End of Placement 2!

I feel I have learnt facts about the magazine, such as how many are bought per year and how they work on a day-to-day basis which has given me a real insight and clear experience of what the magazine is all about and how it would be if I was to work there full time. I see how much they have to work and their biggest mission is to get everything done in time as they are on strict deadlines, due to photo shoots and the magazine being weekly. I enjoyed this rush and if feel it could be a job I will definitely consider applying for after university. I loved the fact as a stylist you have responsibility to style and arrange the shoots, the theme and locations and it can be very creative and exciting. I found myself wanting to be busy and wanting to do more jobs I could be responsible for and help towards the magazine. I enjoyed learning and talking to the stylist’s whether it be about their previous or current experiences or their views and magazines views on size zero that will help with my university work. This was a great opportunity for me to get facts straight from inside the industry that will back up arguments or debates I have.

Interview

The following is and interview I had with on of the Fashion Stylists at the magazine:

How long have you been working for the magazine?

Since it launched in 2007. I worked for free (work experience) for a whole two years and then have been here ever since.

What would you say to a student hoping to get into magazine work?

Get as much work experience as you can in magazines and head for the one magazine you ideally want to work for and fight for it. I mean be determined, if thats really the place you want to work exhaust all areas as with hard work you will get it!

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I love the photo shoots and doing what I love which is styling. I love seeing outfits come alive, and finding the best high street picks to show other girls in a really creative, fun and attractive way which helps them find their own style and know where to find key season pieces from the best stores.

Does the magazine have a policy on models and using girls of certain sizes?

We don’t have a set policy, but we all know what we look for and we wouldn’t go for a model who looked ill or unhealthy. We try to use models of different sizes. We will use size 8 models but also use curvier size’s like 12’s too. All girls and our readers are different sizes and we try to embrace that and cater to everybody. We understand although a girl is size 8 and slim, we think that is her natural shape like a lot of other girls, however the size 12 is just as beautiful and attractive, and other clothes look good and suit her better.  So it’s about using a mix, in a healthy way and not using someone who looks like they are not eating.

But how do you know when someone is ill? Where is the line? Two girls could be the same weigh yet one be Anorexic yet the other naturally like that?

That is true. We can’t say for sure, but we have to judge that and think, does that look too skinny. Our readers are important to us, and we’ve got the responsibility to promote a healthy image along with our photo shoots. We just try and bring in a mix of slim, and curvy models, but aware and don’t use models who look visually ill.

Do you think using size 0 on the catwalk within high fashion is irresponsible to young girls? Do you think they are affected and look up to them because of their size?

Yes, to be honest I do. I have looked at them in the past and been upset myself so I am just the same as those girls so I know how they feel. I look at all the glamorous beautiful women who fit into all the beautiful clothes and I’ve thought why aren’t I thin like that?! But I’ve got to the point were I’ve accepted who I am. I’m naturally curvy and some things would suit and flatter my figure that wouldn’t on size 0 models. And that’s what we’re trying to embrace in the magazine that we can all be fashionable and look good. We are plastered with size 0 models everywhere we go so we forget that curvy and normal women look good in fashionable clothes too!

We further discussed what the high fashion world would be like if they used curvier models, discussing different fittings, and the way it is in fact a lot easier for designers to make one size of everything, in all areas that will fit the size 0 models than getting the right measurements for curvy models. Also if they used curvy models maybe naturally size 0 women will think they’re creating a look that high fashion is telling them they should be. It’s a debate I am looking forward to getting further and deeper in, I have a lot of points to be made and the fashion stylist has helped me with her views as well as the magazines.

Wider Debates

With the knowledge learnt at the start of placement, brings wider debates as I further learn more. I started to think about the future of these companies. I think where my buying placement was, the very popular high street store chain has a very stable future. I have seen how tirelessly they work behind the scenes, with very talented people whom most fit the brands target market themselves. They know what the customer wants, and I believe if they carry on delivering to that customer, their brand will stay profitable and continue to grow. They are growing internationally and deliver to over 30 countries world wide. The way I believe they will grow most will be through internet. They now have a Twitter page, Tumblr and f
Facebook and of course deliver to many places abroad. I think they will continue to grow with technology and with their customer.
I think the magazine also has a sustainable future. There is a gap in the market for them as it is a high street fashion weekly magazine, and the other fashion magazines around are either high fashion, monthly, or half known for being gossip magazines, not fully fashion. I think in the future they will also become online magazines. As technology develops and becomes more popular than ever, there will be a demand for it to be read online. However I think the standard issue will still be printed so the customer has the choice where to read it. As a glossy magazine you can fit in your handbag, take on the train or in the car etc. can be a source of relaxation and leisure for customers.
I have also been observing how the different placements work with models. As I am doing my dissertation on size zero on the catwalk and in high fashion, and how it can affect young girls and its relation to Anorexia. I will be interviewing a fashion stylist regarding the magazines views and policies on sizing and model castings that will help with my dissertation and views.

