Post Xmas update

Well thank goodness that's over. I need a holiday from Xmas and New Year. Don't get me wrong it is so nice to be back home and to see snow over the Christmas period was beautiful, but all I did was work at Monsoon and try to catch up with friends and family. Monsoon sales are just insane. Constantly scrabbling about on the floor picking up clothes from the floor and watching people trample over expensive silk evening gowns for which they seem to have lost all respect.
Constant queues at the fitting room and till, constantly repeating " you have seven days to return sale items for a refund or an exchange". This makes me so infuriated because we have to take responsibility to inform customers that the refund policy has changed even though there are signs around the store and it's on the receipt. I understand why we have to do it but it doesn't stop me from feeling like a robot, and I am not a robot.
On returning to college I felt like I had been slapped in the face with a massive amount of work. For my sketchbook that I had handed in pre xmas for the Anh Mao project I received a Merit which is pretty average. I was annoyed with myself because the parts that I lost marks on were pretty easy to have completed - maybe that's why I didn't do them - I don't know.....
Anyway,  I have since applied to five universities - Kingston, Glasgow School of Art, Leeds, Northumbria and Newcastle College. I have to say it took me ages to write my personal statement because I am not the most fluid writer and I am a perfectionist. Now I have received notifications from these universities to say that I need to supply portfolio pictures to even be considered for an interview. Scary Mary. These are due on the 28th of January and the 7th of February so far.
EEEEK!
I also have to complete my Digital Applications Module which is due on Wednesday 25th January, post off a design sketch for Escada by the 31st January and do some more research and designs for our new project. I also have to attend a meetingon the Wednesday morning this week and work on my portfolio for universities so that it looks amazing. Oh and I am at work tomorrow and then Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Where can I squeeze all of this in eh?
I know- I know - if you're reading this then you're thinking well stop blogging and go and do some work then you lazy cow and believe me I am thinking the same thing. However this is also part of my PPD module and if I don't keep updating this then it is going to be one of those horrible things that you have to do all in one night. I think if I did that then it wouldn't be very interesting. I think that the whole part of blogging is to update it as and when stuff happens because it is the immediacy that makes it addictive.
Did I mention that I have to sort out my work experience placement as well and also start thinking about a design for Miss Newcastle?? My cup overfloweth methinks. But it's all good. This is real life and it is not supposed to be easy. Good job I like a challenge otherwise I think I might have to rethink this career choice!!
Several positives came out of the past couple of weeks as well... We got our marks back for the construction of our dresses for the Anh Mao project. I got 82% which is a distinction so I was really pleased about that. Also we got to do a couple of workshops with a lovely lady called Jane Shaw who runs a company called "People into Enterprise". She is helping us think about starting up a business and how we perceive people in business. It is really worthwhile as I am in talks with another designer about setting up website - you know in my spare time!!
We also spent the day with a designer that has worked for Pringle, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan and Nautica to name just a few. His name is Colin Reed and he has recently moved back to Kelso from America. I have made a page about him because he really is inspirational and despite the array of amazing famous designers that he has worked with he still has his feet firmly planted on the ground, in his roots and traditions. Above all what he expressed to us was his love of design and his passion was clear for everyone to see. Great day!!

Dress Development - Silk Organza layer

Dress Development - Construction of lining and dupion silk layer

Dress Development - Patternmaking and Toiling.

Creating half circle skirt pattern.

Cutting out the toile from calico.

Initial shape.

Trying to decide how to create a ruffled overlayer. This is not working.

Chris Moore - Catwalking.

I went to Northumbria University last week (November 23rd) to see the photography exhibition by Chris Moore.
This was the brochure that went with the exhibition:

"Chris Moore is, quite simply, the top catwalk photographer in the world. For almost half a century he has captured he quirks, the beauty, the elegance, the creativity and the insanity of the fashion industry. He has seen it all: From the rarified ateliers of sixties Paris Couture to the breathtaking spectaculars at Alexander McQueen. During his illustrious career, Chris Moore's lens has been poised to capture every significant fashion moment. His pictures appear everywhere, from American Vogue to The Sunday Times. Not bad for a Butcher's son from Byker.

Born 1934, Chris Moore started out in the early fifties at Vogue's in-house studion in London's Shoe Lane working as an assistant to photograph royalty: Cecil Beaton, henry Clarke, and Clifford Coffin. A decade later he was doing then what he still, at seventy six years old, does now: Travelling to London, Paris, New York and Milan, taking iconic international catwalk images. Today he reckons he has produced, in total, over a million. From this phenomenal photographic catalogue, Chris Moore has made a selection of seventy-eight. School of Design, Northumbria University is priviledged to present them."

