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




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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 .




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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 .




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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.




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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.




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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 !




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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 .

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