My little Fashion Diary

Creative Knitwear Project

2011-05-06T06:14:00.000-07:00

This term I learnt how to operate an industrial DUBIED knitting machine (much larger and more complex than the small domestic machines we used in the first term). We learnt several techniques on the machines in order to produce a portfolio of knitted samples which we then had to develop further with our own yarn and colour choices, to inspire a design for a new garment. Below are some of my best knitted samples which lead towards the design of my second jumper :)

ASOS ClassiKnits Collection

2011-05-06T05:53:00.000-07:00

Here is the final collection (illustrations and flat technical drawings) of ASOS ClassiKnits, my approach to slow fashion. A collection of timeless, classic knitwear made from locally and ethically sourced, environmentally friendly yarns and materials.

DESIGN THEORY

2011-03-31T06:55:00.000-07:00

This module is all about the different elements of design such as shape, line, structure, form, pattern, symmetry etc.

For one of the assignments we were required to produce a collection of 12 patterns/tiling designs, each created from elements cut from a regular polygon (take a square and a hexagon, cut them up into 4 or more unequal parts, colour them and rearrange them to make a repeat pattern "without gap or overlap"). The patterns also had to have an end use. I didn't want to be predictable and design patterns for a t-shirt/dress so I decided to create patterns for new seat covers on the London Underground trains, based on the London Olympic 2012 colour theme...

My eyes are very relieved this project is over !

ASOS ClassiKnits

2011-03-03T09:40:00.000-08:00

For the design module this term we are looking at slow/sustainable fashion. We have to come up with our own approach to slow fashion and design a collection for a company of our choice.

As I'm specializing in knitwear, I decided to create a range of classic knitwear for a sub-brand of ASOS ( ASOS CLASSIKNITS).

I chose ASOS because I think they have the power to influence consumers that environmentally-friendly fashion is acceptable/cool. The consumers also trust the ASOS brand so they won't be afraid to buy something from a new collection.

The collection will include classic pieces such as a little black dress, a smart blazer jacket, a pencil skirt, a white shirt, a cardigan ETC... and will all be knitted from 100% British wool/cashmere, ethically and locally sourced (from Yorkshire - www.izzylane.com/ ). The knitwear will be extremely high quality and reinforced with E-leather trims (recycled leather - http://www.eleatherltd.com/) for added strength. I am also using reclaimed, vintage, leather buttons which I bought from Ebay for added interest and detail.

The idea is that these garments DO NOT follow trends BUT will always be in fashion, as they are classic designs which always look good, are comfortable, versatile and will last the wearer a life time therefore dramatically increasing the time in which the garment is destined for landfill and therefore decreasing environmental impact.

Below are the Customer Profile, Mood Board and Fabric Board which I created to inspire the design development of my collection (which I will be working on for the next 4 weeks). #
As you can imagine, the sheep received lots of attention.... hehe :)

All work © Julia Handley 3/3/11

Classics Results

2011-03-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

About 3 weeks ago I asked you to send me photos of your wardrobe essentials or 6 pieces that you would chose to only wear for the next year. Only 5 people took part and only 3 got their photos to me on time BUT massive thanks to you gorgeous people... I realise it was probably a pain but I really appreciate the effort and it's helped me decide what to design for my classics collection! PLUS you are now famous............ ;)

Frankie couldn't live without....

Her black skinny jeans which she wears to work as well as

casual daywear...

A classic cream lacey top which can be dressed up for a night out or dressed down for a cute

daytime look. It can also be worn with many different colours.

A grey boyfriend blazer, very versatile smart/

casual...

Classic black leather jacket (a piece that will never go out of fashion)...

A faux fur jacket (also a timeless

classic)...

A smart white shift dress which can be worn for several occasions and can be the base to create many different looks.

I think these are all great examples of key wardrobe pieces - all comfortable, flattering shapes, simple colours, quality fabrics and versatile (could be worn day or night). Thanks Franks you BABE <3

Jade is a lover of vintage fashion and has done a lot of work on sustainable fashion & textiles. She runs a really interesting blog which you may like to visit ( www.venerableclothing.blogspot.com )

She made a resolution to not buy ANY new clothes for a whole year (AND has managed it so far!!) Fairplay Jade :) Her 6 essentials are all quite personal to her and she relys on them when having one of those "What am I going to wear!?" days. x

1) Beige crepe dress from 'The Story of O", a vintage shop on Hyde Park Corner in Leeds.

