Evaluation

Evaluation

ΔT& Exertion

My main aim for this project was to create a sports wear garment that was reactive to heat and changed colour in response to this. The main motivation for pursuing this concept was to create something original that would have a practical use. The garment was intended to not only look aesthetically pleasing but also indicate to the wearer the amount of effort they were using; shown by an increased degree of colour change. This would have the benefit of motivating the wearer to engage in sustaining sporting activities. It was initially intended for dancing professionals but it is evident that the garment could be utilised by a wider range of sports.

A further aim of this project was to create a number of fashion films to showcase the entire creation and implementation of this garment. My future aspirations are closely linked within the fashion film context and I hope to pursue a career within this industry. This project was an ideal opportunity to explore my fashion film making skill and develop my directing and editing abilities.

Live Project/ fashion film student

In terms of research, this project built on resources gained from the past unit and consolidating the research I had previously carried out. This was coupled with new concepts and ideas. In the past unit, I created the floral prints which would form the basis of my current project. I also tested the equipment required such as a thermal camera and identified the areas of the body which were most effective in producing heat. Mastering these skills in the last unit equipped me significantly and increased my confidence. In the current unit I was able to hone these skills further. The last unit also provided the opportunity to test different thermochromic paints. This saved considerable time and resources when creating the garment. This offered me flexibility to experiment with different colours which lead to the identification of the optimal colour balance.

I have had some hurdles to overcome such as people failing to turn up for shoots. In response I have been able to work out strategies to resolve this. Through networking I find people and if they fail to show, I will use this networking to find another suitable individuals at short notice. This skill is one of my strongest as it can be very disheartening when models or dancers don’t uphold their commitments. But this adversity has worked in my favour, finding other, possibly more suitable individuals for the role. In directing these individuals on set, in a professional manner, with little understanding of their abilities but admiration for their skill. I feel has worked well and has benefited me as I will be working with different people and challenges every day in my field of work.

The ideal platform for marketing my Project work and my fashion films would be similar to show studio and Dazed. To market my print designs, I have used a range of female dancers to show my ideal model for my sportswear. Working with dancers outside of university has given me the opportunity to focus and network with all different kinds of creative people. Working with a fashion student, Chloe Parsonson, has given me the opportunity to expand my directing skills and creating narrative within fashion films, working in a number of different directions.  I have created a website, Instagram and Youtube channel to show case my portfolio.

Evaluation of Intentions

In evaluation, the initial motivation for selecting this concept was a strong desire to choose something that was very much different from what I was used to working with. The idea of working with architecture came about from the urban influences module in which I had to take photographs and complete drawings around the city of Manchester. From this, I found a particular passion for working with these structured inanimate objects and enjoyed fusing with human elements. I felt that this offered a unique perspective and brought the coldness of the architecture to life. It was necessary to develop both drawings and paintings from the architecture photographs and I soon realised that the photographs served as the primary tools to create my final five print designs. As I wanted to display my paintings through my print designs, I used one painting in Photoshop and modified the colours, cropped shapes to create abstract compositions and also zoomed in on certain elements of the painting where the colours contrasted. By doing this, I felt that I managed to create an abstract unique designs that did not mirror my original painting, but maintained certain elements of it.

I have identified that this concept work would be most suited to a high fashion market as it would not suit a mainstream clientele. This is due to the fact that it contains elements which are very much associated with fine art principles. This tends to incorporate meaning into the work and concepts that are presented. Also, my concepts could be deemed edgy and bold, which are also characteristics associated with the high fashion industry. Fashion, print and film fashion designers such as Alexander McQueen and Nick Knight are two of my main inspirations as they incorporate themes which are visually striking and unique. My main motivation in creating these pieces is to instill a sense of vibrancy and excitement in the observer. This to me is ‘art’ as if these vital components are missing, the artist as failed in emotionally stirring the viewer.

I can envisage that my work will be for an upper market clientele and for individuals who like to make a statement in their clothing. The print designs would be best suited for high fashion catwalk clothing such as elaborate dresses in which a greater surface area allows the patterns to be seen more clearly.

The print designers Hannah Werning and Amy Sia have been most influential in the development of my eight print designs. They both tend to use a high level of contrasting colours and this was an elements that I was particularly drawn to in my work. I liked this as it offered a degree of interest and fantasy to the otherwise dull greyscale architecture images. The combination of these two elements created something that instilled much excitement in me personally as I felt it offered a kind of narrative to the images.

In refining the concept, I decided to complete an art inspired fashion film which consisted of a collaboration of my print designs projected onto a model’s body. This was aimed to mimic and represent what clothes could look like if my images were printed onto them. The model also carried out certain edgy movements which represented the geometric nature of my prints. In this film, I wanted to create an element of movement in the static print designs in order to bring them to life. The choice of music was carefully deliberated upon as I did not want this to be the primary focus. The music was solely meant to accompany and add a sense of drama and atmosphere. As previously mentioned in a blog post, the music used was all royalty free as I felt this reflected a professional image. The inspiration for this film was Showstudio which is a company that advertises fashion and uses a variety of art inspired fashion films.

Thinking about the future, this experience has been useful as it has offered me an insight into how my work could be used within a professional capacity. I always aim to reflect on my learning and evaluate what elements have been useful and also those elements that need improvement. I have found this element exciting and challenging as it has pushed me in a different direction in terms of my creative approach. I envisage that I may continue to use similar colours that would lend themselves to a high fashion designs and films. I will consider continuing using bold patterns in the development of my future work as this offers significant scope for manipulation.