Folk Project

Lame topic, happy with the outcome.

Shirt project based on Eastern European folk costumes with a sketchbook, theme board, and full illustration with front and back flat drawings of the final shirt.

If only we could have chosen from any country, I would have loved somewhere like Mexico or Africa. Oh the color possibilities!!!!!

I thought about using Photoshop on some of the pictures, making my shirt brighter and funner, but then it wouldn't have been folk at all really. I wanted to keep it Folk and classic.

The shirt is patchwork of the fabric cut out and placed on the board, with flared loose sleeves and a snug tie at cleavage with purple bow and tassels. I paired it with a nice vest and big flared skirt with belt.

Take a look :

"Organic"... At last

Check che check check check, che check it out!!!

Above is my theme board and sketchbook. 

I thought my theme board could have been more creative, but overall was very professional and really captured the essence of what my final piece ended up being. You can really see the connection 

between the two. My sketchbook is well... a sketchbook. Filled with random colors I painted in, drawings and pictures. As you can tell, I really like color, which was my biggest disappointment in my final piece. I wish it could have had more color and life to it.

Unfortunately I didn't have that many fabrics choices to pick from, so I worked with what I had. FORTUNATELY, I had my leaves with me which made up my whole vision. As long as I had those I was fine. You might not be able to notice but the leaves are actually all real. I was very thankful they didn't die overnight, dry out and fall off.

I thought the assignment was a great opportunity, though I feel I took it differently than most people. I don't really like to waste time just "trying" things, especially when it's

for a 2-day assignment I have due. I did try a few different things surrounding the upper bodice, but aside from that I knew what I was going for and didn't get to caught up with each failure. When it comes to a collection of course I would have taken more advantage but that wasn't the case and I didn't feel the need, or comfortable experimenting and showing one big work of "mess" in front of everyone. 

Overall, I was pleased with my piece and hope to one day work off of it and make it into a real garment using leather for the leaves and of course, color! 

Come on people! Life is filled with colors, USE THEM!!!

Finally, "Rococco" Pictures!!!

Drum roll please.......

So how do you like it? It's different I thought. I was very happy with it. 

I used broken mirror pieces I found in my hallway and really wanted to change it up and modernize the image of "Rococco." I played of the Marie Antoinette picture in the middle and mixed it up with the Marilyn Monroe one. From there, I though of girly, pink, flowers and comfort. I liked Marie Antoinette's costumes, yet my favorite scene of the movie that was recently made was when they show her in her garden with her daughter, getting eggs from her little farm. She glowed through the fields of plants and really had a radiance about her with only a simple white dress on. 

That's what I wanted the essence of my theme board to be and I think I achieved it. I used raw materials from nature like the acorn's and transformed pieces of flowered chiffon's into little rosette's. 

The assignment to me was fairly simple and easy. I wish we would've gotten more criticism and feedback instead of everyone getting a pat on the back but I understand it was our first assignment. 

Either way I had fun with it :)

London Trip

Fabric Sourcing!!!

So our course took a trip to London and let me just start off by saying it was FREEZING walking to the bus stop at 8 in the morning! The bus ride was long, but fun with everyone from class there. 

It was meant to be just enough time for us to travel the street of London searching fabric shops for fabrics assigned to our groups as well as fabrics for our shirt project at the end of the term. 

The entire day was freezing and uncomfortable, and we had so much extra time that most of the day was spent walking into stores. 

Unfortunately, Natasha here, was broke that day and was just trailing behind her group as they bought shoes and such. Hell, I know.

Aside from that, the trip really helped me in getting to know the streets of London and especially the amazing fabric shops it has to offer.

Now, let's cross our fingers I win the jackpot in Vegas this New Years. Maybe then I'll be able to buy some sweet fabrics in London. And some clothes of course!

Help a Brother Out!

PPRD: Fashion Debate

It's On!

November 11, 2008 the Fashion Debate will be going strong filled with judges, a whip, for and opposing teams, as well as an audience. 

The debate is to talk about 2 different fashion topics. Those being Ethical trading and Couture. 

This assignment really appealed to me since debates involve, research, hard work and an outstanding learning outcome. It seemed like being a judge or audience member would be too easy and slightly, a waste of time. Instead I took advantage of my excitement for the project and went for the opposing team. I will get the chance to research all the negatives in not only Couture and what revolves around it, but the facts and statistics regarding trading and what is ethical to the fashion industry today. 

As much as I am a die hard fan of Couture and designers, I feel there are many hidden secrets behind it and I am excited to find out about them and hopefully take a win for our team. When it comes to the Ethical trading aspects of the debate I feel we might run into a fence. As long as we keep what we know the other team will be throwing at us, we should be ready for the fight 100%. 

I'm also really stoked to be the teams spokesperson, which means I am the voice for my team and leader in regards to team meetings and such. I really feel everyone of us should get to speak which is why I am crossing my fingers for my team to really dive themselves into the research and enjoy it. 

Oh how I love debates and getting the chance to speak your voice and opinions. It's a chance for people to shine in not a superficial way but instead show the beauty of body AND mind. It's really an amazing combination the two.

I'll be sure to include our progress, without giving too much away of course. 

We're ready to win this thing! 

it's on l.a.d.i.e.s 

Theme Board

Tear....

No picture for this entry since it is still in development :'( I will be posting it up by next Monday. 

So yesterday (Monday, October 6) was Fashion Design Principles day where we pretty much discuss design and artists and work on our design skills, duh. 