Jade always feels comfortable wearing this dress as she feels it represents her personality well. The colours of the print are also her favourite.

2) 1960's hand-embroidered white russian blouse which was a gift from a friend. Jade loves folk art so the pretty details make this blouse special as well as it's senitimental value.

It is also quite versatile so can be worn with a skirt or trousers or underneath a cardigan or jacket.

3) Winter coat with fake fur trim from a vintage market in her home town, Lancaster. She loves the beautiful bold teal colour and says she couldn't live without it - a good winter coat is the number 1 wardrobe essential I think (especially in Leeds!) Brrrrrrrr !

4) Woolen shirt/jacket. Jade loves this garment because it has short sleeves but is still warm which makes a nice change from wearing bulky jumpers in winter. She can also rely on it looking smart.

5) Summer dress from H&M. Jade says she relies on this kind of 50's style printed dress over the summer

(she has quite a few similar dresses) but loves this one in particular because of the cute flamingo print and simple shape which can be styled nicely with accessories.

6) Finally, a 50's fitted dress from East London Trading Company which fits really well and is versatile so she can wear it to work or out.

At last but not least... Dani :)

Her wardrobe essentials include...

A smart, high quality duffel coat from United colours of

Benetton which she wore almost everyday to work this

winter and also for nights out. The colour and style are

both very classic.

A simple stretchy and structured black

mini skirt from H&M which she says she wears ALL the time and pretty much goes

with everything.

A knitted jumper from a charity shop in

Argentina which she bought during her

travels so it's sentimental and brings back

good memories. Dani says it's also very cosy and she loves the pretty patterns and colours which make it unique and special (no one else is wearing it that's for sure!) xxx

Anna Sui

2011-02-16T14:53:00.000-08:00

Before Christmas I wrote an essay for my course module "21st century fashion" and chose to compare 60's hippy fashion with 70's punk fashion. Both movements were sparked by the younger generation's dissatisfication with the status quo and desire for change.

The hippy and punk movements promoted individual freedom and were both considered forms of anti-fashion fashion which involved plenty of DIY (hippies tie-dying and embroidering, the punks ripping and deconstructing their clothes). People were enjoying buying old clothes from charity shops and experimenting and customising them themseleves to create something unique. For this reason, there were very few fashion designers who succesfully created and sold commercial hippy/punk fashion. Vivienne Westwood was of course the brilliant exception with the extreme punk fashions in her SEX shop.

However, one name that cropped up a few times whilst researching hippy and punk fashion was american fashion designer, Anna Sui. After looking at some of her recent collections online, Anna Sui has become one of my favourite and most inspiring designers. The clothes she creates are simply beautiful and her use of colour and choice of fabrics is genius.
Normally, only 5 outfits out of a 20 piece catwalk collection may really catch your eye. But I LOVED every single outfit and struggled to chose "the best" to show you on here.
I would call these collections 'luxury modern hippy' and 'punk chic'...

----------------------------------------- Fall '08 -------------- 'LUXURY MODERN HIPPY'

----------------------------------------Spring '08 ----------------------- 'PUNK CHIC'

Handley hand-me-down

2011-02-04T14:59:00.000-08:00

My Nanny hand-knitted this cardigan for my Grandad in 1982. When I found it in her wardrobe it was very fousty and moth-eaten but after a little TLC it's good as new :) It's made from 100% wool in a gorgeous sea green colour and knitted in moss stitch all over which gives it a lovely texture. It has two little front pockets and these cute embossed silver buttons - it's the details that make the simple design so special. Obviously it's a little big for me because my Grandad was a big chap but luckily oversized/slouchy knitwear is on trend and it looks great worn over a shirt and skinny jeans. Leeds is still freezing so this cardigan is getting a lot of wear (which it deserves)!!!

In next Tuesday's design class we're all bringing in the garment we've had the longest, our most recent purchase, the garment we're going to throw away next and the garment we imagine keeping for the longest. Should be interesting... But this cardigan will definitely be the garment I imagine keeping the longest because it's sentimental, unique, classic and beautifully hand-made. Well done Nanny, your a genius. x

Project : Classics

2011-01-27T16:31:00.000-08:00

Design Brief : "Slow Fashion"

According to Kate Fletcher, author of 'Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys',

"Fast fashion has become a defining characteristic of today's clothing and textile industry. It is a combination of high speed production and high speed, high volume consumption. Just in time manufacturing means a design sketch can be turned into a finished product in as little as three weeks. Consumer demand is increasing - people are buying one third more garments than four years ago, fuelled by the rise of cheap clothes and value retailers. This route is not sustainable, our planet only has limited resources. "

We see new lines added in Topshop (for example) every week and fashion magazines are telling us what the "latest trends" are and what we should be wearing each season. It's difficult and expensive to keep up with the latest trends and ultimately it's just the industry's strategy of making more money by creating a need for us to look and feel good for ourselves and others. Retailers such as Primark are selling clothes for as cheap as £1, which some customers admit they only wear once before throwing them away, hence the name "throw away fashion".