Week 3

The start of week three of placement at the magazine bought more responsibility, as two of the stylists were away abroad arranging photo shoots I was asked to do more. I got the opportunity to research trends in accessories, so I searched for catwalk spring/summer pieces, street style trends and wrote down things I remember seeing about and felt would be a big trend soon. I really liked researching, and having the responsibility and the pressure to get it right. It’s definitely something I enjoy, and noticed this with the buying, predicting trends and finding the trends from the catwalk or street or anywhere else that the customer wants trickled down into the high street. I feel like i’ve recognised although I like working and the excitement of the magazine and photo shoots, I seem to enjoy more behind the scenes, the research and the creation of clothes. I have a strong passion and feel it’s where my talent lies, spotting the trends that are going to sell well, and sell out. Which was also proved and reassured in buying meetings where I would predict what would sell out and it usually would. This has helped me compare placements, and realise that my interest and passion perhaps lies more in Buying. Without doing this placement however I may not have realised this so much as I could not compare that with this other route I was very much still interested. However I feel i have not seen as much of the magazine as I would hope or like too so the next week or two will hopefully help my decision and reflections futher

Photo Shoot Day!

The photo shoot went really well and was successful. They had ordered a room at a top London hotel for the location which was pure luxury to say the least. Even the tissue boxes were gold plaited so it was obvious this was the scene of a glamourous shoot-to-be! The theme was evening/party wear as its nearly christmas and the readers will be looking out for good christmas party outfits and sparkling clothes. There was around 8 outfits and shooting started at 9am and finished around 5pm. There was one photographer and his assistant, a make up artist, hair stylist, model and fashion stylist from the magazine. I helped organise, style and steam the clothes and get the model dressed. Each outfit had to have clothes from the same shop/brand as it was for the best clothes on the high street right now. Its the way the magazine runs for these particular shoots, in other ones they can mix the clothes up but this one had to be the same. Before we went on the photo shoot  this was a bit of a problem as one or two companies would send their clothes last minute and not the ones the stylist wanted so putting the outfits together, that would look good could be hard! So I learnt how important it was to have good relationships with PR companies and assistants and make it clear what you want and that you both understand each other, and in good time not last minute as this could all ruin the whole photo shoot.
They had to be very precise with choice of backgrounds, against different colour clothes so when it came out in print it wouldn’t look odd. After or sometimes during each outfit shoot the photographer would be uploading the images so they could look at the flat image and see if there was anything they needed to change, this was really important as there would be things you wouldn’t notice with your own eyes but on a flat screen or image it’s seen clearly.
I felt like it was very similar to they way I had organised photo shoots for my university project. I just had to be completely organised and know what I wanted. She had photos of a famous photo shoot, the stylist wanted the model to  stand like or pose like and the photographer to photograph like which is what I needed to do with my photo shoot for my project. I learnt this was important then when this caused a bit of a language barrier between me and the photographer (it was better for me to have photographs or visual ideas then just explaining or experimenting on a time schedule) and  its good to see how they do the same and plan the same in the industry.

Photo Shoot Time!

So I have been told i’m going on the next photo shoot! I’m excited to do something different and get involved with helping prepare the glamourous shots they create that are seen in the magazine weekly! There is a number of shoots that go on per week usually, catwalk & plus sized, celebrity and model on location, some are here and there due to cancellations (by celebrities), if they are working behind schedule or working before for an upcoming issue. 2 of the stylists have gone to brazil for some photo shoots for the magazine that come out whilst they are out there and some for the weeks ahead they are shooting whilst they are there. We had to write down the credits for them (description of the clothes, where they are from and how much they are) so when they send us the photos we can quickly match and type the credits ready to put in the magazine.
So i had to do that also for the clothes and accessories that are being taken to my photo shoot. There are always spares incase they don’t look right on the model or something disastrous happens! This shoot has given me the opportunity to work closer with the stylist and work out how they are arranging it and themes and ideas..etc I have realised that this placement must be what I make of it, we are not asked to do much that involves something new or learning new as we are tidying or returning clothes most of the day, everyday so I will grab every opportunity like the photo shoot to learn as much as I can, obviously work hard and then ask questions I still need to know

