Refining and reinspiring

Proceeding an unconfident and unsuccessful mid-year assessment, it's time for me to seriously refocus. I'm disappointed with my final outfit, which is upsetting since I was initially so excited about what I had achieved. I think that seeing the outfit together made me realise that I'd been so focused on trying to conceptually communicate, that I forgot about my love for fashion all together. Styling and the 'whole look' is something that I'd expressed interest in early on in the semester. 

How did I get so off track? I think at this stage, I've been able to really hone in on a few ideas - rather than trying to include them all, which is definitely positive. I'm going to scale back my ambitions and focus on what I can take from my current realisation in order to move onwards and upwards. Feeling totally motivated, I know where I need to go next. I am so impressed with the fact that I achieved a shape that moved beyond the body and also my use of print. I know that Robyn was a little confused about the intent of my print, but I think that once put into context it will make more sense. Actually, if I'm going to be honest - I'm going to focus on what I want to do. This is what has tripped me up. No more concern as to whether I'm communicating my concept in the best way. My collection, my year. I will try to dismiss ideals to get into MSFW, since at the end of the day, I'll be really pissed off if I end up with a collection that is not at all what I'd envisaged. 

So here we are. Inspired by the previously posted editorial, which admittedly, I came across by simply searching 'fashion hoarding', the layering of garments, sense of texture, colour and print communicates this sense of accumulation, which is now my primary intention. I will still use my ideas to do with a build up in colour and also my use of structure, which builds and grows with the collection. Though I need to look at piecing outfits together in a more balanced manner. Teamed with RTW garments, I'll be delivering these conceptual pieces, but also creating clothes that people want to wear!

The following images seem relevant in different ways and I'm particularly inspired by Marc Jacobs' latest collection, which is a kind of 70's Mexicana. Beautiful. Layers that experiment in proportion, colour and print are just divine and exactly what I wish to achieve. Patch-working and the introduction of design lines will allow me to use different fabrics / textures / prints.

Identity

This is an exert is from my contract for Studio this year:

Considered within a broader context, themes derived from my conceptual exploration, (hoarding, possession and acquistion) are significant to fashion and key to the nature of my work. Over-consumption, questions of value and measures of identity will be represented through a sense of progression and narrative. My intent is to address these complexities through several layers of communication, where visually and emotionally, the collection will ‘build up’ as a way of communicating the notion of accumulation. Classic proportions will be exploited with the combined use of decoration, digital print, colour and sculpture, whereby look 8, the human form is somewhat obscured, so as to rear uncertainty in the wearer’s identity.

Identity is a factor that I haven't yet been able to nail. What is this 'build up'? How can one's identity be questioned through fashion?

Image found at: unabashedfervor.blogspot.com

Alexander McQueen - This dress demands the wearer to take on a role, and perform it. There's a personal conviction that is demanded - a force of personality. The following images are, I think, one of the first collections by Japanese label 'Writtenafterwards'.Though in relation to my ideas, the expression is quite literal, (inspired by the style of a homeless woman) there's also this sense of accumulation that inhabits and overrides the wearer / body. Perhaps because the fabrication / materials are somewhat foreign and also since the person is hidden beneath the 'piles' of 'stuff'. I'm interested in this type of layering - something to further explore.

 

 

Found at: www.writtenafterwards.com

Editorial - TMAG