Student Work: AS Textiles Paper Dress

As part of the introduction to their exam theme 'Covert and Obscured' our AS Textiles students began to explore the possibility of using recycled materials and transforming their meaning by recreating something new. The students looked at origami techniques and were inspired by 'junk fashion' and Gary Harvey when creating their dress and played around with heat transfer techniques too. We think the finished experiment is beautiful! 

competition: graduate fashion week

Graduate Fashion Week is an annual event which showcases the best upcoming fashion designers graduating from degree course from across the country - normally it's just a chance for graduates to showcase their talent but this year they've got an open call looking for talent of any age! 

They are currently looking for writers and photographers to contribute and work with them in the run up to and during Graduate Fashion week + they're looking for illustration submissions to be used across social media networks!  so if you want to get involved get in touch - you can see all the details HERE. 

If you want to see what they've been doing so far check out tumblr, twitter and facebook. GOOD LUCK!  

Exhibition: Golden Spider Silk

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On display from today at the V&A is this amazing silk shawl - it's the worlds largest piece of cloth made from spiders silk. The silk shawl is made from the silk of over a million female golden-orb weaver spiders, a spider native to the highlands of Madagascar and the vivid golden yellow colour is in fact the natural colour of the spiders silk. The piece was created by artist Simon Peers and designer Nicholas Godley and took over 8 years to create. There's are article on the Guardian here and a BBC news feature here which discuss the piece in further detail. The exhibition itself will also feature background material and a short film showing the process of creating such an incredible piece!

When: opens today until 5th June 2012 

Where: The V&A

Cost: Free 

Event: Digital Print Design with Casette Playa

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This weekend the British Museum are hosting a great free event 'Digital Print Design with Cassette Playa'. The event is taking place twice this Saturday 7th January at 11 and 2.30, it's completely free you just need to book online beforehand. Cassette Playa is a contemporary fashion designer whose worked with people like Dizzie Rascal and MIA and regularly shows her work at London Fashion Week. 

Inspiration: Vivienne Westwood

I've gone a bit Vivienne Westwood crazy this week! I've found another great video, this time it's the  Red Label SS12 catwalk show. To have a look behind the scenes at the Gold Label show have a look at our previous post.

Inspiration: Vivienne Westwood

This video is great! It gives you a sneak peak behind the scenes at Vivienne Westwood's Gold Label SS12 show! The collection had 3 main influences; China, The Desert and 17th Century corsets and you can read more about those influences in this article.

Inspiration: Jess Eaton

Jess Eaton is one half of EatonNott who I've blogged about previously. As well as the amazing work she makes collaboratively she also creates these beautiful fashion pieces made from recycled objects using all sorts of things from Sindy dolls to Lidl bags.

Inspiration: Roadkill Couture

Brighton based artists Jess Eaton and Jon Nott have collaborated to create a range of interior and design products made from  roadkill, I particularly like their 'Roadkill Couture' collection. If your ever in Brighton a visit to their studio/shop is a must!

Exhibition: It's London Fashion Week!

It's London Fashion Week and as always there is a whole host of things going on in London this week.

It seems as though this year theres a big push to enjoy what's happening without attending! The London Fashion Week site are streaming the catwalk shows as they are happening, have a look at the the digital schedule to find out what's on and when so you don't miss out. The Guardian will be posting on tumblr throughout the week. Topshop are also streaming events from their Unique collection.  

Matthew Williamson will be showcasing his S/S12 collection in the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern.

Chanel have a pop-up shop at Harrods. This one-off shop is located on the ground floor, with black and white walls, embossed lion heads and Chanel accessories, bags, shoes and fine jewellery set against the backdrop of a magical forest it promises to be well worth a visit.  

La Galleria are hosting an exhibition 'Wool Modern' showcasing the versatility of wool with pieces by Vivienne Westwood, Kenzo, Richard Nicoll and more

Christa van der Meer

catwalk collection at a 2011 fashion show

drawings for her 2010-11 collection, image source

Christa van der Meer is an upcoming Dutch designer who takes inspiration from the beauty of everyday life. When talking about her collections she states 'My collections are an atmosphere-statement and can be translated into wearable fashion' Not only are her finished garments stunning, she is a prolific drawer and considers drawing an integral part of her design process; 'Drawings and paintings - from portraits - always form the base for her collections' 

Emilie Meldem

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How beautiful is this piece from Swedish Fashion Designer Emilie Meldem's A/W 10/11 collection. She uses a range of found and unusual objects throughout the collection and the location for the photo shoot really adds atmosphere to the pieces. 

