Historical Details Week One

I am very passionate about history, fine art and literature therefore the new brief of dissecting a chosen historical era and analysing the design details, textiles and pattern from arising inspiration is perfect for me.

As soon as the brief was mentioned the highway man came to mind. I believe this is because I have been watching and enjoying Canal Plus' 'Versailles', the ten episode period drama following Louis XIV. 

Revolving my time bracket around famous highway man 'Claude Duval' I engaged in further extensive research. I found the famous french villain operated in England as opposed to his home country. 

I am pleased then with my decision to study England during the late 17th Century rather than the famous and more commonly explored contemporaries across the channel. The era is called 'The English Restoration' and begins with King Charles II returning to his 'rightful' position as king after the austere, Puritan leadership of Oliver Cromwell and his son Richard Cromwell, the latter under whom a demise of leadership began. I love the decadence and opulence of the era. The court of the nation takes a sigh of relief after being released from the strict rules of Cromwell's leadership and head full throttle towards debauched and dandy lifestyles of drinking, sex and vanity. I have always been a lover of colour and this era rich colours return to fashion tenfold. I am an actor and vocalist with a love of the theatre and in this era Charles II, an admirer of performance, lifts all bans on players in the country setting up two court ensembles for his entertainment. The fascination with gods and goddesses at the time, demonstrated in portraiture, namely that of Peter Lely who would depict the 'celebrities' of the time, such as Catherine of Braganza, Nell Gwynn or Barbara Villiers in the roles such as Minerva, Venus or St Catherine, represents the courts obsession with power and beauty; immortality even. 

Even for the lower classes, who of course did not share in the excess of the uppers, a newfound sense of independence emerged, where many had at least some disposable income for the first time in their family history. This was owed to new markets such as makeup flogging and portrait etching distribution. With a freer market and a return to the previously prohibited pastimes such as cockfighting and gambling even the poor could share some way in the return to royalist debauchery.  

My visits to The Wallace Collection, The National Gallery, The National Portrait Gallery, The National Art Library and The Victoria and Albert Museum have succesfully broadened my knowledge of the era. I love to read into the historical details hearing how they would perfume their gloves with jasmine flower and frangipani or cake their faces with lead based products to cover their skin imperfections. I love to use the images in my presentation; one of my sketchbook pages includes jasmine flower imagery from contemporary paintings as well as modern photography. 

Having discovered on previous projects how effective 'Frankenstein collages' are for developing unusual and creative silhouettes in a prolific and interesting manner, I chose to continue my usage of the design development method with this project. 

Rough and playful sketching enable me to enter into the mood of the era. Fun scribbles evoke the frivolity and style of the times.

I have learnt to be much freer with my sketching style using techniques like cross hatching to explore tone and shade. I believe my work looks much more professional because of it my previous sketches looking tight and immature in comparison. 

Moving forward I wish to elevate the design details I have chosen into a modern aesthetic suitable for a 21st century wearer. I may use simpler, modern silhouettes combined with specific details to achieve this. I wish to develop a key colour palette to stick to throughout the process and will endeavour to source suitable materials in the next few days. 

Sketchbook work Author's own
 using imagery from 'Historical Fashion in Detail'

Deconstruction x Reconstruction

 

Deconstruction x Reconstruction Week Two: 15-20.11.2016

My research into the 1930's and construction workers has led me to explore the workman's coat, a garment that has consistently appeared in the imagery I have referenced.

Using paper scans and print outs of various deconstructed garments from my primary research is an effective way to develop silhouettes and possible designs. Working in my colour palette on sheets of paper, without wasting material, is effective and prolific and my outcomes feel relevant and experimental.

I concluded after previous self-evaluation that I needed to explore texture and textile more extensively.  Using my deconstructed material I have developed several samples that I feel are succesful. Namely a knotted/woven/platted pieces from torn and shredded upholstery velvet curtains. The sample has a rough feel that effectively works for my 1930's working-man aesthetic. The material has denim effect which I consider effective considering the 'Of Mice and Men' imagery in my research, which features various denim fabrications.

I have translated the yellow straps explored from the attire of Brazilian female construction workers into strap details on coats. The straps look like those on dungarees- a garment typical for workers in the 1930's.