End of week number 1

It’s the end of week number 1 at the magazine and we have been doing returns most of the week. Some of the other girls on placement have been on photo shoots but we are taking it in turns so I should get to go on one next week! It’s become clear that rarely will anyone talk to us about whats going on or introduce themselves, even if they ask you to do something for them. Sometimes it can feel frustrating or upsetting the way you may be treated, and continuous tidying and returning literally hundreds of clothes, but I understand the importance of work experience and I want to help out however I can. I know they are busy and I understand this is the way to achieve a job in the industry, to work hard and show you are willing to. I do believe it will pay off. Making the tea is the best way I have learnt to learn peoples names and have a quick few words even if it is ‘yes' or ‘no' answers. Making my face familiar and hopefully them remembering my willingness is important so if they need something they know they can rely on me and that I will work hard. It could even help them remember if I ever applied for a job there! You never know. Making tea may be a small simple thing but it can make a huge difference!

Work Placement Number 2!

I started my second placement this week working at a weekly fashion magazine. One of the fashion stylists gave us our introduction, health and safety sheets etc and then showed us where the fashion cupboards were as well as the photocopier/s. She went through the process of sending returns (clothes and accessories sent to the magazine for possible shoots) with us, which i was already familiar with due to my work experience at Reveal the previous year and we got started. There was 5 other work placement girls working alongside me, which I was relieved about as the cupboard was absolutely full of clothes. We couldn’t all fit in there and it was a hazard as we tripped multiple times over clothes or clothing ‘avalanches’ as we called them. We had to clear space out of the cupboard to be able to fit in and start sending stuff back. We did this constantly for the first few days and it became evidently clear that this was our biggest role. We weren’t further introduced to any other of the magazines employees and felt like we didn’t really know what was going on outside of our cupboard! Whereas before during my previous work placements I have worked closely, literally, with employees, we were in our own space away from their open office and there seemed to be not much opportunity to ask questions far away from them whilst they were busy. I was hoping it would get better, and we’d be given more to do and opportunity to talk and ask more about their job role and the magazine.

Questions

I had a few questions I asked the buyers before I left such as wanting to know the relationship between them and the designers. The buyers seemed to have a huge say on what colours, material and fit of the garment. In fittings if they decided they didn’t like it they could go from having it as a tunic to making it a crop top so I thought surely a designer would be annoyed with that if the did design it?! They told me however they have a lot of creativity. The designer draws a rough sketch and then it goes to them.. or sometimes they can contact suppliers and say based on another top they created or similar they want it in a different colour or print etc.. so the designer seems they are not always needed. This really interested me as I had wandered that before even starting placement. However they said that not all companies are like this, they have a lot of creativity but different brands buyers may not, every where would be different.
I got the opportunity to go on a store trip with the merchandisers and they met with the store manager on the store floor. They talked about what had sold well and what hadn’t and the merchandisers had to make sure everything was being marketed and displayed to the best of their ability. All motif tops needed to face outwards, as on a side rail the main detail wouldn’t be seen.
They talked about some of the casual wear and how for a couple of weeks they hadn’t sold well but when they changed the display and put the in a clever colour co-ordinated pattern the sales soared. They also were trying different ways of selling clothes that hadn’t sold well, by displaying it differently and it had increased sales and profits majorly. This was really interesting as I had never grasped how important these merchandising and displays just on the shop floor are. It’s all a creative art and its very well thought about and clever!

Week Two on Buying Placement

So far this week has been again really busy as one of the buyers have been off and with an already busy schedule everyones become even busier. Not just that, but this week has been scheduled to have a review, which is usually every 6 weeks but they have bought it forward and was only 4 weeks since their last one. I had a lot of steaming and hanging clothes to do to help the meeting run smoothly and also had to compile another comp shop.
The meeting lasted around 3 hours, which shows how big it was and how much there was to say. It was a really important review with the senior buyers and merchandisers and buying director. The head merchandiser started by going through the sales, comparing them to last year, expectations for next year and targets. I got very lost during that start and I was warned before that that part would probably ‘go straight over my head’. If you’re not aware of  the terms used or abbreviations on the merchandising sheet report its quite hard to understand and there was a lot of abbreviations and numbers!
The buyers then went through the clothing a few already in, but mostly that of what was still to come into stores. They presented it to the head buyers & director where they gave their views, mostly agreeing with the outfits but if not it would be about making one or two garments a bit cheaper or changing the colour a little, the date they were coming in or to order even  more in or if they wanted it made in a different style of top.
It was really interesting to hear them talking. It was a little surreal as all the merchandisers and BA’s and BAA’s sat watching on as the head buyers and merchandisers sat around a table watching the buyers show clothes and talk about sales. I enjoyed learning how they review their clothes and how well you need to be able to present and communicate so people understand fully what your expectations and requirements are as things would get confused and not be on the same wave length without that.

