concepts _ concept board

i'm not even sure what a concept board is even supposed to look like now... but this is it so far. nothing much else to say about it. although, i think i might make it less flushed. but how to do that? who knows .

not too bothered by it at this stage. here it is :)

<3

research _ color theory

this isn't going to be a huge post about color theory, but i randomly stumbled upon a blog that talked about it and found it interesting where the first few words of the paragraph are in red ans as you scroll the other body text goes green. not sure if my eyes were playing tricks on me but here, check out this link here : color theory .

the main reason i post about color theory is its incredibly large impact on me and the way people see and interpret things based on the color, its hue and saturation. i love color, always have and needless to say, always will. this love of color was pushed further by a friend of mine who, well... love color more than i do :] anyway, i just wanted to share that my collection is mostly blues, but needed a pop of color, and what better use for this excitement than ORANGE !!!

orange and blue are complementary color which means that they 'complement' each other... obviously. so i looked around and found this crazy program on the internet that finds complementary colors for you, and other color combinations etc. but i certainly don't need it although it was interesting to see. i have seen a much better one, but can't remember what it is .

below is a screenshot of the site (websitetips.com) ____

<3

experimentation _ kntting

knitting and knitted fabrics are very popular, almost important, in a winter wardrobe as it is stylish and provides great warmth in the cooler seasons. certainly in the industry there will be machines that deal with the knitting for you but in this case, i'm not in the industry, i don't have a knitting machine so its all fun times, learning the techniques of knitting and seeing how it would work and if the designs that i want will be appropriate for this. HAHA .

so, i went out today and bought a pair of knitting needles, some yarn to practice with and youtube to get me all started .

lets just say, it was fun doing everything apart from when i knitted way too many stitches to begin with and ended up with a huge long piece... that was not ideal for a beginner like me. i should have just stuck to 20 stitches. but all good, i know for next time .

this is what i did ____

<3

research _ pocket + hoods

i wanted to look into pockets and hoods as from what i know and what people have told me, they are all so important in creating a look that is street worthy. so i looked into a wise source known as google to find out the definitions of these wonderful things, here are the results .

pocket

1. A small bag sewn into or on clothing so as to form part of it, used for carrying small articles

hood

1. A covering for the head and neck with an opening for the face, typically forming part of a coat or sweatshirt

of course, not every garment will have a pocket or a hood, as awesome as that may sound but i think it would be nice to think about them and make them fit in there somewhere .

<3

concepts _ drawings

finally some concepts for outfits. these are actually quite bland some decent pieces, but mostly not really appropriate or not exactly "street". but just needing to get ideas out of my head so these are the first four for now .

sadly, i think the accessories are doing way better than the actual garment designs... hopefully my brain will wake up and my creativity will fly a bit better. . . 

<3

concepts _ model finalised

finished tidying up the models, and they are ready for the runway . . . almost . . . i actually prefer the previous ones, but that could be the artist in me coming out. these will be easier to work with and i can't wait start getting all creative .

<3

concepts _ written synopsis _ draft

the ideal world would be a world with no war, no poverty and no discrimination. but it seems clear that the world we live in is not perfect. in addition to the issues mentioned earlier a problem we are facing at this stage is global warming. the warming of the earth due to greenhouse gases threatening and causing species to become extinct has been in existence for many years now and will continue to do so for the years ahead. the ice caps are melting and causing islands to flood over and extreme weather conditions are more frequent than ever .

but what can we do ? how can we stop it ? there must be a way, right ? wrong, there is no way to "stop it" from happening as such, now that it has begun. we can however, only slow down the increased damage caused but we have to focus all our time and effort into it. it is either that or the much preferred, "think about what is happening, try your best and chill out. relax. don't kill yourself over it. have some fun" .

the main concept of my collection is treating global warming like you would a good friend. there is no point getting frustrated, angry and stressed out about it, you need to chill and have some fun. although the consequences are extreme, things will be just fine .

the focal point is looking at the melting of the ice caps and pushing that idea into fashion and garment. there are many shapes incorporated into the designs including triangles, quadrilaterals and circles. the triangles and quadrilateral forms depict the solid make-up of ice while combining the circles will show a softer more delicate touch to the garments to represent the slow melting of the ice. another aspect is the color palette which acts as the "tip of the iceberg". it is used as a surprise element that ties everything together and gives the entire collection a bit of fun .

enjoy .




