My last blog??

My PPRD deadline is tomorrow morning and this will be my last blog of this year (well maybe not because I actually quite like blogging) I am surprised how much I liked blogging because I wasn't to keen to begin with as I am not to great with computers. But after I started doing it I experienced blog envy when looking at other students blogs and am now forever changing the layout etc!
I wanted to look at some other blogs and particularly like the 'Amelia's magazine' and now getting weekly updates to my email.
I even read in the paper the other day that one successful fashion blogger has become so respected in the fashion industry that she was given front row seats at many shows at London fashion week. So with people turning blogging into a career I think that it is a very relevant part of the course.
I defiantly want to continue with my blog and think It would be a useful way to record what I am doing on a day to day basis in my work placement in May so I can prepare for the presentation I have to do afterwards.

Baics research and Design

I have started to collect imagery for my mood board for my sportswear project and have found some great images on wgsn-edu.com. However I was unsure how to collate everything as in my previous Design assessment I was told that I should be allot more selective in the way I put my mood boards together.
So I decided I should go to the library and see if there were any books that could help me I found Basics- Research and Design and wish I had found it sooner. It has lots of examples of students sketch books and includes case studies of successfully designers and the ways in which they present their designs. I found the book incredibly useful and very inspiring. I will definitely buy this book because it also has some good ideas on where to gather research and I often get the main body of my research from books and the internet.

Stlylista

I have been watching Chanel 5's new reality tv show stylista. It is set in New York with style setting hopefuls competing to win a fast tracked editorial position at Elle magazine. It shows that working in fashion editorial is not as glamorous as I thought. The show does play up to many stereotypes with wannabes running around Manhattan to fetch iced skinny lattes for Elle editor Anne Slowey.
I have really enjoyed the magazine style outfitting project I have been doing for Buying and Merchandising and have been surprised that this is the project I have spent the majority of my time doing this week. I also really liked being able to look at each outfit and decide the best location for shooting in an advertising campaign.
I have even toyed with the idea of interning at a fashion publication but after further research I have found out this is an incredibly competitive area of the industry. I don't think that I am ruthless enough to work in fashion editorial and don't think The Devil wears Prada is the life for me!

The week ahead

Due to the New York trip being cancelled I have the next week of. However as much as I would like to indulge in daytime tv and shopping I have lots to do. After my toile review on Thursday I have to make a few alterations to my pattern. I have also hit a bit of a brick wall with my sketchbook but after talking to Azz we discussed documenting my tiole in my sketchbook. I also need to start collecting imagery for mt mood boards.
Aswell as all that I need to do some more work for my buying and merchandising project. I have decided that I am going to create 4 different looks for my sports dress design and also consider locations which would be appropriate for a photo shoot for each different look. I have started collecting imagery from photo shoots that I find inspiring and am trying to think of ways to present the information on a board. This is proving quite difficult because there will be 4 outfits with various accessories and 4 locations along with notes!

Sports vs fashion Toile

I have finally finished my toile for my Sportswear design project. I now realize why toiles are done as I have made several changes to my pattern and changed some design details. I am now allot more confident about making my final design which at first seemed daunting.
I also found that modeling on the stand makes it easier for me to visualize my design when pattern cutting and is a technique I will use in the future.
I am a little nervous about my first toile review tomorrow as I am yet to find a model and don't know what to expect. I hope they like my design!

Mac Attack

I remember my first lesson learning how to use the Mac computers last year I was terrified. I am so used to using PCs and to say I am not a very technical person is an understatement. However it didn't take me long to realize the ways in which getting to grips with illustrator and Photoshop could benefit my design work and my portfolio. When I was on a one month placement at New Look last year I asked the assistant designer if she had any advice for me for my studies and she said I should get as much CAD work in my portfolio as possible. Since that first lesson I have learnt a few basic tricks and have started to enjoy using Illustrator in particular. The only problem I had is that I would learn stuff and then by the time I had another session on Illustrators I would have forgotten alot of what I had learnt. So when my friend offered to sell me his Mac Powerbook laptop for a good price I jumped the chance. Now I will be able to practice the skill I have learnt in the sessions with Jamie at home.