Working with the third years ....

Well I have basically been a PA for the day and I really really enjoyed it! We started the day with PPD1 just going over the brief, then we were given pictures of the third years that we had been paired with. I unfolded my piece of paper with anticipation and found was paired with Zena. Then our third years had to find us using the photographs they were given of us.

The first job I was given was probably the most difficult of the day. I was given a spring and told to get 20 of them in gold but a bit smaller than the one she had given me. I was then given four fabric samples and told to get ribbon as well. Then I needed to get a certain type of bead in these colours also.
So I set off on my mission to Samuel tailors found the ribbon no problem but then realised she hadn't told me how much to buy and I hadn't asked ! It made me realise that I had to focus on the job in hand and make sure I ask the right questions in future or I’m going to get no where!

After this I set off in search of the beads, I was told by a friend that yum yum beads was good so I went there - I do no think I have ever seen so many beads in a room! There were so many shaped and coloured beads to choose from that I decided to buy a few and ask Zena which ones she wanted. Next was the spring search - I looked everywhere and after searching almost every place I could think of I decided that springs do not exist in Leeds and ventured back to college. With the spring problem Zena told me to buy some wire instead and we could twist it so I was glad the extended spring search was over.




My first thought was how specific she was with what she wanted and noticed that for a final collection you really need to know exactly what you want your garments to be made of, colours, samples, embellishment etc. Every detail needs to be accounted for. After half an hour for lunch we followed up the photographer and Zena showed me one of the dresses she had made- it was amazing she is really good at pattern cutting and as I explained it was a weak point she gave me some pointers.

For the afternoon we were both on Photoshop working on business cards and postcards scanning in images form her sketch book and trying to create designs that reflected her final major project which was based around the curve. I also realised that every aspect of the line-up had to reflect the concept she was trying to put across- everything linked in – the business cards, postcards, swing tickets and even ribbons to hold on the hanger and the linings reflected the style and colour scheme of the whole collection and market. There is sooooo much to consider!

We only have to stay until 4 but I found myself willingly staying until quarter to 6 - because though it was hard work I was really enjoying myself and most of all learning far more than I imagined I would.
I asked her loads of questions about the second and third year and it really hit home how much more I needed to push myself because third year is SERIOUS STRESS!!
She said to enjoy the first year because there is so much to do in second and third!
I’m really looking forward to next week and I need to get the beads she chose and some wire by then.

On another note I’m going to London tomorrow to see Hussein Chalayan’s exhibition in the design museum should be good. Oh and also sorting tickets for graduate fashion week!!

presentation skills .....

Just updating from a few weeks ago when we had a PPD1 session we looked at how to do a successful presentation. We were put into random groups and had to do presentations on randomly allocated things .We looked at ways to make a presentation more interesting. I have to admit I find presentations fairly difficult, and usually end up reading off the page. But this time I actually took the advice and used simple prompts so the majority of what’s said has to be naturally said not that plodding boring scroll of sentences that no one is actually listening to, because its read off the piece of paper in front of you!!
We received feedback from these practice presentations in out pigeon holes and found that...
The negatives of the presentation were the conclusion and introduction as we didn’t outline the topics that would be covered and round up the presentation for the audience.
The positives were that the content was clear and thorough and explained the topic given to us (fashion designer) well.

New project !!

I’m really getting on with the metamorphosis project now in fact I’m really enjoying it. We had a pretty hard day yesterday when we were set a task to complete by 3 I chose b so I had to produce 5 idea sheets and a final line-up of 6 outfits. At first I felt I was rushing my work but then I realised that it meant I could churn out work faster, rather than making sure it was perfect and spending too much time on it.
We are tying in everything we have learnt across the year. Oh and we are meeting the third years 2moro - I hope they are nice!!
Here are some of my research pages and design development.

My chosen photoshoped image and sentences to explain ...



My image represents the concept of “celebrity” and that being a celebrity is not what it seems. Its definition is to be ‘widely recognisable’, we see the faces of terrorists and murders in the media so often that surely they are also defined as ‘famous’.
A celebrity’s life seems perfect but there is a darker side that is not always acknowledged, the dress has images of violence, depression, power, greed, loneliness, alcoholism and drug abuse to highlight this.

Here are some of the photos from the shoot before the easter holidays :

I'm back in leeds ....

I’m back in Leeds after my Easter holiday! It was sooooo nice to be home for three weeks and it was really sunny as well. I was quite surprised that I managed to fit in everything I wanted to do as well as most of my work.
Today I’ve just been tying together loose ends for my fashion art and culture hand in on Monday. Here are some of my sketch book pages: