Karen Nicol

Karen Nicol is another artist I have looked into. Her work consists of embroidery and mixed media textiles. I found the use of Embroidery in her work very unusual as she uses different textiles to work with. I originally thought that you couldn't use different media but I have been pleasently suprised.

I find that this image is a perfect example of the standard of for Nicol can create with embroidery.

After research I will take into account the effects embroidery can outcome and will consider useing embroidery on my final accessory.

Research...

For every breif I have been handed I am to research on designers, illustrators or artists. For this breif I have researched into Alicon Willoughby.

I found that her work is very unusual but very inspiring as she uses various objects and materials to create her garments.

This is my favourite of her collection. I find that her choice of object and colours compliment each other and is quite abstract. This has inspired me to think outside the box for what I decide to make for my accessory.

Manufacture Brief

Today we were given a new breif.
This breif asks for us to manufacture an accessory. Initially I didn't think I was advanced enough to make a necklace or bracelet but I am willing to push myself. My first idea is to try and make a necklace, although this might be abit too easy so I will try and push myself more.

Creating a Box Pleat

In my recent pattern cutting lesson I have been looking into different functions of a skirt: Zips, Pleats and Button holes. Today we looked at a Box Pleat.
To manufacture a Box Pleat we drew up our patterns (a basic A line pattern.)
I then put in a Box Pleat and ironed the pleat so it would stay in shape.
We only created the front of the skirt as it was just a sample but it shows the overall effect of the Box Pleat. This adaptaion is very effective and I would consider usinf this effect in future.

Enrichment week to Antwerp

For enrichment week, me and some peers from my college group went on a trip to Antwerp in Belgium. Before I left I was nervous as I usally am when I travel away from home but also excited to see what the city had to offer.

We were traveling by train so as I waved goodbye to my mother at Crewe station, we set off to ride many'a trains. We later arrived at our hotel which lucky enough; was right outside the station! We were all given the rest of the night to explore the area and hotel.

The next morning was a Tuesday and we all bought tram tickets so we could travel into the centre of Antwerp and visit the MoMu museum. This is where we were greeted by our tour guide. She gave us an insight into the main fashion section of the city. In the museum we were shown the work of degree level students from the educational unit of the museum. Which had produced the famous Antwerp Six. The students work was to an amazing standard and you could tell that so much, dedication, detail and time that had been put into each outcome.
Once we left the museum we were shown all the different types of streets that would offer sterotyped wear, such as; The high street backbone which had shops such as New Look and Top Shop. There was also a street which was graffittied which seemed to be aimed at a more, skating and bad boy genre. I am a person for graffitti and I thought that decorating the strrets added appeal and character.
One shop particularily stood out to me was 'Fish and Chips' they incorporated graffitti in their shop window disply which I thought was a very clever and retro way of advertising.

We were then given the freedom to look around the shops and explore, although we had to meet back up at the hotel for six. Me and Krystel wondered off and seemed to have gotten lost, I found this very frustrating and scary as we didn't speak the cities launguage. We spent most of our time walking around in circles using a picture I had taken of a Clock to try and find our way back. This proved to be sucessful as we found Jess and Sophie (the happiest moment of my life!)

I was slightly devestated that I couldn't explore the city centre and see its full potential as i was lost but we did see a shop the had a very different was of luring in customers. Julie... Julie the dog. This was a Jack Russell that had a beautiful coat and a Diomand collar. When we asked why she had a diomand collar the owner replied ''She has to. She's in fashion!!"

Wednesday; we took the tram to the MoMu museum again to spend the day looking around the Stephen Jones exhibition. I had never heard of him or his work but when I arrived at the museum I was instantly intreuged. My favourite piece of work was the, what looked like a wedding dress. It looked so elegant and so much time and care had gone into it.

Thursday was the day we were due to leave and we were given the morning to do some last minute shopping or pack. I spent the morning sleeping as i didn't have a good nights sleep. We left the hotel and waited for the first of our ling train journeys back to England. We arrived back into Crewe late at night.

Whilst in Antwerp I learnt a few things, Personal and Educational:

1. Don't ever become lost in an unknown City

2. Sleep more.

3. Antwerp has much to offer, buildings art work and fashion.

4. Dogs can work in fashion.

Overall I did enjoy my time in Antwerp, but travelling is just not for me.

