[1] I chose the book Eco-chic the Fashion Paradox by Sandy Black. The reason I chose this book is because I am interested in environmental/sustainable fashion. I love to see all the different ways fashion companies use environmental strategies to help minimise the amount of waste they are creating within this type of industry. This being both the footprint and waste areas; as this is a very fast-forward industry where what is fashionable is changing extremely quickly.

[2] Looking at multiple different sites on designers who use sustainability to promote their sustainable clothes, I thought this was a good website because it tells you about multiple different designers who are interested in creating sustainable clothing. These vary between jewellery, garments and bags. Consumers are asking more for sustainable clothing as people are becoming more aware of the damage the industry has on the environment. I think this is important to know about as designer’s are trying to make a change for their company for the better. 

[3] Looking at newspaper articles about the impacts that the fashion industry has on the environment, and what designers are doing to help minimise this impact, I came across this article, which contains statistic and facts about the damage. I thought this was a great article to read if you are interested in this area of fashion. Telling us about the water production and how  synthetic fibres are one of the biggest problems, and are found in 60% of clothing, producing three times more CO2 than organic cotton, taking decades to decompose and badly polluting marine life. It’s interesting reading about just how sever this problem is, with many people being unaware of the actual effect it is having.

[1] Black, S (2008), Eco-Chic the Fashion Paradox, London: Black Dog Publishing.

[2] Dawson Hoff, V (2014), 7 Eco-Friendly Fashion Labels To Know Now. Available from: http://www.elle.com/fashion/g8913/best-eco-friendly-fashion-brands/?slide=3 [Accessed 24th October 2017]

[3] Walker, R (2017), Fashion in new bid to be truly sustainable, The Gardian. (Accessed from: 24th October 2017)

 

 

For my theme of Urban Pattern’s, within my knitwear project, I chose to look at the movement of constructivism and found the book below [1]. I focused in on the chapter called “Reductive” that briefly spoke about the movement and showcased artists that fitted that theme. Alexander Rodchenko was an artist that interested me from task 1 and in this book it showcased more of his work. Seeing all the geometric forms that he and others made, made me want to research fashion design in 1920’s Russia because this was where Constructivism was born.

I found a Russian fashion blog [2] that talked about Rodchenko and Popova and that constructivist designers liked to work with simple geometric shapes in bright colours and grand designs. They re-imagined the flapper dress and it was clear there was an influence of ‘production’ based, specialised clothing. The images on the website showed a lot of triangles, stripes and clean lines were used and inspired later fashion collections.

When looking for fashion designers influenced by constructivism, I came across an obituary for André Courrèges on The Guardian [3]. It showed examples of his work for Balenciaga and went on to say he was deeply interested in the constructivist era and it heavily influenced his work. Although only briefly mentioned in this article, the fact it wrote he went against the fabrics and yarns used then, made me more inclined to research him further. Just by searching his name, it was clear that this era had in fact influenced him. Stripes and geometric forms dominated [4], just like the clothes on the fashion blog and although not knitwear, he will definitely help develop my designs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

[1]Wye, D and Weitman, W (2004) Modern Means: continuity and change in art, 1880 to the present. Highlights from the museum of modern art. NY, Published by the Museum of Modern Art

[2] Dorofeeva, E. (2013) Construction in Russia in the 1920’s. Available from: http://www.russianfashionblog.com/index.php/2013/06/constructivism-russia-1920s/#axzz4wMt1nPna.    Accessed: 22/10/2017

[3]Horwell, V. (2016) Andre Courreges Obituary. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2016/jan/08/andre-courreges   Accessed: 23/10/2017

[4] Andre Courreges. Available from: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/andre-courreges/   Accessed: 23/10/2017

African luxury market

The book I chose to look at is a book that I am currently reading by (1) Corner, F (2014) Why fashion matters. Frances Corner has been the head of the London college of fashion since 2005. As a design student I wanted to also gain insight into the economic side to further my knowledge and possibly a sociological explanation into why fashion is so personal to us. I chose the ‘The African luxury market’ because it referred to Africa’s potential to be both a ‘producer and ultimately consumer of luxury goods’ (page 16) you generally think of the production of clothing you is produced in Asia and consumed in Western societies.