"Slow fashion" is about designing quality clothes which have a longer life time and therefore reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills. It also means manufacturing clothes in an environmentally friendly way to save energy and resources.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

My task is to develop a range of garments that conform to the 'slow fashion' ethos. There are several ways I could approach this but my first idea is to design a collection of classic garments which people will wear time and time again, stand the test of time and survive the trends.

So, I want YOU to tell me what your key wardrobe pieces are...

It might be an item which you've owned and worn for a long time...

Or it could be a versatile item which you wear on a regular basis which you can match with several different outfits...

Imagine you had to pick 6 items out of your wardrobe that you were only permitted to wear for the next year, what would they be and why ?

I would love to hear from you and it would be really interesting and help me massively with the research part of my project. So please get involved !

All you have to do is submit a photo/s of yourself wearing your classic/key item/s. Also include your name, blog address (if you have one), where you like to shop, when and where you bought your key piece/s and what you love about it/them. Also tell me if there are any other items of clothing which you consider to be wardrobe staples or classic pieces that every woman should own? Do you have any opinions about fast or slow fashion?

Email me at juliahandley@hotmail.co.uk by Friday 11th February 2011 (2 weeks from now) and I will feature you on my blog.

To help you out, I have posted my own key wardrobe pieces below...

Sheepskin coat of my Mum's which she bought in 1978 and wore it every winter since... until I pinched it haha ! I wore this to Uni nearly every day last semester because it's so comfortable and snuggly warm (essential in a very snowy Leeds). It's beautiful quality and is special because nobody else has it !

These high-waisted leather hotpants are a fairly recent purchase (November 2010) but I have worn them so many times. They're really versatile because you can dress them up with a pretty blouse and heels for a night out or dress them down with a T-shirt, cardigan, tights and flats for daywear. Leather is also a timeless fabric.

I've had this blanket style cardigan from ASOS for just over a year and I think it's a classic because although it's a statement piece, it doesn't conform to the trends of A/W '09 meaning I could wear it again this winter and will be able to wear it again next winter. It has neutral colours (navy, beige and cream) and an eyecatching pattern. It's really warm and comfortable and would be flattering to most body shapes.

I bought this dress from ASOS in 2008 and I think it's a classic because it's a simple design with simple striking timeless colours (black and white) and I don't think stripes will ever go out of fashion either. It can also be dressed up or down and worn for different occasions.

I think every girl (and guy) should own a leather jacket (Jane Norman 2007) and a pair of black jeans (River Island 2007). I've had so much wear out of both these items that it's getting to the point where I need to replace them because they're so worn (not because they're out of fashion). Again, these 2 classic pieces are so versatile and the outfit possibilities are endless.

I absoutely love this dress because it was a bargain in a really random and unexpected place (Matalan 2008). I just love the pretty colours and patterns and the style is so flattering. It's a little black dress with a twist and again can be worn for day or evening wear. The best thing is I haven't seen anyone else wearing it so it makes it a unique/special/classic addition to my wardrobe.

This is probably my favourite dress (Religion 2009) because I love the unique design with the sexy hitched skirt and open back and the edgey print. The gothic/grunge/punk look has survived since the 70's and I think it's a trend that will never die. Again, I haven't seen anyone else wearing this so I feel special in it and it's just one of those peices that always makes you feel super confident.

Two birds One stone

2011-01-23T10:36:00.000-08:00

I'm back in Leeds now and been prettyyy bored this week as I only had 1 exam on Tuesday and a short feedback session on Wednesday, so I had the rest of the week free whilst everyone else was busy revising ! Although I'm trying to be really careful with my money this term, I haven't bought any new clothes for a while (I say a while - probably a month but for me this is a lifetime haha) so I adventured into town on Thursday. I've been hunting for a pair of high waisted skinny jeans but the usual suspects for these (Topshop, Urban Outfitters and ASOS) are all SO expensive and also made out of 100% cotton which means as soon as you wash them they go all saggy ! My friend Jess was wearing a pair of tight, blue skinny jeans on her birthday night out and had dressed them up with a smart black blazer, black shoe boots and a silk scarf (and looked very sexy indeed). I was quite suprised when she told me they were from New Look. So this was my first point of call...