Zip Skirt

My skirt is the first garment I have manufactured on my fashion course, in which I was to have a concept behind my design and ideas. I looked in to various designers and artists from the likes of Vivviene Westwood to Graffitti artist Banksy.
Designing my skirt was a little difficult but from my experience in my patteren cutting lessons I used what knowledge I had learnt but accidentally forgot to put in any darts. Whoops!
To begin with I thought my skirt was going to be easy to manufacture as it was just a simple 'A' line skirt; Boy was I wrong!
I had decided to put my zip in the front of my skirt instead of the back. I thought this would be a great feature and convay's my concept of rebelious nicely as customers expect to find the zip at the back of a garment or at least hidden in the front! My ain was to go against public perception.
I wanted to also capture shock potential like that of Photographer Nan Goldin. I also wanted to capture vulnerability through the position of the zip on the skirt. Which is in fully working order.
My target audience is age 14-18 as I believe my skirt is youthful and looks rebelious.
I enjoyed maufacturing my skirt and am pleased with the outcome.

The Punk Era

Whilst researching for my breif I came across Vivviene Westwoods work in the Punk era and this inspired me to give an edge to my skirt.

I like the wook or torn or ripped edges and the way this garment is presented is the way I would like to manufacture my garment. Personally I try to make my work look as inidividual as possible and turn my skirt into a Vivviene Westwood styled garment.

Concept

For our new breif we have been asked to create our own concept to convay in the skirt we would eventually manufacture towards the end of the breif.

To begin with I started to research into the work of Banksy as I find his work very captivating and inspiring.

The work of Banksy is somewhat quite political and has a rebelious side to his graffitti. This is what I would like my concept to be.

From looking into the work of Banksy I started to look into tattoo's and the work of fashion designer Vivviene Westwood. I initially like the look of caos and feel that it workswith anything to give each individual abit of an edge which is how I see myself.

Fifi and the Bunny-tots

Whilst researching into different fashion illustrators I stumbled across the illustrations of Fifi Lapin.

Now, what struck me most with her illustrations is that; instead of the sensual exagerated human figure fashion illustrations, Fifi illustrates Bunnyies. Yes, BUNNIES.

Fifi isn't well-known to the fashion world, but dear god, when she makes her break she will be HUGE.

Y'see, unlike most illustrators that so desparatly try to find a 'gap in the market' Fifi has struck Gold!

Characteristics of her work are childsh, unrealistic and not so serious, like other illustrations could come across. Fifi's illustrations instantly stand out in the fashion world and in many heads as it does in mine.

So I would just like to congratulate and say a big well done to the most spoilt and fashionable Bunny in the industry. Fifi Lapin... Congratuwelldone.

LIverpool Tate

Now, when it comes down to art it comes in many shapes, sizes and forms but when, for instance, Two buckets of water and a spade... Moldy bread... and a canvas painted blue, thats boarderlining on stupidity, it's definatly not my perception of art.
I myself have been to France and visited the Louvre to see some of the worlds greatest aspects of artwork such as, The Mona Lisa, I waided through a jam packed crowd to see that masterpeice!
Others might call me too judgmental and that I do not give things a chance but I did not find my time at the Tate useful as I could not understand how placeing three basket balls next to each other could even mean anything.

Elsa Schiaparelli's Lobster Dress Inspired by Dali

Whilst reading Elsa Schiaparelli's book I came across the Lobster dress. The simple white silk evening dress with a crimson waistband, designed by Schiaparelli in 1937 caught my eye because it featured a large lobster painted on the skirt by Dali.

The infamous Lobster dress, a design collaboration with Salvador Dali was worn by Wallis Simpson in a series of photographs by Cecil Beaton taken at the Chateau do Cande shortly before her marrige to Edward VIII.

Dali placed the lobster amongst parsley springs on the front of the skirt. Master silk designer Sache transleted the sketch to the fabric.

Vogue devoted an eight-page spread ti the results.

Apparently, for Dali the lobster had sexual connotations. As a result, his placemant of the lobtser thus charged the design with erotic tension.

I personally am drawn to the dress as I find that placeing; somewhat classed as an "ugly creature" upon a beautiful dress, works a really great contrast.

Barbie, Friend or Foe?

Since 1959, we've all had an unbeatable grad fixation with the 11.5 inch doll. The oldest teenager in the world; Her upbeat fashion, infamous blonde hair and an unrealistic toned body to top it all off. As America's top everything girl icon..

I present to you:

Now, Barbie has always been the smart, responsible, girl-next-door type, holding down 75 careers in the last 50 years but has she always been so innocent, as it may seem?There are many controversies behind the "role model" most pending of these would have to be the unideal body image. Barbie's waist has been widened in more recent versions of the doll to prevent leading the risk that young girls may attempt to minipulate their own bodies in order to achieve the glamours look that Barbie so profoundly carries.

Barbie syndrome is a term used to describe the desire to have a physical appearance and lifestyle of the infamous Barbie doll. Oftern noted to be directed to teen adolescence; as youths would want to look their best to impress the opposite sex and peers, they would see Barbie as being the perfect "role model".