I chose a website which was about the international Herald tribune’s 2012 by (2) Doran, S (2012) Luxury society, because it was referenced by Corner on page 16 of ‘Why fashion matters’. Within the article it mentioned Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney and Fendi have used Africa as a source of production because the work in Africa has been described as exceptional hand work which showed that Africa is becoming a producer of luxury goods.

I then found a newspaper article by (3) Paton, E (2014) Luxury heavyweights eye Africa’s newly affluent, Financial times. Within the article it mentioned the African market was dismissed by the luxury industry for years and now their target market is ‘the emerging…established middle class and the affluent African consumer who’s probably extremely well traveled and brand savvy,” Sue Fox, managing director for Estée Lauder in sub-Saharan Africa’. This showed that the rising African middle class population is becoming a consumer of luxury goods.

References

Book (1) – Corner, F (2014) Why fashion matters, London: Thames and Hudson

Webpage (2) – Doran, S (2012) Luxury society,  https://www.luxurysociety.com/en/articles/2012/09/luxury-brands-the-promise-of-africa-suzy-menkes/  [Accessed 22 October 2017].

Newspaper Article (3) – Paton, E (2014) Luxury heavyweights eye Africa’s newly affluent, Financial times, 19 September

 

The image that I chose to research is a photograph of Jean Patchett, a leading model in the 40’s and 50’s, I found in the book ‘Top Model’ by Michael Gross (published in 1995), taken by fashion photographer Louise Dahl-Wolfe in 1953 in Grenada. The image depicts Jean in a black and white swimsuit in the style popular at the time, with graphic sunglasses to match and her hair wrapped in a towel. Searching online for similar images I came across a photo of what appears to be the front cover of ‘Vogue Paris’ from June 1952. The model (unknown) is sporting a swimsuit practically identical in style to the one Jean Patchett is wearing in Louise Dahl-Wolfe’s photograph of her; strapless with shorts and a sweetheart neckline. The fact that this particular style of swimsuit was on the cover of ‘Vogue Paris’ in June 1952 is evidence that this was the “it” swimsuit style of that year, and the fact that Jean Patchett was wearing the same style a year later in 1953 solidifies that this style of swimsuit was set to stay throughout the 50’s.

 

I then found more information on Louise Dahl-Wolfe from the summary of an exhibition documenting her life and work on the Fashion and Textile Design Museum’s website. On here I learnt of her important role as a female fashion photographer in a field largely dominated by men, and how she captured the independence of the post-war woman in her photography. She worked largely with Harper’s Bazaar from 1936 to 1958, her ties to the fashion industry and fashion magazines meaning she would have most likely come across the edition of ‘Vogue Paris’ displaying the popular swimsuit style she would photograph Jean Patchett in a year later. After reading an article on the ‘Elle Magazine’ website I learnt that in the early 50’s many beaches across Europe attempted to ban bikinis, which were becoming popular in the post-war years as women were shedding the regimented dress of wartime and celebrated their freedom. As a result of the ban, the higher coverage swimsuits came back into fashion, examples of which can be seen in both of my chosen images.

However, they were nowhere near as modest as the “bathing gowns” that were introduced in the 17th century, as I read on www.smithsonianmag.com, the first purpose-made bathing garments being made out of stiff, yellow canvas. Modesty was of the utmost importance in the centuries that followed, swimwear being made out of heavy, opaque fabrics such as wool and flannel and in designs made to disguise the female figure rather than accentuate it. It wasn’t until the early 20th century that more figure-hugging swimwear came into fashion and slowly more and more skin became exposed, culminating in 1946 when French engineer Louis Réard designed what we recognise today as the bikini. His risqué design caused wide-spread controversy and was not an instant hit, the preferred swimwear for the 50’s being the more modest one-piece displayed in my initial picture and on the cover of ‘Vogue Paris’. However, the bikini eventually took off until it became the popular piece of swimwear we see on beaches all over the world today.

