Reflective statement

Throughout this project I have been able to see where I need to improve or what I have overlooked. The blog has been a great tool for this but I still feel I could have used it better, I did not take many photographs during the processes of my work which would have been great to upload to the blog to chart my progress, I did upload some but more could have been done in that area. It has not come naturally to me to record all my ideas and anything I have found on the blog yet. I believe this will improve of the course of the essay research and the transition project as I feel its a useful tool and one that I am more comfortable with as it allows me to say exactly what I feel in a casual and diary like format. It has definitely taught me more on how to handle my time and prioritise which is essential when carrying out each project which is a benefit but I can take further with the help of the blog.

Project Proposal

I would like to explore the link between photography and textiles and how vital it is to the practice of textile design as it is an area that greatly interests me. The designed object, the camera is an essential tool that equips us for an exact representation of reality; it allows us to capture moments and moods that are only a small fragment of our lives. We only have to look among peers when creating sketchbooks and research that photographs are an integral part of our drawing process they allow us to see the object in its truest form, but can also conceive and deceive us from its truest form. As we are in an age where we all view and take photographs due to the increasing accessibility to software and equipment, I would like to investigate the change and progression within textile design with the photographic process. Contemporary designers such as Alexander McQueen and Christopher Kane use photography vividly in many of their ready to wear collections. Photography is a worldwide common and visual language and is vital in helping to create the next generation of designs and so much more.

Fashion Identity

Sharif Wahed - Chic Point

parts if the garment is removed to uncover the flesh, shown in a catwalk alongside images of Palestinian men enflicted with body searches and images of them at gunpoint. The images are glamorised alongside those of the catwalk. A sense of a political comment about its removal, like the collar shown exposing midrift on a shirt an the heart of a "I heart NY" shirt cut out on the breast plate.

Hussein Chalayan - Son of Sonzai Suru

Imposing black figures make you feel uneasy, the beauty of the the dress/garment is evident. Its a surreal installation and very unnerving, the face of the mannequin is moving, the eyes are moving its stiff and doll like, which adds to the effect of the industry controlling ht figures. It takes inspiration from Bunraku theatre a traditional Japanese puppet theatre to examine the manipulative element of the fashion industry. It is a piece that makes us consider the our perception of the fashion industry and how it is managed and controlled in terms of style and what we should and will be wearing. It adds tot he idea of consumption being forced upon to be in with the times so to speak, to be 'fashionable'. This piece really spoke to me, the etheral feel and eery music all sat beautifully together and really made you think about he message that was being put across, it was effective as it was an almost scary installation to view.

Marcello Marloberti

Algerian barber shop photographs of four men in red apron covers in central France, the covers represent there Algerian identity ad how their confidence is reinstated by this comfort of home where the can be themselves and reconnect with their culture, they are dettached from their European identity. I like this image as it is simple in showing a place and peoples identity.

Stitch

Future Beauty Japanese Fashion (Barbican)

Future beauty was amazing and so inspiring the layout of the exhibit was beautiful and the vast numbers of japanese designers were brilliant. Being able to see older works by Issey Mikake was a lovely opportunity and was interesting to see how that work has influenced contemporary fashion designers.

Tate Britain

turner prize and coral reef

British Museum