Voila !

You know when you try a pair of jeans on and you just instantly know whether they feel right or not? Literally, as soon as I put my first leg into them I knew I was buying them. They're a really close fit but also so comfortable and stretchy (like a second skin). They're made from 97% cotton and 3% elastane which gives them stretch and will hopefully help to keep their shape and snug fit after a wash, (that's if I ever take them off!)
And the best thing is, New Look happened to be offering 20% off for students so an already decent price of £24.99 was a fabulous £19.99 with my student card. GREAT BUY NUMBER 1 !

Secondly, I was after a shirt - either a smart one with pretty patterns or details which I could wear for a night out or just a plainish white/black/cream/navy one which I could wear casually under various cardigans or jumpers for every day Uni (as a slightly smarter alternative to a plain T-shirt or vest top). I tried on a couple of pretty ones in New Look but they weren't great quality and looked abit cheap (even tho they weren't at £25). So I looked in Urban Outfitters, Topshop and H&M without any luck and eventually found the perfect shirt in good old faithful ZARA!

It's a very plain cream colour and a simple shape/style so I can match it with several casual outfits. It also has button up tabs on the sleeves so they can be worn rolled up for a really relaxed look. But it's made of 100% Polyester which has a kind of silk/chiffon appearance and feel and also has these cool oversized dropped chest pockets, these tiny perlescent buttons and a concealed placket which makes it smart enough to wear out. Two birds with one stone ! For £22.99 I thought it was a great buy and I know I'll also be living in it this term although it will need washing more regularly due to fake tan'age/makeup on the collar (and the occasional big mac/tomato sauce stain down the front after a night out) OOPSIE :) x

And the bestest best thing is my 2 purchases look great together :)

Inspired Looks....

Something abit special

2011-01-18T15:19:00.000-08:00

The trench coat is a timeless fashion classic and an all year round wardrobe staple. Although it's an adrogynous piece and was originally worn by army officers, it still looks so elegant on women as if it was always designed for them :)

Christian Dior A/W '10

Aquascatum A/W '10

Michael Kors A/W '09

Stella McCartney S/S '08

Blumarine S/S '09

'Camel' was/is a key colour this season so I was hunting for a camel trench coat during December but couldn't find a quality/stlyish one that the bank balance agreed with!
Anyway, whilst paying my Nan a little visit (and noseying in her wardrobe), I was thrilled to discover this beauty....

I was even more delighted to find that this coat is something a bit more special...

Vintage Burberry (1972)

51% cotton, 48% polyester (gabardine fabric), lining 50% cotton, 50% polyester

My Nan must have only worn it once or twice because it's immaculate and looks and feels so classy on, the quality is amazing. My Nan was more than happy for me to have it "else it will go to charity or in the bin" (probably 200 pounds worth of coat - thank god I rescued it!)

It's full length so I think it looks best worn with heels....

But then I feel REALLY dressed up and famous... All I need now is an oversized Burberry handbag and oversized Burberry sunnies to match.... and step aside Emma Watson, eat your heart out Kate Moss !

A great find !

2011-01-11T08:47:00.000-08:00

My mum came home from work the other day with a plastic Tesco carrier bag stuffed with something knitted which I didn't recognise. When I asked her what it was she just said "Ohh it's for the bin." Turned out her work colleague had this cardigan that she wanted to get rid of because it was "old hat" but she has a bad leg so mum offered to take it to the charity shop for her. Luckily it passed my way because when I took it out the bag I thought...hmm I could make that work ! So suddenly it belonged to me :) It's from Principles and is an unusual reddy pinky colour which I'd call "rust". Its really slouchy and dropped-shoulder and has cable patterns and cute covered buttons (2 of which are missing tho!) Looks great with camel jodhpurs and brown riding boots or tan moccasins (as modelled by me below :) haha) oh and also lots of accessories and jewellery to give it a real vintage feel !