 

 

• M. Gross, (1995), ‘Top Model: Les Secrets d’un Sale Business’, Paris: A Contrario
• Vogue Paris Cover, 1952. Available from: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/173036810654278891  (accessed: 22/10/17)
• Emily Spivack, (2012), Smithsonian.com. Available from: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/how-bathing-suits-went-from-two-pieces-to-long-gowns-and-back-134926264/  (accessed: 22/10/17)

To start the task, I decided to look within a book named ‘Women, A Century of lifestyle, Fashion, Work and Play’, by Maureen Hill. The Photograph I choose was of Dame Anita Roddick who founded the body shop. After doing further research into the Body Shop, I found that it was the first cosmetics brand to not test their products on animals. On the Body Shop website I discovered their business objectives in a company report. Which suggested that the company aim to support the community and to continue with their sustainable and ethical practice, with the additional promise to update the public on their progress and struggles.[1] This information is very useful as it enables us to find out about how the business is willing to change its practices and principles in order to become more ethical.

I then watched a video produced by the BBC, which argued there are controversial issues with The Body Shop. In 2006 the French cosmetics business L’Oreal took over The Body Shop. This is controversial as L’Oreal are not considered to be completely ethical or sustainable. Although, now they do not test on animals themselves, they are still not considered as being cruelty free due to the fact that their products are sold in China, where regulations do not prohibit the testing of products on animals before they reach the shelves.[2] Due to the fact that this information is sourced from the BBC one would therefore assume that it is fairly reliable.

After thoroughly researching The Body Shop, I was interested in its sustainable image, and how it can uses this as a unique selling point in the market. However, they are not alone, the clothing brand Reformation also follows such principles. Reformation was created in 2009 by Yael Aflalo. They use sustainable fabrics and vintage garments, but also incorporate ethical practices into their work. On their website, the fabrics they use, the percentage of their clothing that is made from vintage items and their efforts to be sustainable and better for the environment. They detail how their production methods are sustainable by tracking their own carbon footprint, and due to the fact that their factories and machineries are made to minimise waste and resources. In order to reduce their waste they send pre-paid shipping labels so when a customer has finished with their clothes they can send the clothes back to be recycled and reused.[3] The reliability of this website is questionable as it comes from the company itself, but the idea is revolutionary and an exciting venture for the prospects of environmentally friendly fashion.

To broaden my knowledge on sustainable practices in businesses, I found a report published in 1992 by the ‘International Institute for Sustainable Development’ in conjunction with Deloitte & Touché and the ‘World Business Council for Sustainable Development.’[4] It is therefore one of the most reliable sources featured in this essay. The report defines what a sustainable business is and goes on to state which stakeholders are involved in creating a sustainable business. The report also shows the difficulties that comes with making a business sustainable. With the market being very dynamic, efforts to be sustainable can reduce the chance a business has to be competitive. This shows the effort and commitment certain sustainable businesses have, thus giving sustainable businesses a positive reputation. I enjoyed this research task and believe it may reflect upon my work in the future, and we can only hope that more businesses take up this sustainable mindset.

 

 

The Body Shop, Building for the future, 2014/15. Accessed: 17/10/17   https://www.thebodyshop.com/medias/Values-Report-2015-6.pdf?context=pdf/ha8/h40/9089793032222.pdf&attachment=true

²What went wrong for The Body Shop?, BBC News, Kate Hope. 09/02/2017 Accessed 17/10/2017

. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38905530

3Reformation Clothing. Accessed  17/10/2017

https://www.thereformation.com

4 Business Strategies For sustainable Development , International Institute for Sustainable Development in conjunction with Deloitte & Touche and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, 1992. Accessed 17/10/17

https://www.iisd.org/business/pdf/business_strategy.pdf

In the late 1800’s the denim jacket was created, it was mainly worn by your typical workers such as miners and other hard grafting jobs. They were the perfect garment because of the heavy-duty fabric.