1st weeks reflection & thoughts!

Reflecting back on my first week it has been very busy and i’ve had a great insight into how buyers work as before I hadn’t really understood how they worked practically on a day to day basis which is a main reason I really wanted work experience in this area.
I was surprised how small the area they work in is. Its small given how many people work there and how the desks are arranged so they can fit nearly as many in as possible. As this is a very successful and popular company who earn millions every week I guess in my head I thought it’d be posh, spacious and next to luxurious. I was very wrong.
The clothing samples are hung all around as they have new samples in everyday, samples to arrange for fittings and meetings so where there aren’t desks there are samples most of the time.
The girls that Im working with work so hard, they come in sometimes extra early and leave late  to insure all the jobs are done.
I got the chance to go into a meeting where they showed huge mood boards of their next inspirations to the next collections due early spring. The buyers shared their thoughts and if they were happy with moving on with that. I asked if the designers created the boards but they said no apparently they all collect pictures, designers and buyers who have to work closely (although i havn’t seen much sign of this yet) of inspirational pictures to start off with and create the mood board, the job taken on by two of the buyers.
I feel I still have a lot to learn. I aim to ask questions about the relationship between the designers. buyers and the clothes, as it seems the buyers have final say in fittings, sometimes altering the clothes a lot which id imagine wouldn’t leave designers happy, but with some items and definitely basic clothes it seems the buyers chose what they want, materials and shape directly with the supplier. Whereas before I thought this would be the designers job to choose shapes etc..  I aim to ask about that this coming week along with how they buyers got into their jobs, what they’re doing when they’re spending their time organising things on the computers, who arranges what items of clothing go into each store.. as well as other questions as I feel although I have learnt this week quite a lot, I have been spending a lot of time steaming clothes and hanging clothes and I still have a lot of questions and still don’t fully understanding all the jobs they have to do each week.

Placement Number 1

Yesterday I started a two-week placement at a well-known high street brand in their buying department. I’m working in the jersey section, which includes casual and smart jersey based clothing.

My main jobs so far have been compiling a spreadsheet on competitive stores prices on specific items, sorting out samples and the sample cupboard and steaming clothes. Yesterday I had the chance to sit in a review which was really interesting where some assistant buyers and BAA’s from each buying group sat in a large meeting room and showed there best selling, number of sales for items in the week, how many ordered/reordered.. etc. I found that really interesting and was a great insight to how they work. They also where arranging fitting sessions for samples with Buyers and the Garment Tech and a model wore each item and they discussed (very quickly) what needs to be changed and emails of the instructions were emailed to the supplier for the next sample to be made up. They had to be quick as it’s important for all the groups to fit in their fitting sessions and they’re all very busy throughout the day.

I’ve found these first two days really interesting to see how the buyers work, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the two weeks as I learn more and ask questions. The other departments are on the same floor so as time goes on I will also get an insight to how they work.

Last of the photo shoot looks...

This is one of my favourite shoots. I was trying to show the freedom of the bohemian / hippie style so i got the model to move round and dance a bit lifting her hands in the air. The natural surroundings and beach worked well with this look I think. I love how the chiffony material is moving in the wind so you can see the kind of material it is and how light, airy and beautiful it is.

This is the final look which was inspired by 80's power dressing yuppies. I'm trying to show powerful work woman-wear. I would've liked to have found a more authentic looking work building rather than this deserted one. I think it could've looked good with people in the background in suits.. but then it may look silly as the other shoots only show the model but if I was going to do it again I would test try it.

Some Photo Shoot Results!

