So one of my fashion hates is lace. But today I found a dress I actually love! It's a figure flattering swing dress with a lace cap sleeve. Even more impressively it was only £10 from George at ASDA. Amazing! 

I'm still a massive fan of the scrunchie trend and I believe you can never have to many! So I picked up a cobalt velvet blue one also from George at ASDA for £3

Supermarket clothing right on point! 

So it's 15 days until the big move from my small cheshire town to Southampton for university! 

Before I start my course I was required to purchase a make up & hair starter kit. The make up is Charles Fox and Kryolan, which are stage make up suppliers for fashion and theatre. 

In the kit I received a brush set, contour pencil, blusher pallet, 2 eye shadow pallets, foundation pallet, camoflage pallet, rouge lip pallet, tweezers, sharpener, eyelash curler and translucent powder. 

Of course I couldn't not have a try of the products. I really liked the brushes and blusher pallet. The other products I wouldn't use unless on a photo shoot. I found the foundation pallet too creamy and think I took a lot for full coverage. 

We haven't yet received the hair kit and we won't until we enroll but I am more than excited to see what goodies are inside! 

So today was another not so successful Uni essential day! 

I ended up with no dinner service but shoes and a scarf! Typical me!

I picked up a bargain pair of floral chunky sandals from Topshop reduce from £50 to £15!! And then I still got my student discount so I managed to get them for just £13.50!! 

I also bought an amazing double sided scarf! Hurry up winter! 

Shoes:£15 Topshop sale

Scarf:£14.99 New Look 

Okay, so today was one of those day where I went to buy essentials for Uni.. I ended up with no essentials for Uni but essentials for my wardrobe! 

I still love the pastel trend and it seems to be staying for A/W. I picked up a bargain pastel pink collarless coat for only £10! 

When people say the sales are rubbish they're clearly not looking hard enough! 

I also picked up the essential chunky heeled Chelsea boot, a cream scrunchie and a gorgeous bargain bag from M&S. 

As I lay them on the floor I figured this would make a really good autum look teamed with a plain jersey wrap jumpsuit I already have in my wardrobe (another essential piece). 

Coat: Matalan £10 sale

Boots: River Island £40

Bag: M&S £18 sale

Scrunchie: Matalan £3

So I'm waiting to move to Southampton to start university as a Fashion Styling student. I'm so excited! One step further to my ideal career! 

So I thought it was a good idea As A/W is coming up I went shopping today in hope to find some goods in the sale. I wasn't let down! I got myself (well treats from the grandparents), a gorgeous handbag, boyfriend coat and a chunky pair of shoes.

 I still love the boyfriend style coat and I think I always will. It's warm, comfy and always looks on trend so for £20 it was a bargain! 

The handbag speaks for itself. AMAZING.

As for shoes, the chunkier/uglier the shoe, the better! 

Coat: New Look - £20

Shoes: New Look - £12

Handbag: Marks&Spencer - £26.99

After 2 years today is finally the day we leave college and i'm actually quite sad! i've had an amazing 2 years as a fashion design student, but i'm even more excited to become a Fashion Styling student! 

The fashion displaying our FMP's went extremely well and all our hard work payed off. 

Here is a photo of me and my final collection. 

WE DID IT! FINALLY! 

Only one more to go; the box top, and i'm so relieved! 

To start the process of this box top I traced around the toile that I created on the stand as both the toile and top I was beginning to create were the same shape. I then drew around the top half of the already created toile and cut in to sections adding 1CM SA to each pattern piece.

Once the toile had been completed and I was happy with the fit I cut out in my final fabric.

I found it difficult to sew the PU leather and PVC together as they both stuck to each other and the machine bed. I overcome this problem by seeking advice from the technician, who suggest I used a silicone spray on the machine bed. This helped dramatically and was able to manufacture neatly.

I plan to finish my garment with bias binding once the garment has been fitted during fittings week.

FINALLY COMPLETE! 

My collection is complete!  

OKAY! so, this is my 4th out of 5 garments to be patterned toiled and manufactured, no pressure then... 

To start this garment I used the stand. I work better with visuals and this method I was able to see my garment taking shape. Using the stand I placed a large piece of scrap fabric and started to draw design lines. I repeated this process for the back. I then placed the toile on to pattern paper and traced off for the flat pattern version. I then correctly sewed the toile together which gave me my final shape.

Once I was happy I cut out in my final fabrics and manufactured. I overlocked all the edges required and ironed the centre seam downwards so there was no bulk around the waist.

Once I was happy with my garment I inserted the zip correctly.

I had no CB seam so I cut to the required legnth making 2 snips at the end and folding under creating a square edge. 

I then top stitched the zip down CB using 1CM SA. The outcome was much smoother as the fabric did not stretch and was able to insert correctly, in comparison to the orange block shoulder dress.  