The image to the left shows a teenager of the 90’s wearing denim on denim, this shows that it was to become a general trend in years to come also suggesting the jacket was a universal item of clothing, loved by all walks of life.

‘Kanye sold a jacket inspired by a homeless teen for $400 ’ The title in which Vice used for this article is completely wrong in my opinion. I don’t believe it was inspired as the jackets are identical.

There’s a difference.

Members of the public were not impressed, as it seemed someone’s pain and suffering was effortlessly turned into money in a very insensitive and greedy way. Initally the jacket was a canavas of all emotions the teen experienced from his drug abuse to family issues and the general loneliness of being homeless and I think for someone to exploit this is selfish.

In conclusion, this small article on the Daily Mail shows celebrities Cara Delevingne and Brooklyn Beckham casually wearing denim jackets at Glastonbury festival. It shows that your classic Levi Strauss or even Primark denim jacket is stills a necessity in this day and age.

To conclude,it’s important to pay attention to plagiarism as at the end of the end of the day it could be you happen to you in the future and it’s disheartening when someone gets credit for your hard work.

 

Bibliography

(1)Manandhar,N,(2014) what we wore a people’s history of British style,page 67,1st edition,Slovakia,Prestel

(2) Watamanuk,T,(2016),available from:https://i-d.vice.com,[accessed 22nd October]

(3)Griffiths,C,(2017), Daily Mail,25th June

I have always enjoyed researching fashion illustration both as a means of promoting designs and as an art in itself. I found this book by David Downton who had put together a collection of illustrations by fashion artists across the years. I particularly liked this piece by Bernard Blossac: the seemingly effortless lines and shading give the drawing a sense of ease and refinement.  I love how Blossac uses nothing but pencil to accentuate the elegant curves and shape of the garment, whilst evoking a whole world of luxury and style. As I progressed through the book I appreciated more and more the commentaries that Downton had written beside each piece, and I decided to learn more about some of his own work.

 

I went to David Downton’s own website and found an interesting interview that he’d had with Tony Glenville. He describes his style of draughtsmanship as “controlled spontaneity”. In his work, he aims to achieve strong drawing skills and fluidity, saying that “when the drawing looks right I start to eliminate, to de-construct if you like. My mantra is to keep working until it looks effortless.”

 

Downton’s bold and classy fashion illustrations have featured on the covers of high-end fashion magazines. I researched commissions he’d done as well as exhibitions and found an article in Vogue magazine called “David Downton: 15 Favourite Fashion Illustrations”. It features fifteen portraits of various models and actresses including Cate Blanchett, Amanda Harlech and Paloma Picasso, and presents a rich collection of artwork that ranges from minimalistic monochrome to big and colourful brushstrokes.

Learning how fashion designers’ work is developed and brought to life by different artists cast a new and exciting light on my perception of art and design. The idea that an artist’s creation can constantly grow, that it can be transformed by different media and developed into a whole new style highlighted the constant metamorphosis that art undergoes and how it touches each individual in a personal and unique way.

Task 3 & 4: Academic Integrity; Gaudi research

 Bergos Masso, J.B.M, 1974, GAUDI, El Hombre y la obra, General, Barcelona, Universidad Politecnica de Barcelona.

I have chosen to look at this book, as one of the artists I am researching and getting inspiration from, is Antoni Gaudi. Therefore I thought that this book, which provides information all about his life and his work would be very useful to look at. Gaudi, is one of the greatest Catalan architects, his work is a grand inspiration, the shapes and patterns throughout is of great detail and inevitable to pass by without a second glance.