<3

research _ jacket deconstruction ?

thought it was time to take a break from drawing people and to take a closer look at a tailored jacket. i got this one from dotti, and i love it. its a tan corduroy fabric and fits wonderfully. anyway, i looked at the details and "deconstructed"it to find the basic pieces that are used to create it.

<3

concepts _ model drawings

i needed a template to base my conceptual designs on and i hate taking other people's template and working off those. plus i wanted them to look like they have attitude which would make the seeking of potential stances more time consuming so i decided to draw them myself. i am very much a 'pretty-much-do-everything-myself' kind of designer unless completely necessary .

here is what i cam up with after viewing photo shoots and fashion illustrations. indeed they are very rough at this stage, but i will tidy up and hopefully i will have garments on these babies which will be awesome .

another thing i might work on right now, maybe after tidying up the lines, will be to create back view of my templates. exciting !

PLEASE if you want to copy or take or use my work, can you reference this or acknowledge that this is my work, thanks .

<3

research _ socks, stockings / tights, leg warmers

I LOVE SOCKS, STOCKINGS / TIGHTS & LEG WARMERS !!! i am obsessed with them right now, and i am going to make them work in my collection. it may be a bit hard but i am committed to this one. i may look into gloves at some stage but the leg area is my preference at this stage in the process .
below are some images of socks and stockings and leg warmers that appeal to me and ones that seem appropriate. there is just a variation of each and they come from many sources which i must list at the bottom .


socks ____

stockings / tights ____

leg warmers ____

thanks to _
american apparel
applecandyred.tumblr.com
kissesandcrossstitches.blogspot.com
houseofholland
topshop
www.abracadabrasuperstore.com
www.art.com
www.ample-knitters.com
www.kaboodle.com
www.lovelyish.com
www.okokchina.com
www.shefinds.com
www.sockdreams.com
www.we-are-the-crowd.com
www.wksswebshop.co.uk




<3

research _ jackets and tailoring

jackets and tailoring will be an aspect that i want to look at and in corporate into this collection. i looked at high end, middle market and mass market styles that are currently available just to see what there is and how they differ with each other .

karen walker ____

1. patch blazer bouquet

2. classic trench rainproof coating

3. classic trench heavy wool flannel

4. blouson jacket bouquet

5. classic blazer birdseye suiting

6. mojo jacket coat

witchery ____

1. stretch twill tuxedo jacket

2. the peplum vest

3. structured linin blazer

dotti ____

1. the blues hilo jacket

2. the rome blazer

3. the rock n roll white blazer

4. bib front drapey jacket

5. rouched shrunken tux

there are so many different designs that are available !! there is more variation in the mass market with a variety of colors and style whereas the middle market doesn't really stock that many and the high end, it appears there are more .
i think even though they are all slightly different, the similarities are there which distinguishes a blazer from a coat. the sleeve lengths are all long sleeve except for a few which a 3/4 length which is interesting. no short sleeve ones, i guess it makes sense though, why would you want a short sleeved blazer? it's not warm and looks more like a shirt .
but this might be an idea for a design as it doesn't seem like anyone has done it. however after seeing and observing the many styles, i really want to go for either a blazer or a tux style jacket compared to a coat. a coat may be warmer but for me i think i want to focus on the other two .
i might even look into vests. vest are cute, stylish and can be worn with everything ! i especially like the peplum vest by witchery. i have to say it is such a great idea .




<3

research _ translation of concept

examine portfolio work from assignment 1 _ concept / mood board, line- up, synopsis and any other relevant material ____

in 1-2 sentences write down a summary of what your concept was for assignment 1? ____

my topic was global warming with its effects on ice caps and the earth we live on. i wanted to take a lighter approach to the matter because although it is a serious matter we have on our hands, there isn’t much we can do now that it is on its way due to the lack of care we have given our home.


be honest with yourself- and critically evaluate the following _ this is your opportunity to say it clearer or more effectively !! ____

[ 1 ] was your message clear in your concept board and your design work?
[ 2 ] what were you trying to say/express/represent? remind yourself?
[ 3] can you say it better?