Knitwear Research & Presentation

2011-01-09T13:29:00.000-08:00

Below are the research boards I created using Photoshop for our weekly presentations on Knitwear. The majority of images are primary (ones which I photographed myself). This part of the module helped improve my self confidence as we only had to present to a small group and some of the research was quite interesting such as discovering new designers and recognising different knitting techniques being used on the high street. But mostly, this project involved me taking thousands of pounds worth of jumpers into the changing rooms of Harvey Nicholls (pretending to try them on, somehow convincing the staff and myself that I could afford Alexander McQueen lol) and slyly taking photographs; somehow managing to avoid being kicked out by security :)

1.Huge variety of yarns available in Leeds market.

2. Multi yarn jumper by James Long for ASOS.

3. Cardigan by Maxmara 100% silk, £350.

4. Mohair - a lightweight and warm fibre spun from the fleece of the Angora goat.

5. Knitted vest made from Bamboo yarn.

6. Missoni dress made from metallic metallic fibres combined with merino wool.

7. Handbag made from Jute,a long, soft and shiny vegetable fibre which is eco-friendly.

8. Hiker socks in Millets made from merino wool and stretch nylon.

9. Polar bear patterned scarf from Accessorize which uses Angora.

10. 100% cashmere dress by Allude S/S10 - an authentic, luxurious cashmere company.

11. Innovative/novelty yarns produced by plying 2 different yarns together. 'Boucle' yarns.

1. Balenciaga A/W 08 Raglan shaping.

2. Flared cape by Dulcie Wanless with godet shaping.

3. Emilio Pucci's patchwork style construction.

4. Knitted hoody by Miss Selfridge with lots of separate sections to it.

5. Sketch of the different blocks which make up the previous hoody.

6. Poncho from Chloe S/S10 - traditionally a simple rectangular piece of fabric with a slit in the centre for the head.

7. Asymmetric jumper by WAREHOUSE.

8. Cardigan with ASOS which has beautiful drape but has a simple rectangular block construction.

9. Jumper from H&M with a cross over draped front created by two rectangular sections.

10. Knitwear by Mark Fast with extraordinary shaping to create innovative designs.

1. Cardigan by Surface to Air with set-in sleeves, the simplest and most common form of sleeve.

2. Jumper by Whistles A/W 10/11 with raglan sleeves.

3. Saddle shoulder sleeve.

4. Jumper from Primark with a gathered shoulder sleeve.

5. Jumper by MCQ with dolman sleeves.

6. Jumper by Amanda Wakely with raglan sleeves, exaggerated with a draped and ruched overlay for elegant detail.

7. Cardigan by Karen Millen with oversized batwing sleeves.

8. Celtic cap sleeve dress by Alexander McQueen, 52% wool, 48% silk, £1, 590.

9. Knitted dress by D&G A/W11/12 with dramatic flouncy balloon sleeves.

1. Jumper by Something Else with strapping trim.

2. Cardigan by TwentyeightTwelve, finished with a gimp thread which makes an ornamental trim.

3. Stella McCartney cashmere jumper with a cotton-twill trim in the form of cuffs.

4. Cardigan by Diane von Furstenber with a leather trim around the collar edge and zip front.

5. Men's cardigan from Zara with contrasting bias binding trim.

6. Jumper from Jane Norman with a knitted lace /crochet style trim.

7. Cardigan by Silence & Noise with a knitted scallop trim.

8. Cardigan by JJ Park for ASOS with beautiful folded ribbon trim detail.

9. Lambswool coat by Julien MacDonald A/W10 with oversized trims included oversized ribbed collar, fur-trimmed hood and suede trims on zip fastenings and pockets.

1. Fairisle jumper from 1890, hand knitted on the island of Fair Isle. Traditional colours and patterns.

2. Fairisle poncho by Alexander McQueen A/W 05.

3. Fairisle cardigan River Island A/W 10.

4. Small-scale fairisle jumper by Warehouse, floats which are normally on the inside are on the outside as a design feature.