This was the first shoot I did which is supposed to be inspired by 70's style and give a  glam 'lady of leisure' look and concept. I have a lot of photos to go through to chose the ones i want to use. I like the 2nd and 3rd ones but they need a bit of editing. The first one although I like the pose the background is really not right for the look i'm trying to portray. We thought it may look effective with the shadowing but I think it looks like she's just sitting on a dirty floor (not so glam!). So i won't be using this photo.

This is one of my favourites. This is my vintage 50's inspired shoot. It looks effective in black and white because of the shadowing and the shapes created by the parasol. In some of the pictures a button has come undone which is very noticeable on the skirt in front on photos. I realise when I do a photo shoot again  it's up to me to check that everything is perfect and styled perfectly as any mistakes will be noticed straight away in a magazine and cannot afford to do this or do it again.

This photo shoot was to show how punk style is still in fashion and being made and recreated. These studded trousers with rips and the american flag are from Topshop and leather studded jacket from Lipsy both have striking punk influences. I really like the background and i think it looks effective in black and white because of the contrast of the shapes on the wall. We did another shoot for the punk look under the pier which i also like due to the dark dinginess and graffiti, and may use in one of those in my look book too.

Photo shoot Day!

So we completed the photo shoot today! Im pleased to say we got every look done between the times of 9.30 - 4.30. I really enjoyed it and had a lot of fun though it was hard work! We were blessed with a really beautifully sunny day. We would of had to reschedule half of it was raining! We started in Aruba restaurant/bar on their balcony that they allowed us to use. I then got the model dressed and Jade did the make up and hair for the next look which we did on the main beach with the sand and sea in the background. We then continued this process on different areas around the beach area. The day went smoothly and really well and I think we worked well as a team together. We had to communicate a lot so I could get exactly what I wanted from the make up, look and the shoot and so we all understood each other and were on the same wave length. I loved making my ideas and styles come to life and showing Jenna how to pose into the role of each look. All in all i think it was a successful day and outcome. I saw the pictures on Ina's camera which I was happy with, she is putting them on a CD which I will receive tomorrow... Exciting!

Jade doing Jennas make up after the first shoot.

5 Year Plan

Year 1). I will complete this year of uni and the FDA course. My intention is to get as much work experience as possible over the summer so i can learn as much as possible about the industry, especially within fashion magazines as that is my area of interest. It is also important for my CV so employers can see all i'd of done.

Year 2). I have decided to stay on for a top up year to receive a BA Hons so I firstly plan on completing that. The first 3 months will be spent doing a work placement which I still need to find and secure.

Year 3). Start applying for jobs, if i do not get one straight away, will do more work experience and work part or full time in retail to save up money and so can afford to do work experience which is usually unpaid.

Year 4) Hopefully have full time job within a magazine, styling and concentrating on fashion columns, pages and arranging photo shoots.

Year 5) Move out and find own place. Still working within a magazine company gaining knowledge of other roles and other related jobs which I could work my way up to.

Drawing Fashion Exhibition

I went to the Drawing Fashion exhibition at the Design Museum in London. It was a really inspiring exhibition that had been put together over 30 years by collector Joelle Chariau. It was displaying illustrations from some of the greatest work from 16 fashion artists from the 1910’s and 1920’s up to present day, shown in chronological order in groups of the artists of their works time. It shows how the drawings are coming to be seen increasingly as art. The minimalistic way they showed the art was simple yet effective displaying the art work on curved white translucent walls which added a beautiful clean light to the artwork too, which helped it to stand out. Music, photos and movie clips were there alongside the illustrations to show cultural and social changes of the century which I think is key and adds more helping you get a broader idea and understanding of the work.
I was really interested to see each illustrators take on fashion drawing and how different each fashion artists work was from one another. I loved the originality from each piece and seeing them all together, contrasting made a great contrast and made it effective.

Antonio Lopez 1967
Lopez was clearly inspired by the Op Art illusion and movement popular in the 1960’s. He used the technique in this stunning illustration which reflects fashion and art of that time.

Some of Erte’s work was shown at the exhibition. These are some of my favourite pieces of his art showing a glamourous and sophisticated ideal life of the 1920’s lady. I love his Art Deco style and use of colour contrast.  I also like how he uses delicate figures with big lavish outfits which shows his heart for fashion. Amazing work.

Marco Graziani's Lomography / Vintage Effect Photos

I've been thinking about my photo shoots for my professional project / look book and research different types of photography. I really like the grainy, dusty effect lomography has on pictures like these by Marco Graziani and how it makes them look old and vintage like. I think it could link in well with my photos if i made some if not all of them have this effect as it's very much about how past fashion is also very 'now fashion' so it could help address the fact the new styles are originally created a long time ago and some is vintage or inspired by past trends.
I like how it offers more than just a normal photograph and could add more feeling and depth to my photos.