[ 1 ] i’m not actually entirely sure. i think i did pretty good in the design work but maybe my concept board wasn’t strong enough. i have to admit, the one i handed in was a disaster . . .
[ 2 ] i wanted to give the sense of melting through my work. icy and fresh.
[ 3 ]of course, there are always better ways to do things or say things. it is a matter of how and if you are thinking on the one way or the other. for me, there could have definitely been more to show if i had more time. i say this because with design, there is always more !


fill in the answers to this checklist ____
[ 1 ] what was important in the last collection?
[ 2 ] what aspect do you want to expand on?
[ 3 ] is your design signature emerging?
[ 4 ] what worked?
[ 5 ]what can you edit out?

[ 1 ] the color palette, the use of quadrilaterals and the contrast of the fabrics [ heavy vs light ]
[ 2 ] i really want to play more with mashing un-traditionally mashed up fabric types. oh and also the cut out effects on the garments
[ 3 ] on a visual aspect in terms of illustrations, yes. however, in terms of the garment designing aspect, i am unsure at this point
[ 4 ] the technique of sewing the quads together to form a specific feature of the garments.
[ 5 ] probably the intricate beading that was used and also possibly floor length gowns with a train. . . not exactly sweet wear if you know what i mean .




<3

research _ evaluation of concept

after conducting your market research, you should have ____

[ 1 ]
a clearer idea of the market you are designing for, i.e. middle market ____
 -  would it help to put together a board to show this customer ?
 - think about how you can communicate to this market ?
 - do you need to adjust your concept board and design aesthetic accordingly ?

middle market street wear is what i have decided to go for as it is a huge leap away from ball gowns / evening wear. i want to challenge myself this time round and try something new .
i think i may have to adjust the concept board as i want to really lighten it up. i really want to add a bit more excitement into my next collection .


[ 2 ]
a better idea of how to modify / refine your concept _ what types of garments do you need to consider adding to your range ____

well... seeing as i did all gowns to floor length in project 1, i really need to tone the evening down and really amp up the attitude. it is going to be quite the adventure... hopefully .


[ 3 ]
are there shifts in styles that you identified _ put together images to describe this _ while doing market research that might influence your designs ____
remember you are designing for autumn/winter 2012, so you need to look at the forefront of trend directions ____

there was a little bit of a shift in the styles, mostly in the types of tops that are available at the moment. for example, a huge trend right now is sheer fabric, silks and very lightweight polyesters depending on the market being looked at.
another trend that i had noticed was the use of curved hems in tees and in general, hem styles are more exciting then the typical straight hem .
other than that, i noticed that there is still quite a lot of loose, shapeless knits at 3/4 sleeve length. i will take that into consideration and maybe see what i can come up with.




<3

experimentation _ fabric samples

fabric samples are such an important aspect of this project that i had to get my hands on some fabric to see what was out there and figure out if it will work for me. i went to spotlight for the first time since moving here... and it's... just spotlight. nothing too special. however i found a few fabrics that i think i could use. three are from project one but the rest are new and more winter collection material, maybe ?

the three from the previous project are there as i may want to bring to over to this one to keep consistency, and i feel like they can work this time round also. the only problem with them is that i didn't think about taking down the details so they are unknown at this stage. i might head back to the shop and check if it's still there, but i am unsure. will update if i find out .

anyway, i have numbered them, placed a more detailed swatch underneath and i will provide a list of the fabric details beneath the image . 

[ number ]
name | fibre composition | fabric width | color | comments | rrp p/m

[ 1 ]
unknown | 100% cotton | unknown | navy blue | tiny square piles woven into fabric, gives a nice texture | unknown

[ 2 ]
chiffon | 100% silk | unknown | icy blue | beautiful soft draping, sheer | $24

[ 3 ]
artic suedette | 100% polyester | 148cm | oatmeal | feels like real suede | $26.99

[ 4 ]
panne velvet | 100% polyester | 148cm | crushed ice | has a crushed effect, very lustrous | $14.99

[ 5 ]
5.5oz denim | 100% cotton | 148cm | "indigo" | its more like a lighter denim shade | $12.99

[ 6 ]
crepe de chine | 100% polyester | 147cm | ink striped (printed) | soft to the touch, horizontal stripes | $15.99

[ 7 ]
georgette | 100% polyester | unknown | bright blue (cool blue) | light - medium weight, quite lustrous | unknown

i chose these shades and colors as to continue on with my previous collection. it's very blue but quite lighthearted. however, i want to add something else to really make it pop. i was thinking maybe either a subtle orange hue or even really amp it up with a bright orange but this will come after i begin designing the garments.

why choose orange you may ask? well i am a true lover of color and knowing the combination of blue and orange being complimentary colors, it is a dream marriage. and plus, not many people really do this so hopefully i can pull it off.




