An Overwhelming Reality

So I stayed up all night going through Chanel News; watching previous fashion shows, FW14, SS14 as well as interviews and other short films and whiles watching the 'Details of Chanel' I was filled with an overwhelming sense of inadequacy almost. I was exploring the success' if a fashion house and a creative director at a level that I was nooo where near. I found myself quite harshly criticizing my work and questioning myself and my ability. Like this isn't enough. My work isn't enough. Decent illustrations but my designs are crap, amateur; very mediocre - I almost feel like a plagiarist in the sense that somewhere and by someone, my designs have been done and to a much better standard than what I was producing. My work isn't transcending boundaries. It doesn't pop. There's nothing about my work that sets me above the long list of competition - from the likes of Karl Lagerfeld to the student that sit next to me in the same Fashion and Textiles Foundation course. 
How hard am I working? How far am I really pushing myself?

Fact is, I'm entering an extremely competitive and fickle industry which I once could see myself one day tackling and being really successful in. An industry that now I am now struggling to see my place.

Photoshop Week

This week actually wasn't as daunting as I had imagined. Although on my first day I had so much information thrown at me because I was so behind. Serves me right for not being able to come in on the Monday when the course had stated. In general though it was a pretty fast paced course which was an issue at first but then gradually became challenging and almost empowering especially being somebody who had never used photoshop until this week. I felt like I had achieved a lot. 
Creating my own pattern from personal objects and images before 'rendering' the print onto a catwalk garment was the the highlight of the week for me. 
For one of the prints I chose to use a painting of my eyes I had done previously as part of a project where I was trying to convey emotion souly through the eyes without the aid of maybe the mouth or the ears - parts which might make it easier to determine the emotion. I've always been keen on creating a level of ambiguity in my art work.

The second print was created using an area of my native cloth, the Kente.

The final outcomes were really inspiring as it provided me with a view what my prints may one day look like on the catwalk. It also taught me how much can be done on Photoshop in terms of creating intimate variations of print all from a basic image/template. I think finding that out was what made the course a successful learning experience. Next time I'll try to challenge myself more; push the boundaries a bit.

As if doing it by hand wasn't hard enough... (Knitting Week)

The most fiddliest week yet. Initially when I saw the knitting machine thet we would be using during the week I was happy that an easier, quicker, non-electric alternative to knitting needles existed.... That was until Bid, our tutor taught us how to cast on. That was pretty much how the tasks were given during the week. Bid would start off with very simple and easy knitting sample - straight stitch, stripes, lace holes, before going on to teaching us more complex techniques such as honeycomb, V, waffle, pyramid, bubble, casting off etc. as a fast learner, I found it easy to complete the tasks as they were given but that was when the machine wasn't acting up causing timing and completion issues.







Just realising how much you can do with the knitting machine and with knot in general made me think of so many ideas for the future using knit and gave me a good insight into the different variations of knitting that until this week iPad no knowledge of. 

Overall the samples I created, my own pattern was my most favourite simply because it was something I had created outside of what we were shown and was able to produce a consistent pattern. Cable was the hardest but it was also another one of my favorite, probably because it's such a common patter to see on knitwear and because a lifetime of curiously as to how it's done.

Design Development Week

I was wondering when the real design work would come. 
This was a follow on from a task ( which I've named Construction 1) we had done a few days prior - whereby we had to create an abstract shape, cut out at least 20 copy's of the pattern of various scale and size before using those cut outs to construct a collection of garments on a mannequin.
Task 1 required us to do quick, timed drawings of clothing and the various aspects of say a top, for example the sleeves, the collar, pockets etc, using another shape that derived from the shape used in Construction 1. I chose to use an arch. I think the fact that this task was done around time constraints and because it turned into a competition as how many variation of say a top could be done within the set amount of time given it made the task the most difficult for me especially as I have a retarded understanding of time. 2 minutes to me is 15 minutes so it was challenging. However, after the first few sessions I sped up a bit. It's not always about trying to come up with the most professional and intricate piece. Some of the most exquisite catwalk collections especially from designers such as the late Alexander McQueen derived from the most basic of drawings and fueled by the things all around him, eras and imagination. I find myself always wanting to fly before I can even crawl. 

Task 2 was to compose a selection of garments: 5 tops to 5 dresses using the timed sketches. 

Task 3 which was to be presented on Friday was to devise a 5 piece collection with technical drawings using all the information gathered from the past 2 tasks.

I found the comments left by the rest of the students in my group as we went around viewing each other's work so kind and encouraging but there was a sense of disappointment overshadowing all that positive feedback on my 5 piece collection. I realised that most of the comments were celebrating my illustrations/ drawing techniques and not the designs themselves. Red flag. I don't want to be viewed as a fashion illustrator because that not what I want to be but that was what my work was portraying. This was a difficult realisation but luckily realised earlier than later. I'm been too comfortable with my drawing abilities that I've suppressed my designing abilities which I'm now finding difficult to revamp. It's such a frustrating position to suddenly find out that I'm in. Once again I'm questioning my career choice, my capability and if I'll even be able to get to where I want to as fashion designer if at this day and age I'm struggling to design a basic 5 piece collection. There's just that added pressure of being told that with the career path I have chosen, I must start from young. But the good news is that this experience has only confirmed my desire to a fashion designer and has outlined what it is I need to do from now on in order to achieve my goal.


Things to improve : the proportions of my illustrations in order to provide a realistic view on how my garments will look on a real body.

WHO AM I???

The Transition

My first ever blog ever - so please excuse the dramatic, boarder line pretentious post title.

But back to the topic....

So I started my first day at uni on Monday and surprise surprise, I was late. Shock. After the customary introductory lesson, I was just rearing to go. The greater level of independence required makes working all the more challenging, but its forcing me to use my brain more and to be more creative with the brief guidelines I'm given at the start of every lesson.
Long story short, all in all its going better than I anticipated. Super chill environment; really cool people and very friendly tutors.



Hopefully I'll have more to say during week two.