I plan to finish this garment by binding the neck and top stitching the sleeves after fittings week. 

4 DOWN 1 TO GO! EXCITING! 

Feeling slightly calmer having already patterned, toiled and manufactured, 2/5 garments, only 3 to go!

The next garment i worked on was the Clear Panel Dress. 

For this pattern, toile and manufacture, I used a previous pattern I had already created for the orange shoulder dress Explained in a previous post. I traced the block dress and split into sections adding 1CM SA.

For the sleeve panel, I traced round an existing pattern piece extending the width by 15CM. I manufactured the toile with no difficult areas.

I cut out in my final fabric and manufactured together overlocking where required. I top stitched all seams in the direction where they would not be shown through the PVC.

Finally I inserted the zip with no difficulties. The zip is showing through the clear panels and only required top stitching. 

3 DOWN 2 TO GO!

So after a long week off having an operation, its panic time! I still have 4/5 garments to pattern, toile and manufacture! I CAN DO IT!

I patterned the shoulder panel by tracing around the shoulder from a kimono block to get the shape I wanted, traced off and added a 1CM SA to all edges. I then sewed around the curved shoulder edge, making triangular snips for the perfect fit. I then top stitched around the edges for a neat finish. I then placed this piece on the stand and measured to create the neck fastening, tracing it off neatly from the stand.

I repeated the manufacture process in my final fabric.

For the block dress, I traced around a standard dress block, removing the darts for a loose fit. I then lengthened the pattern by 0.5m for a midi style dress. I toiled in calico.

I then started to manufacture my garment, over locking the edges as required. It was easy to assemble, yet the neoprene fabric made things a little more difficult as there was a lot of stretch in the fabric.

The zip I found most challenging on this garment. I thought the zip would be the exact same process as the previous box top. I could not finish the zip properly as I had to insert it into an open seam, leaving the closed end slightly hidden. When top stitching the zip into place I noticed the fabric was puckering and slipping out of place, even when pinned in numerous places. I found it easier if I tightly tacked into place and I found it to be more accurate. I learnt from this mistake and improved on my next garment.

So there we go, 2/5 garments complete only 3 to go! 

Having already patterned and toiled the trousers from my collection in a previous brief, i was already a step ahead with this garment! 

Not so stressful! 

I cut out in my final fabric; Orange denim. I was restricted as to how I could lay my pattern piece on the fabric because of grain line and fabric had to be wasted.

I then overlocked as required.

I manufactured the trousers and ironed open all seams.

I inserted a concealed zip in to the side of my garment. This is different to my toile as I realised the zip would lie flatter than if it was inserted in to the back. Giving them a better quality finish.

I will bind the waistband and hem after fittings week. 

1 DOWN 4 TO GO!

Final Concept

Throughout previous blog posts i showed my concept through primary research. I took the idea of the street from inspiring street art throughout the city of London. I looked further into the street and started to look at brick textures and building and used this inspiration throughout my collection using the lines block shapes and fabric textures.

Design boards

Here are my improved design boards made on photoshop 

Final Designs- CAD

Here are my final designs for my FMP collection, Inspired by brick textures and structures. The texture is conveyed through my fabric choices of orange denim, dark navy denim, neoprene, clear PVC and Leather

Design boards

Here is my collection on design boards. 

Trend board

After looking at all target market levels I found a lot of oversized garments and I think the trend is here to stay! I am pleased! I looked at men's and women's wear to inspire my collection. Here is a trend board I produced. 

Concept board

PHere are some design developments using textures that i found.

I decided to look in to wall textures, here are some primary examples of textures I found to inspire my FMP.

I used the images in my previous post in my sketch book to start my thread. The lines on the pavement reminded me of the tube map which reminded me of the lines in the brick wall which the art was placed on. I am going to use the lines to inspire the structure of my collection.

FMP

So, it's that time of year again where I have been given my FMP for my final year! This time around instead of making one garment we can make an entire collection. To gain inspiration I went to London for a day. I seemed to find myself being drawn to street art, particularly in areas such as Brick Lane and Camden.

I liked how bold the messages were and the urban edge it gave me, i also liked the use of colour covering the bricks.

Bodice Block

Here is a bodice block I produced on CAD following a tutorial from www.ralphpink.com .

Spec

Here is a spec drawing of my FMP from last year that I produced on CAD

2 Exercises on CAD

CAD Poster

Here is my fashion show poster i created on CAD using images from a previous photoshoot wearing a garment made by myself

.

Yesterday I did a fashion shoot. I styled, manufactured the garment and neck piece and photographed it myself. I used a nude body underneath my clear sustainable garment and the outcome was beautiful. See one of my images below 

If it makes you happy it can't be that bad.