 Collins, G.R.C, May 25 2010, Encyclopaedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antoni-Gaudi, Accessed: 19th October 2017

This website, is very useful to find information of artists and other specific areas. I decided to use this website as it also provides information of Gaudi’s life, projects, past creations and allows you to assess yourself in order to make sure you have learnt and understood what you have just read. This way your knowledge will expand and be broadened with the articles provided.

 Filler, M.F, June 25 2015, The New Yorker review of Books, Gaudi’s Great Temple

This being a News Paper article, is showing a different resource which could be used to research Gaudi. I chose this article, as not only it gives information about Gaudi and his work, but it also informs you about what his work has brought to the citizens and to Barcelona, such as tourism, rise of the economy and other aspects which need to be considered when researching an artist and the impact their work has had.

Bibliography

• Filler, M.F, June 25 2015, The New Yorker review of Books, Gaudi’s Great Temple
• Collins, G.R.C, May 25 2010, Encyclopaedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antoni-Gaudi, Accessed: 19th October 2017
• Bergos Masso, J.B.M, 1974, GAUDI, El Hombre y la obra, General, Barcelona, Universidad Politecnica de Barcelona.

Task 1&2: Latkowska-Zychska, Creative exploration of Fibre & Fabric

Book: Surface Design Journal Volume 41. No 2. Making our mark: SDA at 40, Summer 2017. Creative exploration of fibre and fabric.

Latkowska-Zychska. Good morning-good night 2015, plant fibres, handmade paper 67″x113″. Photo by: Piotr Mastalerz.

Leading a great interest in textile and surface design, I started looking up books which would relate to this affection. Having found this book, I then looked further at its content and aspects of it which made it more appealing to me. I found an artist within the book, which for several years was working in the style of ‘Gobelin Tapestry’. The photo above represents one of her pieces of work. Ewa Latkowska-Zychska works with handmade paper in order to create a variety of textures and intricate surfaces. I admire her use of material and the way in which she can transform a surface completely having a chosen theme in mind.

Agra Art: http://www.agraart.pl/nowe/artists, Rozowo-Czerwony, 2013, Ewa Latkowska-Zychska, 51″x34″

Having looked at a book which contained Ewa Latkowska-Zychska’s work. I then went and looked at some websites which would allowed me to find some exhibition pieces of Latkowska-Zychska’s work. This website does not only advertise and exhibit artists and designers work, but you can also see what’s up for sale and auction. Alongside with this artist many more can be found on this website and you can see and explore the different styles, techniques found in each piece, it also contains information of each piece and how it was made.

Hunterdon Art Museum-Tapestry, New Jersey. https://hunterdonartmuseum.org/visitor-information.

By carrying out some further research online, I found a Museum in New Jersey in which Ewa Latkowska-Ztchska’s work had been shown. In the Tapestry section of this Museum, I found this information. The Hunterdon Art Museum, centre for art &craft design showcases a variety of work from a range of contemporary artists.

I found this task especially useful as a whole, it allowed me to expand my research and resources. It made me see how I can link and develop my findings to a further level, which will not only allow me to learn more about an artist, exhibition, piece of work, but also develop my projects and learn more about my chosen themes. I now feel more confident when doing research and broadening my resources.

Just by starting out at the library and choosing a relevant book to my topic allowed me to discover a new designer and her work. Which then made me intrigued into finding out more about that designer and to see where her work can be presented and experienced in person. I will make sure I use this process for my future projects in order to start off with a good body of research by using a variety of resources, but also by looking at different things. You can look at their life, their exhibitions, previous work, items for sale.

Bibliography:

Book: Surface Design Journal Volume 41. No 2. Making our mark: SDA at 40, Summer 2017.

Creative exploration of fibre and fabric. Agra Art: http://www.agraart.pl/nowe/artists

Hunterdon Art Museum-Tapestry, New Jersey. https://hunterdonartmuseum.org/visitor-information