<3

research _ market _ finalizing

it has come down to choosing and finalizing which area to focus on for my project and as these two are pretty much completely different i'll have to choose one .


evening wear ____

it has potential because despite having to design and work for a middle market there are still many ways around difficult applications, such as beading which may have been impossible in the earlier years where everything was to be made by hand and only skilled seamstresses were good enough to do it. it seems technology and machines have enhanced the world and can allow for these things.

i think this is a plus however, i focused on long gowns in project one, which was fun to do, but i feel like i want to try something new and to push myself a little further .


street wear ____

this is where maybe, focusing on street wear could be exciting. it has a bit of edge, a bit of fun and quirk, which is what i am all about. it's something that i have never looked at before. and i have to say after going through the work of federation and huffer, it just looks like 'the beginning of something new' as cheeseball as that sounds .

...

i guess it has been decided .
street wear, here i come !




<3

research _ evening wear

i thought about doing eveningwear as a continuation of project one, and so decided to explore what is available in the middle market in terms of gowns and evening dresses. there are two main places that i looked at which are staxs and max . 

staxs ____

the cocktail dresses which can be seen in the first row, are quite cute and can definitely be seen as garments that can be worn out to a party or a social gathering . 

the ones directly above are much longer, floor length, which lets us know that is more formal and mostly can be worn to more corporate events such as a work function or maybe a school ball etc.

max ____

the dresses found at max are more so cocktail dresses because of the length however, they have properties that allow them to be worn to more corporate events due to the style, cut etc. these seem younger without being bridesmaid-like .

the dresses above are actually just one dress that can be styled to look like four different dresses by the versatility of the wraps. you can go from day-time work dress to night-time party dress in a few steps. i think this was quite a good idea as to decrease the 'fast fashion' industry to care for the earth .

<3 

research _ feminine _ extra

after looking at the the streetwear brands i brainstormed and took a look outside the sweetwear to something just a bit more feminine...verging onto the high end fashion just to get some inspiration. my sources are aduki, all about eve, lonely hearts and twenty-seven names .

aduki ____

winter 2010 (below)

all about eve ____

lonely hearts ____

twenty-seven names ____

winter 2010 (below)

<3

research _ street wear

looking into street wear as one path to the future, i went out and took a look at what new zealand has to offer in terms of this particular style of clothing. i found three that were of interest including lower, huffer and my personal favorite federation .

i looked briefly at the splash page of the websites and then focused my attention on the current collections that they had. below are my findings .

lower ____

seems to be very casual with lots of printed tees and singlets and the overall look is a little rugged. it's not really my kind of style as i would like it to be a bit more feminine even, but it doesn't hurt to explore ad see what is out there .

huffer ____

compared to lower, i believe huffer has more of what i am as a designer as it is more feminine, however there are some very simple pieces that may be very easy to wear but i am not too intrigued by. i like fine details but there was a lot to learn from what the huffer brand had to offer. there are some pieces that i quite like also .


federation ____

a glimpse at what federation have to offer this spring/summer. a beautiful funky collection _ feminine but with a bit of attitude. there is another page of garments but i thought two would be enough to show . below are some closer shots of the outfits and a more detailed look at what i had to say about them .

federation has always been a favorite of mine and this season they have bought out something that i have been thinking about for a while, including the intense contrasting of fabrics and the a-symmetric/uneven hem lines. they have pieces here that look very street style but still wearable for anyone which is something that i admire about them. overall i think that my biggest inspiration would come from federation but after looking at both huffer and lower, i can say there are lots to learn .




<3

project 1 _ finals

the final pieces of the first assignment are as follows. i really did not want to show my synopsis 'cause it is terrible but oh well. i sounds like such a dork . . .  anyway, as i was saying, you may click on an image to view a larger version however, the quality of these image are not fantastic as i just took photos of the originals rather than use a scanner but they will do as they are . i guess i am one of those people who don't really like showing people my work . . .

synopsis ____

mood / concept board ____

fabric / color board [ not very clear details ] ____

final six outfit line up ____

illustrations ____

<3