather and showed great levels of skill and craftsmanship, again unlike the clothing we buy today. Using the vogue patterns and the magazine cover inside each carcass also showed how influenced we are today by branding and how mass marketing really effects what we wear and who we try and portray ourselves to be.

One photo I found quite powerful was by Andreas Gursky (Kuwait Stock Exchange), which depicted hundreds of Muslim bankers, all dressed exactly the same in traditional white Arab dress. I found it interesting because of the difference in cultures and the clothing worn where I live and in the photo. I had no idea what the clothing was meant to represent and if the rigid dress code was about power, wealth, religion or culture and it made me question whether western society uses clothing to represent these things and what happens without clothing, do we loose our status and identity, or betray our religion? The photo was very visually interesting because of how alike all the men looked and how although they are all individuals, together they looked almost like an army, all in uniform and indistinguishable. I felt this scenario could be applied to many groups in western society today, the “chavs” and “moshers” who all try to dress in the same way and although distinguish themselves from other sections of society, also loose their own personal identity as they try to follow a set pattern of dress to fit in.

A Stitch in time...

After 2 weeks of stitch I'm quite disappointed to say I don't think I'll be choosing it as a specialism and I thought I'd love it!! I don't think it helps that i'm not in love with my drawings, or that it is practically impossible to get nice (non PVC or bright polyester) orange fabric but I think I was expecting the block to be literally sewing, when really it is more about interpreting your drawings and being very experimental. Next we are doing print and I'll be quite happy to get some tuition in photoshop, as although I can use it, I'm not brilliant! I'll have to wear old clothes though as I have a tendency to get paint all over...

Pretty Prints...

I've just found a brilliant little museum really near my house, the fashion and textiles museum and there was a lovely little exhibit there called "Horrockses Fashions- off the peg style in the 40's and 50's". The company Horrockses Fashions Limited were one of the most famous and well-respected ready-to-wear labels of the 40s and 50s and were weel known for their full-skirted dresses. They were one of the first companies to start mass manufaturing garments for shops, however unlike today they had strict brand ethics and only used good quality fabrics, custom-designed patterns and followed the fashion's worn in Paris at the time, making the brand quite exclusive. For anyone interested in print this exhibit is a must see, every dress on display has a beutiful and colourful different design and there are books and design sheets of thousands of prints the company had used. The same prints weren't used twice so every item is special and even though the dress designs are the typical retro 40's style they are all individual. I really liked the dresses which were made for the summer, with the colourful floral designs and pretty butterflies and motifs, even objects like ice creams and sunshines looked sophisticated in the designs! It was easy to see why even Queen Elizabeth owned dresses by the company and I wish that dresses in that fashion were still popular as I'd love to wear one!!

Art/Fashion/Identity

On the day this exhibit "Aware: Art Fashion Identity" opened at the Royal Acadamy I was shopping in the area and decided to pop in and see it, and I left feeling very glad I did.

The exhibition showcased work from artists and designers including La Maison Martin Margiela, Alexander McQueen (garment), Yoko Ono (Photography), Grayson Perry(Ceramic), Cindy Sherman(Photography), Yohji Yamamoto

(garment)

,

Yinka Shonibare (garment) and Hussein Chalayan (garment). The exhibit was split into 4 rooms

story-telling, building, belonging and performing through clothes and

showed work which really made you think and questioned the clothing and how it made you feel or how it affected the work around it. I really liked a piece by

Susie MacMurray called "Widow" which was a full floor length ball gown made from dressmaker’s pins. It was a piece with connections to greif and Murray wanting to protect herself and her feminity through something beautiful but manacing Although it looked amazing and sparkled in the light it was intersting to get up close and realise how the piece was made and how looks can be deceptive.

Japanese Fashion

I have also been to the Barbican Art Gallery to see the "Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion" which focused on the work of designers such as Issey Miyake, Rei Kawakubo, Junya Watanabe and Yohji Yamamoto. The exhibit had areas dedicated to each of these designers with key garments to showcase how they had broken the boundaries and made fashion more than just functional clothing, and more a piece of beautiful art. left me in awe of how inventive and clever japanese fashion designers are. I really enjoyed looking at the shape of the clothing, wether the garment was making a statement through volume and proportion, or wether it was geometric and angular. I also noticed the colour palette of many of the designers was monochrome and the only decoration was the fabric itself, through rips, holes, pleats and tears. The garments were simple but amazing, and unlike clothes I had ever seen. The Japanese really have some amazing ideas about fashion been more than clothing and this exhibit is more like an art gallery than a fashion exhibit.

Exhibitions etc...

Thought I'd just write a little about what I've been up to over Christmas and some of the exciting exhibits I've been to with a couple of weeks to kill in London! (Dont worry I got a lot of shopping in as well...)

I've been to a few exhibits, first Rob Ryan’s exhibit "The Stars Shine All Day Too" at the Air Gallery, Dover Street. He is an artist I have followed for years who works only with paper to create amazing cut out scenes in minute detail. His work is very delicate and usually has a very floral, delicate and feminine feel. He uses scalloped edges and lots of flowers and little pretty motifs to decorate the image and as the images he depicts are usually from his imagination the scenes look like something from a fairy tale and look almost a little bit magic. This exhibit in particular had a magical feel as all the pieces had stars within them, whether they be above a little fairytale village, or as a seat for lovers to sit on in the sky. I loved the exhibit and left feeling amazed at how good Ryan's eyesight and how sturdy his hand must be to cut out paper in such an intricate way. It also showed me just what can be done with simple materials and that paper is more than just for writing and printing!