Juergen Teller

I love Juergen Tellers photography especially that of Kate Moss. It really inspires me with my photo shoots as I love the way he's created different looks which i feel makes me feel different emotions when I look at the pictures, it makes me think of Kate Moss in different ways to see each photo. I'm creating and styling for 5 contrasting looks and want personality to come across in the photos to match each style so expression, concept and surrounding background and setting is important. He has done this well so i find it interesting to look at how he's achieved this with his work.

I love how Kate Moss is almost framed by the door and brick/stones in this image. Her dark eyes, glare and dark statement dress makes her dominating. The black and white effect has made a stunning contrasting image which is successful and effective to look at due to contrasting specks around her against her block colour black dress and herself. The dress, darkness and glare makes her look almost witch like and is a it haunting. It draws you in and makes you think why she's like this though because of these aspects which makes it a successful effective image. I will take all these things on board as i'm thinking about and arranging my photo shoots.

Dali Exhibition - Prague

During our trip to prague we visited an exhibition showing work by Salvador Dali . There were paintings, Etchings, sculptures, photography and tapestries which I found interesting as I had only really associated him with paintings before this and did not realise he used all this media to create his art.

I really enjoyed looking into his work and trying to evaluate it. He was known for his strange and eccentric behaviour and very psychological dream like surrealist art which I find really interesting. You can defiantly tell that he was interested in the subconscious of the mind from his work which really makes you think and analyse, this exhibition I feel gives great insight into Dali's world.

The layout and arrangement of art I thought was well done, it was quite simple so it was not distracting from the art work itself. It's order flowed well and made sense almost like telling a story as it was placed in order starting with his early work to the later work showing his progression and change in different areas of his life.

 This arrangement of it does in fact make me think of my final piece and remind me that my work must in fact be quality over quantity of work which I have struggled with before in the past. I intend on making each page of my look book not over crowed with work but perhaps more simple with strong pieces of meaningful work.

Dali's 'Soft Self Portrait With Fried Bacon'. A lot of Dali's work I find extremely interesting but I would not like it on my wall! Its very creepy, deep and psychological. I like they way he can get someone thinking about and evaluating his work, trying to work out how he was feeling at the time. This oil painting does that to me. It does inspire me and I think to shock of confuse the viewer and leaving them with a certain feeling is an amazing way to have successful art. It does make me think about how I could perhaps achieve this with my work and my project. It does remind me of the punk era and style that I am currently researching. It was rebellious and defiantly not seen as 'pretty' but it provoked reaction and had many reasons behind the style and look created.

Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum Exhibition

I took a visit down to the Russell-Cotes Museum and gallery and was quite impressed. It was originally the home of Sir Merton and Lady Russell-Cotes. The house was completed in the last year of Queen Victorias reign making it one of the last Victorian Manor houses ever built.
The house was filled with souvenirs collected by the couple on their work travels which included Japan, New Zealand, Russia, Scandinavia and Australia. Merton also bought paintings, objects and furniture owned by the rich and famous at auctions.

They announced they'd give the house and contents to the people in Bournemouth in 1907 to showcase their art collection and souvenirs.

Beautiful tiles - 3D enhanced by shading and colours - I get lots of inspiration from the form, shapes and colours like this for clothes, styles, colours, layering and materials.

The house was amazing and inspirational in itself. I learnt quite a few historical facts there and it was beautifully decorated, with beautiful royal wallpaper, a fountain inside and stained glass windows for parts of the ceilings. Even the toilet tiles were amazing! They created beautiful 3D swirling shapes with shadowing colours painted on them, hundreds of them which looked magical, I could imagine using them as inspiration in a trend book or as inspiration in my project as they give me lots of ideas!

Amazing decorative piece in Annie Russel-Cotes Tea Room with real butterflies incased between glass creating an enchantingly elegant decorative display. Really feminine and relaxingly romanic - really compliments and suits the decoration, the reason for the room and the chilled out atmosphere.

This is a recreation based on the only known photograph of Annie Russell-Cotes on her wedding day in 1860. It was a typical dress for it’s day. Thought concepts of traditional wedding emerged during Victoria’s reign, mostly women worse dresses they could incorporate into their wardrobes afterwards.