Towards the conclusive phase of my research and design development I chose to look at other examples of females in a construction-work/ labour environment. Some images of women in munitions factories during the war paralleled my research into the modern day Brazilian woman's attire. Blue shirts and yellow emerged as strong colours for reference in both images and create an interesting narrative between then and now.

The aprons of female charcoal kiln feeders from 1939 inspire me too and have been translated into peplums and trouser silhouettes on certain designs.

When finalising my designs I chose what I felt were the strongest details from throughout my explorations and developments; this was the denim fabrications from 'Of Mice and Men' research, the workman's coat and casual tailoring from explorations of 1930's 'real characters' photography and the draped sleeve/ shoulder details developed from a deconstructed knife pleat skirt, inspired by the Chrysler building in New York.

I am happy with my final developments of coat designs. I love using 3D textile within my sketches and feel I could have explored this method of design more extensively.

I am confident that my concept threads consistently and concisely through my sketchbook and that my final outcome is a successful emanation of definite, conceptual research.

My final coat uses deconstructed curtains, jeans, trousers and tailoring and feels highly relevant to my 1930's workman aesthetic.

Concept board- Author's own

Deconstruction x Reconstruction Week One: 11-14.11.2016

I chose to research what buildings were constructed around the 1930's. The Chrysler building in New York felt relevant. Its glamourous silver structure well contrasts the browns and rust of the workers that made it. I love vintage photography of the constructers that worked on the building, and others like it. I intend to develop from the images I have found. 

I am very pleased with my use of a deconstructed pleated skirt during a stand session this week. Looking at 1930's Cristobal Balenciaga couture, as well as the structure of the Chrysler building, I draped a neck piece and sketched a sleeve, the result of which, I feel, makes an interesting catalyst for design development. The draping references also, Steinbeck's Curley's wife and her dreams of Hollywood glamour.

Deconstructed denim feels hyper relevant to my concept and I intend to work with it further. My sketch work and collage of denim jeans forms initial ideas on colour and form that I deem exciting and therefore succesful.  

Conscious to keep my project relevant and modern, I have researched into modern construction work, so as contrast the imagery of Dust bowl America I have collated. I have found that Brazil is leading the way globally in regards to woman in construction, procuring the breakdown of gender stereotypes and restricting barriers. The country employs over 5,000 female workers; their blue and yellow attire is inspiring to me. 

With modern construction in mind I have chosen to pick an iconic brand, synonymous with construction, to elevate into high-fashion. 'CAT', famous namely for their sand coloured builder's boots, feels relevant. I intend to incorporate their logo into my work. 

My research into 1930's workers and 'Of Mice and Men' demonstrates that many the poor, working man, would wear casual, brown coloured tailoring as well as the denim dungarees that might more immediately to mind. My decision to further deconstruct a casual blazer, inspired by this research was succesful as it effectively reimagined silhouettes and form. 

I am pleased with my print design exploration of scaffolding and photography commissioned by the 'MTM Construction Group'. The resulting image feels extra successful as it relates, to me, to the 'strong and rocky Gabilan mountains' described in Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men'. A combination of this print with my elevation of the 'CAT' brand, deconstructed tailoring/ denim, and the introduction of a flattened yellow hard hat (combining the 21st century builder's attire with the 1930's labourer's flat cap) feels succesful and innovatory. 

Accumulating my research, leads me to identify five key outcomes from my initial research;

- 1930's Old Hollywood Evening Wear (fluid draping)/ Curley's Wife's Dream

- Rough denim (1930's Workman/ characters in 'Of Mice and Men)

- Casual Tailoring (1930's Workman)

- Elevation of the 'CAT' brand

- Brazilian female construction workers

With the 1930's workman a key part of my exploration, I looked back at all my image research. The overriding image seems to be the workman's casual coat/ tailoring. I wish to combine this base with colour inspiration from modern female construction workers and draping inspired by Old Hollywood glamour. Design details can reference too characters from Steinbeck's novella such as 'red mules' or a 'Stetson hat'. 

Working on the stand and body with paper is a highly effective method for research as well as design development. I have explored silhouette and cut via this method and believe my outcomes challenge normal styles and result in an innovative, unique look. I love the quick and prolific nature of the design method. 