Fashion in Motion at The V&A: Yohji Yamamoto

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On Friday July 1st The V&A are hosting what is going to be a spectacular event as part of their Fashion In Motion catwalk events. This catwalk show will feature menswear and womenswear pieces Yohji Yamamoto's archive. The pieces will be modelled by real-life London couples echoing Yamamoto's SS 1999 menswear show which used real-life couples from the streets of Paris.  

There will be shows at 13.00, 15.00, 17.00 and 20.00, tickets are limited so booking is essential. The tickets will be available from Monday 20th at 9am, to find out more information and how to get tickets please see the website. 

Inspiration: Ausra Osipaviciute

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London based photographer Ausra Osipaviciute has created these embroidered photographs, which remind of pieces by Maurizio Anzeri but with more of a fashion edge. You can find more images on Trendland as well as Ausra Osipaviciute's own site. 

Inspiration: Katie Jones

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"Utset led the way, followed by the medicine men. The Goddess Utset called on the Bettle to carry the sack of stars. On entering the new world he laid down the sack and peeped into it, but at once the Star People flew out and filled the heavens everywhere." - the story behind the collection

Katie Jones is a London based knitwear designer who has just graduated from Central Saint Martins in Fashion Design with Knitwear. Her graduate collection 'Utset's Procession' combines crochet, macrame, cross stitch and beaded detailing. I love the bright colours, thick layers and styling of the shoot for the collection! Her illustrations for the collection are incredible and you can see a full set of photos from the graduate showcase here.

Exhibition: Yohji Yamamoto at Work

Amber Rowlands, Yohji Yamamoto Studio, Japan, 2010, image source

'Fabric is Everything' - Yohji Yamamoto

Yohji Yamamoto at Work is an exhibition at The Fashion Space Gallery that explores the life cycle of a garment from Yamamoto's A/W10/11 collection. You'll get the chance to look at the inspiration, presentation and construction including original toiles, patterns and  photographs from fashion shows and from inside Yohji Yamamoto Studio, Japan. 

London is going crazy over Yohji Yamamoto at the moment so be sure to check out the major exhibition at the V&A as well as the colloborative exhibitions with the Wapping Project.

Inspiration: Moonage Fashion

Model Nicole de la Marge is wearing a creation of Pierre Cardin and photographed by Petter Knapp, The Sunday Times Magazine, August 1967, image source

Moonage Fashion has a collection of amazing 1960s sci-fi, action and costume design!

Inspiration: F*ck Yeah 60s Fashion

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F*ck Yeah 60s Fashion is a great blog that has some incredible images show of all things fashion from from 1960-1969!

It's Graduate Fashion Week!

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Graduate Fashion Week has begun! The Royal College of Art had their MA Fashion Show last week and their was a wonderful range of work - I particularly liked Hannah Taylor's mens knitwear collection. Here's a list of articles that show the full range of what was on show:

The Telegraph
Vogue
Grazia
Fashion 156
Metro

Zandra Rhodes

image source ‘Knitted Circle’ evening dress 1969

"Zandra Rhodes said of the work ‘'I made swirling, dramatic shapes with no concessions to the saleable, the acceptable or the ordinary. The true Rhodes style came into being". - Zandra Rhodes, discussing her early designs on V&A site  

Zandra Rhodes is well known for her bright pink hair and unconventional clothes. Rhodes launched her first collection in 1969 which included 'knitted circle'. Rhodes still creates new collections each season,as well as pieces for theatre and has even collaborated with MAC to produce a limited edition make-up range. In 2003 Rhodes  opened her own museum in London, The Fashion and Textile Museum. 

If you're looking at Zandra Rhodes for your project you might find the following links useful: 

Zandra Rhodes official website

Zandra Rhodes profile on the V&A 

view her collections from 2007-2011

Examples of her fashion drawings from the 1970s

her needlepoints

interview with the Guardian talking about her interior inspirations

Zika Ascher

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Zika Ascher launched the Ascher studio. His studio was popular for commissioning artists to create textile print designs and he was well thought of in the fashion and textile world; If you're looking at Ascher for your project you might find the following links useful:

'Zika Ascher is an innovator, the man who introduced the mohair cult, and the flowered prints launched by Christian Dior' Vogue, January 1962

If you're looking at Ascher for your project you might find the following links useful:

The V&A website

Ascher Studio website

Search for 'Ascher' in the V&A collections