Wedding bonnet and box worn in 1966 in Bournemouth. This will help toward my project as similar styles of hat I have seen in the shops and on the catwalk and the materials, shapes and colours are very fashionable right now so helps to show this style has been made current again and is help toward my project theory.

All in all im glad I visited the Russell-Coates museum. I’ve gained knowledge of the victorian age and historical clothing as well as knowledge of paintings and other cultural souvenirs and lifestyle because of these. They will help toward inspiration for parts of my project and intend to use them for my research.

Trip to Prague!

So we went on a course trip to Prague. I really enjoyed it and the buildings were all very magnificent and beautiful. The day after we arrived we went on a walking tour around the city, it was extremely tiring but I found out a lot about the place and got to see many places! I found the buildings and architecture really inspiring and made me wish I was creating a trend book as they gave me lots of ideas for new styles and inspirations.

I love all the shapes and colours created in this church. The contrast between the delicate, light an colourful window against the thick opaque vintagey looking church is beautiful and gives me lots of ideas for trends, materials and colours, especially lace and chiffon!

This is a photo i took of part of a stained glass mosaic window in the church. I think its stunning! all the colours are rich and striking and look beautiful will the light shining through and reflecting the colour and shapes into the church. It also gives me inspiration and ideas for my work!

This is a photo i took of the back of the church. A lot of the buildings were very gothic looking and quite dark which I sometimes found a little disturbing but I was really curious and I found it really interesting and powerful. I love this picture of the top of the church against the blue sky and shining sun. Its a great contrast and shows the scale and intensity of the building

Photo Shoot

I have arranged my first photo shoot! Woo! I found my photographer on the website Model Mayhem - website where you can find people you need to work with like photographers, make up artists, models..etc. I looked at some peoples work to see how experienced they were and messaged photographer Ina Halsor, who’s work I was impressed with and who also goes to AUCB. She said she'd be interesting in helping and that she liked my concept and that because I want different styles to be shown through the photos it would be good for her portfolio too. I also found make up artist Jade Emery who said the same. My Model will be my housemate Jenna Marshal who's also on the make up and special effects course. I have arranged for it to be on Monday 21st March so  I have enough time to get all my outfits together and work arranged. We're starting at 9.30 as early as possible so we can try and fit all looks in on one day as Ina has to travel far away so one day would be best if its possible.
I have talked to Jade and Ina about what I want from the photos and what the concepts are and the make up and arranged which style will come after one another so the hair wont be ruined for the next shoot and can flow into place. We're starting with one of the most natural make up looks also so the next style we can build on that and wont take long amounts of time to remove.

Nicole Richie Style & her brands House of Harlow & WInter Kate!

I absolutely adore Nicole Richie's style which is usually inspired by the 60's and 70's, bohemian and vintage style. She really inspires me with her look and how she styles herself for my own style and for my work. She has bought out her own label called Winter Kate and also a Jewellery Line called House of Harlow 1960. Im doing one of my photo shoots based on Bohemian style and I have been looking at her modern take on it for some of my research.
I love her use of floaty and printed materials and layered jewellery. Her photo shoots of the outdoors show the freeness of the bohemian style and lifestyle. I want to capture this freeness in my photo shoot.

Ethical Fashion

This much debated about issue is aimed to discuss the problems with the way the fashion industry currently operates. For example,exploitative labour, environmental damage, the use of hazardous chemicals, waste, and animal cruelty.


Voices such as Caryn Franklin are bringing the issue to debate and on 3rd March 2011 Crossbencher Baroness Young of Hornsey led a debate on supporting the ethical and sustainable fashion and clothing industry. She put forward the argument that if UK citizens can get tax breaks on energy efficient cars and other sustainable products why cant they use tax breaks on ethical fashion? This would make high street stores much more willing to become ethical and sustainable as materials can prove expensive. It is an issue increasingly talked about and becoming a bigger problem with time.


This will most probably effect the fashion world as we go into it so I need to research into the subject as much as possible and keep up to date with news and issues, worldly and fashion. Also need to keep aware and up to date with changes in companies and look out for fair-trade and ethical clothing within shops and industry. This is so if companies I want to apply for jobs at become ethical or have ethical views I can relate and understand them fully and be ready to work with this as an ethic.