5. Fairisle patterns created on Microsoft Excel.Demonstrates how a change in colour can change perception of pattern.

6. Jumper by Warehouse with birdseye jacquard pattern.

7. Jumper by River Island with birseye jacquard heart pattern.

8. Blanket stlye cardigan from ASOS with ladder back jacquard.

9. Knitted leggings by ASOS with small-scale fairisle pattern.

1. Shetland lace mourning scarf. Hand knitted from pure Shetland wool.

2. Modern interpretation of the lace scarf by Monsoon, fashion accessory with repeated eyelet and ladder patterns.

3. Fine knit top with transparent cobweb appearance from Topshop.

4. Design by Sue Enticknap. Large eyelets create a crocheted look.

5. Mark Fast S/S10. Large ladders create a sexy see through design.

6. Large-scale cable knitted jumper with foil print embellishment by Pamela Leung.

7. River Island cable and ladder mix jumper.

8. Different cable knit patterns such as twist, plait, rope and interlocking diamonds.

9. Intricate cable design by Sue Enticknap.

10. Knitte dress from the emotional sculpture collection by Johan Ku. Made in raw wool and knitted using fingers and giant needles to create cable patterns.

1. D&G A/W 10

2. Julien MacDonald A/W 09

3. Allude S/S 11

4. Mark Fast A/W 10

5. Missoni A/W 10

6. Amanda Wakeley A/W 10

7. Michael Kors A/W 10

8. Maxmara A/W 10

9. Marc Jacobs A/W 10

10. D&G A/W 10

Glitter? Classy !?!

2011-01-02T06:37:00.000-08:00

I wanted something sparkly to wear out over Christmas and New Year which didn't look tacky... quite tricky I thought ! So I reluctantly searched 'glitter lurex' on ebay which fetched back only 1 result... Bronze Lurex Topshop Boutique Dress, Size 10 :) PERFFF !
The bronze colour attracted me as opposed to gold which might have made it chavvy and cheap looking??? And I also love anything backless. I didn't risk it with the bidding nonsense and offered the buyer 20 quid. When it arrived and I tried it on, it was extreeeemely short so I wore it as a top instead, with my trusty high-waisted Topshop leather hotpants, black tights and black Topshop heels!
Following my Mum's wise styling advice - you should only ever have 1 sexy thing on show (boobs, back OR legs) NOT BOTH (or all) ! So the bare back and tiny dress length would've meant serious rule breaking ;)
For New Year , I wore a plain black boob tube dress with a black satin blazer, simple silver jewellery, black heels and......... silver glittery tights !!! Thank you WAREHOUSE for glitzing up my otherwise very boring (but somewhat classy) outfit ;) x

Cuuute !

2011-01-01T16:39:00.000-08:00

We did a bit of hand knitting in the first year and just had to knit the front of a miniature size garment.

I chose a fairly simple pattern from Leeds city market that was meant to be for a dolly - cute huh ? :)

Mark Fast

2010-12-27T05:56:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite knitwear designers that I have discovered this term is Mark Fast who studied at Central Saint Martins and now works in his own studio in London. He creates very intricate, highly detailed and body concious designs which are more like a beautiful piece of art.

Mark designs by hand on a domestic knitting machine and he has devised innovative stitching techniques, blending lycra with viscose, angora or wool. He is inspired by the endless possibilities of lycra yarns, sculpting areas of tension and areas of volume over the body. Obsessed with texture, Mark’s most recent work explores the relationship of garments to the wearers body.

Seeing Rihanna (one of my favourite music artists) wearing a Mark Fast dress on the front cover of Marie Claire, December 2010 Christmas Issue, inspired me to write a post about this genius. I love his use of all over eyelets and ladders to reveal flesh and create futuristic patterns and shape. He also uses striking colours to enhance his unique designs and is also NOT afraid to use models with larger figures on the catwalk to showcase his work which I think is an excellent way to promote anti size zero - it's not just skinny girls that can wear his sexy, "barely-there" designs and look great in them! I'm going to email Mark and see if he can offer me a short placement over summer - imagine that - wowowowowow !!!

Rihanna + Mark Fast = <3

GOTTA HAVE THESE....

why oh why?

2010-12-27T04:10:00.000-08:00

I'm STILL hunting for a fairisle jumper and came across this little beaut from Monsoon. I love the colour combinations and the small scale patterns BUT WHY OH WHY have they designed it as a cropped jumper with short sleeves !!!?? It's minus degrees outside - nobody in their right mind is going to wear this unless they match it with a plain long sleeve cotton top worn underneath... which just defeats the object !

Monsoon - please re-design this to cover all of me and I will buy in a heartbeat !!! X

Thankyou Posh !

