Exhibitions

DIOR ILLUSTRATED:
Since being on the fashion course at AUCB I have realised just how important illustration is in the fashion world. When I heard about this exhibition I decided it would be helpful to my studies if I looked at how Dior's illustrations are created and what the reasoning was behind them. I felt it would he helpful for our Professional Project, particularly looking at the New Look created by Dior.

'Rene Gruau created some of the most instantly recognisable and enduring fashion and beauty images of the 20th century. His iconic illustrations defined an era, capturing a new mood of post-war modernity and optimism. His bold lines and fluid style, simple flat planes of colour and daring use of negative space set a new graphic style and influenced a generation of illustrators.' - Somerset House exhibition booklet.

In 1960 there was a rise in fashion photography which changed the appearance of illustrations within the fashion industry. Dior chose to continue along the lines of illustrations and took an eye catching approach with daring compositions, making a break from classic illustration.
Some ways in which Gruau went against tradition caused a shocked reaction from magazine readers. The Eau Savage advertisements show a man wearing very little, hanging his legs over a chair or being seen through the gap of a bathroom door. Back in 1966, this was too cheeky for the public eye.

'Gruau saw the New Look as a Revolution which had a liberating effect on fashion illustration. Accessories now played a key role in women's fashion, providing Gruau with the props to explore new gestures and attitudes' - Somerset House

At the end of the exhibition there was a group of artworks which were inspired by Gruau's work. These were my favorites:
1: Mademoiselle 'shush', by Erin Petson.
'The woman is shushing but is she listening into a conversation or does she have a secret to tell? I wanted to keep it ambiguous'. What I love most about this painting is how completely free the brush strokes are against the tidy details within the face. The contrast is beautiful.
2. Leaning Woman, by Jasper Goodall.
The laser-cut 3D acrylic design really grabbed my attention because of how modern the artwork is. I instantly understood the link between Goodall's and Gruau's work.

MATTHEW WILLIAMSON:

'When I step into one of Matthew's dresses I feel like I am stepping into his world, which is colourful, ethereal and dreamlike.' - Sienna Miller

A display of Williamson's work in images, to coincide with the release of his book. It was set to celebrate Williamson's colour-drenched creations embellished with exquisite embroidery and beading.
Photographs of his textile designs, celebrity fashion shoots, and mood boards, sketches and scrapbooks revealed his influences and inspirations.
The exhibition was really small but showed a lot of his lifestyle and thought process, I found it really interesting to see.

Old vs New

Have decided the theme of my Professional Project: Old vs New.
I inherited a bunch of vintage patterns and fabrics which I would like to incorporate into my collection. My idea is to recreate the patterns into my own designs and use some of the fabrics in certain garments.
Most of the patterns are wrongly sized (for example size 14: 32 bust) and therefore I will probably edit the sizes on Lectra. I also have some very small amounts of fabric so I might look into panels and patchwork.

Exhibitions

Diaghilev and the golden age of the Ballets Russes, at the Victoria and Albert museum:

'Diaghilev's greatest achievment was his dance company - the Ballets Russes. Created a century ago, the productions of theBallets Russes revolutionised early 20th-century arts and continue to influence cultural activity today.' - V&A exhibition leaflet.

I wasn't expecting this exhibition to be quite so interesting. I found there to be much more fashion than it would seem in the world of ballet. Not only was there standard tutu-esque costumes, but there were a lot of costumes for theatre which had a heavy native influence on them. I also realised there were were a lot of illustrations showcased, not only of shows but also of the garment designs. Pablo Picasso was one of the better-known artists who I saw simple, yet beautiful designs from. Here are a few of the outfits which I think are amazing, designed by Giorgio de Chirico who is highly influenced by architecture. You can see how Chirico put emphasis on the strong connection between fashion and architecture (http://glamourandglitter.typepad.com/.a/6a01156fae88f2970b0115725384d0970b-pi). I found that Holly Fulton's S/S11 collection had some very similar elements.