Deconstruction x Reconstruction Week One: 8-10.11.2016

'Deconstruction' is the taking apart of something once 'constructed' or put together. 'Reconstruction' literally means putting something back together. In relation to this project however 'reconstruction' entails reworking and reimagining an original, perhaps banal, item of clothing and elevating it into something creative and new. I love the project brief. Working with fabric and existing garments is something I feel very confident with. This is owed to the fact, as a child, and throughout my life, the materials available to me, to realise my creative thoughts, were often existing products, hand me downs and clothing waste. I feel at home turning an old rain coat into a dress, my brother's rugby shirt into a jacket or even a dog blanket into a evening gown. 

Towards the end of the 'Structure and Attachment' project, I felt my collage work was among the strongest of the development styles utilised. I am happy with my decision to work with the method again and believe the 'Frankenstein collages' I have created are an effective catalyst for the new project. The collages succesfully challenge my typical, go-to silhouettes and encourage a far more creative vision in regards to working clothes and shapes in flat. 

Having felt restricted by the 'monotone' criteria of the last brief, and having been encouraged to explore colour more thoroughly in my assessment, I am focusing on developing a colour scheme throughout this mini-project. 

One particular collage has become the catalyst for my concept with this brief. When arranging my exaggerated forms in a uniformed line I immediately thought of lines of workers; lines of 'construction workers'. I like the idea of looking at the word 'construction' in regards to 'construction workers' and not just the construction of a garment. I put aside the concept briefly, in order to fully concentrate on my primary research of existing garments, but hastily returned to it for further development.

 

Sketchbook work and collage Author's own with muse from GQ magazine

I feel that looking at existing garments is an extremely effective initial process for design. I am pleased with my pencil and pen sketches of folds, buttons, towelling, ruffling and more, and believe my mark marking skills are becoming more succesful, the freer and more fluid I do them. 

Working garments on the stand is a resultant process. It has allowed me to re-imagine classic cuts and shapes and interact with the body in a more prolific manner. 

Working at high speed leaves little time for fussy and unnecessary perfection, resulting in raw, originative outcomes. 

Unconventional combinations of fabrics, during the primary research stage, may inform later outcomes. My work with camouflage and pink towelling felt particularly succesfully as well as inventively witty. 

The silhouettes I have been creating during research have resonated with me in regards to 1930's style imagery. Crossover night gowns, elegant draping and tea dresses have all sprung to mind and later, when working with denim and rough linen, the masculine 1940's worker accompanied this 'old Hollywood' aesthetic and encouraged me to research further into the era, in order to develop a concept within the 'Deconstruction' brief. 

When working with a wacky, lurid green, velvet scarf, 'lettuce' came to mind. Instantaneously, this lettuce connected in my head the dream of "livin' off the fatta the lan" that the character Lennie holds in the 1930's novella 'Of Mice and Men' by John Steinbeck. 

I felt then that, what with previous explorations of lines of construction workers, rough denim and linen, as well as the Golden Age Hollywood, that 1930's Dustbowl America via Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men', would be a succesful concept for further research and development. 

I am pleased with my extensive research into the famous novella, turned play, turned movie and certain quotes have provided vivid inspiration for design.  

The character Curley's wife's dream of being a glamourous actress is contrasted by the dirt and denim of a Salinas ranch and the overall image is brimming with design potential. My research into Steinbeck's writing has resulted in finding inspiring quotations like 'coulda been in the movies and had nice clothes', 'I like beens with ketchup' and 'she wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers'. I felt my further use of the frankenstein collage technique to develop this research was effective because it combines my primary research of the deconstructed garments, with my self-instigated concept. 

Final Photo Shoot

     models- Constance Knights + Maximilian Raynor

 

I am greatly pleased with my final shoot. I am confident that my decision to contrast the luxury looking 'upper class' pinstripe material with the location of derelict council flats is effective. The 'unisex' nature of the pieces has arisen naturally- I don't feel it too necessary to focus on this, with gender fluidity in fashion quickly becoming a norm. The fact both a woman and man can wear my final look also works with the theme of structure because it explores equality in that neither gender/sex is being more sexualised or domesticated than the other through their clothing; neither looks more or less empowered than the other.