2010-12-23T07:48:00.000-08:00

Victoria Beckham, style icon....say no more. x

Designing for Yohji Yamamoto

2010-12-21T16:58:00.001-08:00

The first part of design development was a group project (hmmph) involving research into a

specific fashion designer; in our case Yohji Yamamoto, a japanese designer who

creates very cool, simplistic designs with asymmetric cuts and almost everything in black (which

made the designing easier!). We researched the brand, the customers and forthcoming trends

for A/W 11/12 and then produced a customer profile board, a mood board and fabric boards

which were the starting points for our individual design collections.

Abit of Facebook research/stalking of Yohji Yamamoto fans/customers.

Analysing Yohji's current collections - on ASOS !

The future...

Who are they???

Mood board showing colour palette and main themes - asymmetry, japanese tradition, structure, origami effects (pleats&folds) oversized silhouettes and accent colours.

Yarn board (as I was designing a knitwear collection).

After the group work was handed in (PHEEWW), i started my own design journal (basically pages and

pages of drawing developed designs / "jumpers" haha :) to work towards a final collection. Once my journal was finished (PHEEWW), i chose my best designs, created technical drawings of them and illustrated them through styled outfits reflecting the Yohji Yamamoto ethos... The images below should

explain it better !

Illustrations...

Technical drawings (done on Illustrator aka bain of my life haha)

Designing for DIESEL

2010-12-21T16:50:00.000-08:00

Earlier I created one of those 'My Year' photo collage things on Facebook and was reminiscing about the good times this year (awww)... anyway, I came across some photos of my best work from first year uni - a group project which involved designing a womenswear, menswear and knitwear range for DIESEL. We had to create mood boards and fabric boards as inspiration for each collection. I think all of them reflect the DIESEL brand quite well and most of the images that make up the mood boards are photos we took ourselves on a little adventure to York (of all places) haha...we got a good mark anyway, so group projects CAN be successful ! :)

Fair Isle Love

2010-12-20T05:38:00.000-08:00

Knitting has become my secret obsession especially fair isle and cable patterns and I'm STILL looking for the perfect Christmas jumper! Dolce & Gabbana totally back me up when I say knitting is cool, with their amazing Autumn/Winter 2010 collection... don't know about you but this is DEFINITELY what I want to be wearing this winter ! Cable and fair isle knits with cute snowflake and reindeer patterns are contrasted with luxury fabrics and flattering shapes such as sheer chiffon blouses, dresses and skirts, high-waisted leather hotpants, velvet jackets, knitted leggings and one-pieces; all worn with furry Eskimo boots... who'd have thought knitwear could be so SEXY ? meeee! :)

<3 love <3 love <3 love <3

Knitting!

2010-12-16T04:57:00.000-08:00

This year I chose to specialize in Knitwear because to be honest, I found pattern cutting and sewing last year quite tough and didn't enjoy it much. I also thought it would be good to do something different to everyone else and there are only 4 of us in the class so we get one to one help from the teachers which is great.

For the knitting coursework, we created our own portfolio of samples showing different techniques using the domestic machines and then eventually using the techniques we learnt, created our own garments. The first few samples were just experimenting with different tensions and reducing or increasing to create shaping, so not that interesting (for you) but iv posted the fun stuff below !

Textured stripe effect using different tensions...

Creating patterns with eyelets...

Pointelle/lace effect...

Cable patterns...

This is the first jumper I made incorporating all the basic techniques such as neck shaping, adding a trim, creating sleeves, a hem and cuffs. We had to make it in this very plain / kind of boring wool because we were focussing on the construction rather than the design...

Fair isle patterns... pretty pretty pretty !

Next, we had to come up with 6 of our own jumper designs that we would then make as our second garment. This time we could choose the shape of the body, neckline and sleeves as well as colour and pattern. Here are samples for my designs...

My final garment.... a slouchy, oversized jumper with dropped shoulders, a deep round neck, chunky hem and a christmassy snowflake fairisle and striped pattern :)

Year 2, Semester 1 - how did we do it?!

2010-12-14T06:39:00.000-08:00

I think everyone would agree that first term of Uni has been mega stressful! Mainly because of the
crazy amount of coursework piled on us for garment tech, design development and
digital design! BUT i DO feel like i've learnt alot in a short space of time.
Firstly, i've learnt how to use a domestic knitting machine (regardless of wanting to throw it out the
window haha) and learnt several techniques enabling me to make a garment.
I've also learnt how to draw designs using Illustrator which i was CLUELESS about before.
Our weekly presentations on knitwear research has definitely improved my confidence in speaking
aloud to a group and my visual presentation skills have improved since first year through
practising my drawing and presenting my work digitally rather than manually.