Size 0 Models

Another debate much on the end of peoples tongues right now is that of size 0 models. Is this promoting an unhealthy image to people especially young girls?... should they really be used in media and in fashion wearing glamourous, expensive clothes and the newest trends making it look like a glam lavish life that young girls would wish to be a part of. Models are reportedly starving themselves to death to be the right size for catwalk shows.
Caryn Franklin came to talk at our uni and claimed this whilst stating that "young people say more unachievable beautiful women in magazines than elderly people did in their whole lifetime." I think this makes young people think this is normal and the admired desired look. By women and by men for women. Its dangerous mentally and physically. Caryn has set up an exhibition in London called 'All Walks Beyond the Catwalk' It's promoting individuality and models of different sizes, nationalities, and looks.
They launched at London Fashion Week in Sept 2009 where eight emerging designers were paired with 8 diverse models most notably creating the ‘plus size,’ model Harley Morley and Mark Fast partnership.
Magazines such as Look are starting to use plus size models in their fashion sections and few have been used on the catwalk. The issue has been taken to government and is looking like changes are starting to be made. There is such demand for this change that by the time i'm working in industry a lot more sizes may be being used. I don't think this would affect my career to much especially as I think it is an important issue which I believe it. I'd be happy for this change for different size models and would love to work with them - even though if i'm styling this could prove tougher as previous fittings may be needed. With different shaped bodies it means you cannot just expect everything to fit in the right areas, it may prove tougher to find clothes that suit and fit everywhere but i'm more than happy to take on this task!'Plus size' model Hayley Morley on the catwalk for Mark Fast

Tutorial

My tutorial today I bought my sketch book in. I'd filled it with research i decided to start off with which was my research into the 'evolution of fashion' how and why it changed due to political/worldly issues. The tutors thought I did not delve deep enough into the past which were massive historical moments. I wrote quite a lot on each and was a bit upset at first, I though i could show main points, looks and why they came to be like that so I could reach a place where I could say look how far we've come and changed but most outfits people worn on the streets these days came from some of these decades and are here for more of a reason than just someone simply designing them.

I initially did not want to write so much on each decade so that it not would outweigh the project and go off my subject. I wanted to give an overview of major changes in clothes that were linked to changes in history. However now I think I should have possibly concentrated on about 2-3 decades (instead of 10) and researched, evaluated and written about them thoroughly so they were done properly and well instead of having to write less for 10. This would've still shown my point that things were changing and developing so much due to what was going on in the world.

Job Roles

I have been looking at jobs roles and descriptions. Here is one i found on Fashion Monitor for Tea and Cake.

AE-SAE – Tea&Cake PR

added: 08 March 2011

(PR/Marketing)

Tea&Cake PR are looking for an enthusiastic, down to earth, hard working AE-SAE to join our growing team.
The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 1 year’s PR experience along with some experience/working knowledge of social media and social media campaigns.

The role will be across some of our lifestyle and fashion accounts - and we would therefore take preference over candidates with experience that is varied and not too specialized.

You will be passionate about fashion, lifestyle and sport brands, have strong media skills, be self-motivated and have a high degree of initiative. Experience of events and regional media would also be an advantage

Tea&Cake PR is a consumer agency, specialising in fashion, sport and lifestyle brands. We are small-medium size and based in Shoreditch, east London. Please visit our website www.teaandcakepr.com for more information.

To apply please send your CV to lucy@teaandcakepr.com

Please mention Fashion Monitor when applying for this position.

I like how it describes the person they are looking for as enthusiastic and down to earth first of all. This shows the company is looking for someone normal but passionate who really believes in what they do and this company, almost like personal requirements over straight in on what you have to do.

Its explains a variety of experience is good as there will be a bit of variety in the job role - showing that not every job is completely specific and different types of work experience is good also rather than always just searching for one type. Also shows again that experience is very important as it's required and preferred to get the job.

Below i am going to create my own job description for my ideal first job....

Look Fashion Stylist

Look Magazine are looking for an enthusiastic, down to earth and hardworking fashion stylist to join our team.

The ideal candidate will have an ideal of 1 years experience in stylist or magazine experience and experience or awareness of social media.

The role will be across some of our lifestyle, beauty, styling and fashion pages. Sourcing clothes and returning them. Keeping blogs and social networking pages up to date. It will consist of arranging photo shoots and working with others to create appropriate concepts and style themes. Celebrity news, pages and interviews. and knowledge of high street and high catwalk fashion is needed.

You will have to be passionate about fashion, beauty and lifestyle. Have good media, promotion and styling skills. Be self-motivated and have a high degree of initiative.  Experience of media, promotion, styling and magazine work would be a great advantage.