Character | Final Designs and Evaluation

[Final Collage designs]

Overall, I'd say this project was definitely my weakest so far, I liked the inital ideas but I feel the time constraint really affected my overall product. I would have liked to produce samples, and perhaps even a garment but unfortunately I could do neither. However, I think the whole idea and design ideas were extremely cohesive with Maddie's promotion project, which was one of my initial aims. 

I was not at all happy with my final designs, I feel they were extremely basic and completely different from how I usually design, which is perhaps why they went so badly. 

I think I had moderate stand work within this project, but if I were to make a final toile, more experimental stand work would be needed, perhaps in a simpler fabric like calico for more shape emphasis. I felt my print work was strong and I liked the colour scheme that came out of the prints. This project was definitely held back by my biggest weakness; time management, and it will be something I will definitely address and massively improve in the FMP. However, I don't feel this project was completely negative and I feel I have made a more successful attempt at each two week project. Minus this last project, I felt each 2 week project was stronger than the one before and I was improving certain skills like quick drawings and stand work. I would have liked to combine my prints into final designs, altering scale and pattern within the simple coat style. Ditto with the unitards and onesies. 

I know I work best when I can get into a topic and focus completely on one thing, so I am sure that the problems I came across in this project will not affect me in my final. I would like to include some promotion work in my final project, photoshoots and lookbooks for example to lift my work and make it more rounded. 

This was the first project since the Industry project that I 'collaborated' with someone on, working with Maddie was really helpful, as she was a week ahead of me, she inspired much of the work I did. As she isn't design, I could have taken this project anyway I wanted, which gave me quite a lot of creative direction. I'm not sure how well I pushed myself on this, and if I were to do the whole project again I would alter the character to produce a slightly more challenging idea. I am definitely not happy with the result of this project, but I feel it has helped me know how to improve and also to push myself to the best I can be. Simply feeling disappointed in the result will force me to not stop at this 'minimal' result I produced. 

Character | Design Development

Losing nearly the whole of last week and the end of the week before to portfolio prep and interviews has really taken it's tole on this project. I have a final interview on Thursday, so will have to finish this project early on the Wednesday. Unfortunately this means I will not be able to do any of my printing as I need all the time to finish the project off, but I have chosen materials, and fabric samples that I would use if I had the time.

For the printing, it would be done onto either a silky textile or a neoprime, The neoprime would keep the print strong in colour and also provide a structure to work with. Known for it's use within sportswear it is a perfect material for the girls superhero outfits. The silk is the ideal girlie lining, a mixture of sexy and pretty, keeping their 17 minds at peace and letting Todd, the man of both their dreams admire them.

Using some of my stand work, I have developed my designs to the coat and outer layer of the garment. I think these work really well and have that bad girl attitude I wanted to convey. Taking some of Maddie's photography I will incorporate her images into my designs to further them still.

[Maddie's photography] 

[Initial designs]

As you can see, we both had a similar idea about the colouring and styling of the two girls. I like how cohesive the photography was with the designing it showed that Maddie's character's had a strong personality that we both tried to get across the same story. So far I like how the designs have come out, the lycra with the overcoat is exactly how you picture a superhero, but more wearable. Fashion hero, if you will. the pink hair brings the sassy 17 year old into the mix. With these designs, as they were pretty much still initial designs, simply from the later stand work I decided to not add colour yet.

The superhero girls outfits were meant to be a modern version, sort of a feminist but also ditsy 17 year old everyday outfit; with a flare. The flare however was not going to be a cape, as that is far too obvious. But keeping to that floaty shape I felt the layering and oversized coat gave a similar shape. Over-emphasized collars in certain drawings drew attention to the neck and collar of the figure; a feminine feature. Sexy but strong. Within my later stand work this was an idea I tried to get across, The two fabrics worked well within this. The soft gold crepe showing the feminine soft ditzy side, and the white mesh showing the stronger feminist saving the world side.