We spent the entire day with our tools and inspiration pieces that we had brought in, and worked on our theme boards. I collected way too many things for my own good and ended up only using about half. This included materials such as fabrics, print outs, plants and broken mirror pieces. 

The theme for my board was Rococco, which I chose because that was just what my inspiration pointed towards. From all the things around me that stood out, the closest match out of all the themes was Rococco. Since I am a huge fan of Marie Antoinette and that whole era, I didn't mind it one bit. 

After presenting and getting to see everyone else's boards I recognized that my board was along the best in the class. Although I will admit it was not the most professional presentation for a design company. After spending 2 years studying Merchandise Marketing I really learned how to put together a professional presentation, and at this point in my life I am ready to just let my creative side flow. 

My board turned out organized yet interesting and really got the point across. 

Once again, I am very sorry for not having a picture of it but it is being looked at closer by my tutors and will be able to get you a picture by Monday next week, so don't cry over it too much. 

I can't wait for next week in FDP, when we're getting the chance to form a garment piece inspired by the look of artist, Dale Chihuly's work, who's inspiration comes from sea life and nature and is then incorporated into his breathtaking glass sculptures. Yay!

t.t.y.l

Attached by Stitches

Construction

The girl can sew!

Let me start of by sharing that today was one of the biggest and most beautiful eye openers I have had. 

Waking up early was of course a pain, then the below zero, 2 minute walk to class didn't make it any better. The day continued by a new tutor explaining our tasks for the day and as I looked around the room I nearly passed the eff out from anxiety. If you've never seen an industrial sewing machine you are both lucky and missing out. Those little shits are intimidating! Ah yet stunning <3

I nearly did since our tutor is very demanding and clearly loves and adores what she does. If it had been up to her we wouldn't have even gotten the 1 15 minute break we got throughout the day, and would have made our lunch even shorter than 45 minutes (what she gave us from our usual 1 hr). Even still, I stayed in class making ridiculously cute pockets I'm going to give to friends for their iPod's or something, during our 15 minute break. I also stayed an extra 45 minutes after class and was over working on our homework, a French seam with chiffon fabric- CLUCKIN HARD!!!

So to sum up my amazing day in class today, I learned how to:

• Thread an industrial sewing machine
• Use an Overlocking machine
• Press fabrics
• Replace needles and foot of industrial sewing machine
• Sew a Plain seam, Edge and Top stitched seam, Plain pressed open seam, Run & Fell seam and a French seam (both on Calico and Chiffon fabric)

Well aren't you proud! I sure am, and so excited for Pattern Cutting tomorrow. 

I've always loved tracing... which reminds me, Mom! I forgot my Disney Princess coloring book!!!!

goodnight d.u.c.k.y

7 Month World Tour at 68?!

She's Back People!!!

Yes, the 68 year old musical legend is to embark on a 7 month world tour!

Cher designer and close friend of the legend, Bob Mackie has been hired to design the outfits to be strut on stage. 

How stoked am I to see the released copies from Tuesday!!! :D

Mackie said Tina's "leaning a bit more towards a rock-influenced look."

This might be the reason behind the sexy, saucy and might I add... revealing dress design!

We all know Miss Turner will be rocking it out in her jeweled, beaded and fringed thigh grazing attire and I can't wait to hear of the amazing performances.

l.o.v.e

PPRD: Day 1

It's the End of the World as We Know It 

What do you define as success?

The question is tough, yet everyone has a clear and different opinion from the person sitting beside them. Because of this, why in the world would you assign a task where 6 people have to list "10 Successful People"?!

I knew it the second I saw the words pop up on the screen that I would have to prepare for some rather interesting opinions. 

Trying to get my group as far away from the materialistic, money hungry world we live in today I began to list a few of the people I thought of as "successful" i.e. Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and the Dalai Lama. To my surprise, a name like Kate Moss was still thrown out there for reasons like, "she's always out partying and having a good time." Is this really what the world has come to? Look around people! Obviously no matter how much money you have or how many parties you're invited to, you most likely will still end up the one in the bathroom stall snorting some lines! That's success alright. 

Students in particular should be looking into the people in the world that have made a difference, strived and fought for their values, beliefs or ideas to come true. Not the people like the all time successor Lauren Conrad, who has to work dreadful hours for her oober hard reality show gig she got from a lucky break in high school. 

In fashion especially, following the trends and not taking the time to read, listen and look around, 

will only lead you to your downfall. Or at the very least, you will end up leaving no mark at all on people. To a true designer, that's the hardest thing to bare. 

From today, I have realized what means the most to me with regards to success, and those are things like heart, contentment, security and integrity. I could go on but I wouldn't want to bore you, espe

cially since I'm dragging this on for far too long now. 

Ultimately, to each his own right? ... right? 

Done,

v.a.y.a  c.o.n  d.i.o.s

FdA Fashion Blog: Day 1

Fancy Meeting You Here

The day has been cold, cloudy and misty... very English indeed! 

We are definitely not in California anymore friends.

Let me just start off by sharing that even though the temperature could be about 40 degrees F, there still seem to be girls in shorts and people without jackets. Just looking at them makes me shiver! Put some clothes on people!!!

Good thing I have been in the Enterprise Pavilion at school for my computer induction, of course including my new blog endeavors. So now you have The Arts Institute here in Bournemouth to thank for this beautiful site. 

As much fun as I'm having here talking complete nonsense to strangers, food is calling to me, or maybe it's the other way around, either way... I'M OUTTA HERE!

c.i.a.o