My initial reaction to this exhibition was how beautifully he had managed to capture the atmosphere of a catwalk show. He has somehow incorporated that feeling of excitement and energy in most of his photographs with such clarity and beauty that it is extremely impressive.
I was firstly captivated by an image of Erin O'Connor modelling for Alexander McQueen. She is statuesque, dressed in a long white lace gown which flares into a fish tale at her ankles. She appears to be almost frozen in time, the shot taken in profile emphasizes the shape of the dress and Erin's strong features. This one made me stop for a while.

In contrast to such a snowy white image was a photo taken from a Jean Paul Gaultier collection:

The model has almost become a part of the outfit - it is hard to clarify where she fits into the garment and it is because of this that the photograph is so striking. The only real human element to it is her eyes and they stare straight out of the photograph which makes you automatically stare back. The model also seems to lack expression and this makes her appear even less human and more a part of the whole idea.

These photographs made me feel that I could have been there participating in a catwalk show. I felt quite jealous thatChris has lived through so many different eras - all of which have had revolutions in fashion which he has managed to capture over the years. I wish I had seen the Alexander McQueen shows before he sadly died. I loved the image from this show which was inspired by circuit boards. Chris said that he managed to capture this as the flash from another photographer's camera hit the model so this is why it appears to glow so brightly. It's all about being in the right place at the right time!!

The photographs from the eighties were excellent as they were mainly presented in black and white and this meant that the shadows and silhouettes really played an important part. It also enhanced the exaggerated silhouettes of the clothes in the eighties and captured the power dressing style of that era perfectly.

Chris Moore.

Every shot was professional and yet retained an element of interest and excitement that captured the atmosphere of the catwalk. It was great to see some iconic models wearing outfits by some of the greatest fashion designers and it really demonstrated that Chris had been at the pinnacle of fashion photography for a long time. He is obviously extremely well respected in the fashion industry and he has a skill that has to be admired, I felt priviledged to witness some of his photographs first hand. Very priviledged.

Making my dress.

Hello,
It feels like ages since I have been on here. Yesterday was a mixed bag as I handed in my assignment (the research part) which I wasn't altogether happy with, but it's kind of out of my hands at the moment. I just know that I can do a lot better.
However we were told that our fabric would not arrive until next week and so we had to concentrate on our personal statements for university, our blogs or finding our work placements e.t.c. I think we were all disappointed because most of us have finished our toiles and were expecting to start our final project. But...the lovely sewing assistant Lynn came to me with some fabric and said "Oh I found some marine green fabric for you". This was precisely the fabric that I had ordered and luckily there was just enough to cut out my main pattern and the facing. I had also found some lining in the cupboard which complemented the "marine green" perfectly. So yesterday I cut out all my pattern pieces and attached some interlining to the bodice using the steam press and the fusing machine (novel!). I then sewed up my bodice and skirt ( i have not sewn these together as my organza has not arrived yet and this will need to be sewn into the seams of the bodice and skirt.
Today I sewed up my lining and the bodice did not match the skirt so I had to go back to my pattern and that's where I found that I hadn't taken the darts out of the back bodice so I had to go back and make yet another piece. My day was spent unpicking and resewing, but I didn't mind because by the end of the day I had a garment that fitted together beautifully> Ahhhhhh.
I then got to work on my detachable bodice which is going to be corded in black duchess satin. I am using silver cording as I want the cording to be exposed at the top and this will correspond with the silvery grey organza that I have chosen. I ended up going to Durham Market where I found some thicker cording for 90p per metre. I bought 4 metres so I hope that's enough.
Anyway I hope to be getting some pictures on here very soon when I figure out how to work my blackberry a bit more.
Have a beautiful weekend people - I will be at work in Monsoon all weekend so please think of me.....

Inspiration through pain or pane whatever.

Ok so I need to update this because Im losing track of stuff at the moment and this is where all my thoughts come back together.
It's funny how I chose to go and see the glass delusion exhibition in Sunderland because it was all about mental instability and how glass can represent the fragility of the mind and of life and I think that really got to me. At the minute I feel a bit like a shattered pane of glass - a bit disparate and a bit transparent, and maybe a bit sharp around the edges. Raw and bitter and equally damaged.
I need to get some of this into my design. I can't wait to get my fabric and get started. I feel that this is going to be an exciting development which will have involved some tears and tantrums and a lot of hard work.
Soon I will have images of my toile on here and I will also put on sections about how I have developed my design ideas and the embellishments that I am going to create.
Oh and I just found out that my ex sold all my sewing equipment so I am equipmentless. Roll on the student loan in December that's all I can say!!