Architecture Project

I just completed a two week project on architecture. If you've been following my blog for a long time you'll notice that I touched on architecture in the exploratory stage and my week of fashion and textiles then. I looked then at New York architecture, hyper modern, angular, glass. Click the link to see that post: Xhttp://libertelibellulelamour.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/fashion-textiles-day-3.html

I loved the angles and strength in the structure of that piece but I wanted to do something different for this new project so I chose to look at Italian Architecture. I created a concept board of images to inspire me for this project. I am very fortunate to have been able to travel around Italy and so all the photos used in my concept board (excluding the fashion images) were taken by me. 

I think the architecture of Italy is absolutely beautiful. There is such intricate detailing in the structure of the buildings and in their adornment. I think the designer in me that loves structure and silhouette felt compelled to take this old architecture and retain the sense of detailing and intricacy but yet update with a more modern feel. I have come to realise that this is what interests and inspires me in design; updating the old with the new. Below is my design development board, showing how I have taken my inspirations and developed these into a final garment. 

This is the first solid garment that I have made yet this year so that was an exciting and complex prospect but one which I think worked out quite well. I used the artist within me to get the papery drawn look similar to my trials on photoshop, by painting onto fabric and then drawing over that, before finally sewing the whole garment together. The detailing and structure of the italian architecture has been kept but the minimalism in the colour and the angles in the shapes bring this into the 21st century. 

I wanted my photo shoot for the garment to link back to the initial inspiration images and to actually show some of the architecture which had inspired the dress. I wanted to used the idea of symmetry to reflect that of architectural drawings which was central to the design of the dress, and also edit the photos so that they looked almost drawn or painted themselves. I chose to focus the styling on renaissance style. These were my final images: 

What do you think? Could I be joining the design team at Dolce and Gabbana anytime soon? 

Accessories Project

We did a two week project based around the idea of taking an everyday household object and making an accessory from this. The emphasis was on something interesting, directional, creative, and not a junk project.

I chose to use wire, partly for its interesting aesthetic and it's flexibility, and also because I like the idea of modern technology taking over our lives and using the wire as a means of visualising this idea.

I filled a sketchbook with design ideas, experiments, inspirations etc. and at the end of we had to create a pitch board to "sell" our accessory.

This details some of my design work along the way and the concept of my piece. I chose to create a more avant garde, less wearable accessory. As a conceptual piece I think it was effective and it reflects the idea of our brains being taken over by modern technology. The strength in the colour of the wire almosts acts as a warning which I think is quite nice. 

I then did a photo shoot of my accessory using my sister. I wanted this to be bold and for the background to contrast the curves in the wire and to make it stand out. Below are the final two images I chose. 

I love the clashing of the colours and the contrast in the angular lines and the curves of the wire. The lack of colour in the model emphasises the idea of technology draining us. Not too bad for someone who is pretty amateur with photoshop! What do you think?