Shadow Catchers, at the Victoria and Albert museum:

'The essence of photography lies in its seemingly magical ability to fix shadows on light-sensitive surfaces. Normally, this requires a camera. Shadow Catchers, however, shows how images can be created on photographic paper by casting shadows and manipulating light, or by chemically treating the surface of the paper.' - V&A exhibition leaflet.

I really love how photographs can be created in a way like this, without using a camera. One of the first images I saw was by Floris Neususs (http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/68820-popup.html) which I found so surreal and intriguing, because of the uniqueness. My favorite artist at this exhibition was Susan Derges, whose images had such a big range of tones in each photo. Her images reveal the hidden forces of nature, from the patterns of sound waves to the flow of rivers. I really loved the image named Arch 4 (summer) (http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/68801-popup.html), I think it's beautiful because of the harsh contrast of the plants against the sky, then the soft fluffy clouds high in the sky.

High Society, at the Wellcome Collection:

''High Society' will explore the paths by which these drugs were first discovered - from apothecaries' workshops to state-of-the-art laboratories - and how they came to be simultaneously fetishised and demonised in today’s culture.' - Wellcome Collection exhibition leaflet.

This exhibition wasn't exactly relating to Fashion, but I found it really interesting to visit. One of the first things I saw was about testing different drugs on spiders, to see how they had effects on the webs they spun. The worst effecting drugs were caffine and sleeping pills, which are the only legal drugs tested (http://www.trinity.edu/jdunn/spiderdrugs.htm). Another artist which caught my eye was the Joshua White, who created the Joshua Light Show. What I loved most about this artist was the use of vibrant colours and retro style. The final thing I really liked was 'Mosquito Coast' by Professor Robert Sinden. The artist was interested in how sculpture physically embodies its themes and in creating a tension between the formal object and the processes and materials used. This caught my eye because of the arty perspective which I found really interesting.

End of the first term.

The SPR project is out of the way - I've actually really enjoyed it. There are a few things I may have done differently, but I feel like I've learnt so much and am genuinely pleased with how everything went.

We were briefed for our Professional Project today, the buzzword is: REVOLUTION.
I have spent this evening researching the definition and looking at photos to see what inspires me initially. So far, I feel quite optimistic, but I do not have any particular ideas as of yet.
Last year it was required to complete a collection of 4-6 outfits. This year we only have to complete 4. I'm pleased with this as it means I can concentrate on 4 better outfits.

Our group project is in the library for an exhibition. I'm so excited that we're in there. While we looked, a group of open-day people were looking at them all, this made me feel really proud. I took a few photos:

Drapery Manuel

This week has been a bit of a pain... Bournemouth has snow! I needed to get into uni for some sewing, but the studios were closed as it was too dangerous on campus. I also needed to get to town for some 150gsm+ paper for my drapery manual. The only place I could buy it from was Staples, so I'll remember that in future, rather than trapseing all over Bournemouth again.
I finally manged to get to uni on Friday, where I completed the majority of the dress, but the hem is proving to be a problem.
On a brighter note, my manual is coming along well. All but 3 pages are complete and ready for editing if need be.
I also want to mention a designer I found today, who has been very influencial for my project. The garments are beautiful and I would consider the style for my future collections:

Haider Ackermann Spring/Summer 2011

Messy Sketchbooks

I got to talk to our tutor about my design manual for the drapery project. Due to the fact I've never produced anything like this on computer before, I was a little nervous, but very relieved when she said she liked it.
I am trying to keep a minmalist theme for a mazimum impact. I've used a font which I found on www.wordle.net which gives a conteporary feel to my manual.
My tutor also showed me a sketchbook by one of the current first years which uses a minimalist theme too. She's done an amazing job - it doesn't look messy or cluttered. It's the style I wish to achieve myself, so this is what I am going to do in this project.

I want to use this as an aim for this year. By the end of Level 5, I intend to have a 'shit hot' sketchbook.