Impressive Mood Boards from the A' Level Fashion & Textile students.

The studios have been alive once again at MV16.  We have a wonderful new crop of eager & talented AS level students, who have all made a fabulous start to their programmes of study.

The A' Level Textiles students have 'hit the ground running' & have already ploughed through pages & pages of their sketchbooks, creating a wealth of vital research used to inspire & fuel new ideas and samples.  They are really grasping the  absolute necessity for 'quality, quality, quality'.  They are working hard & have several little outcomes completed, demonstrating a breadth of new skills & techniques.

Last week they submitted their mood boards for consideration, so I thought I'd share some of these with you all.  The detailing, sampling on these boards is exquisite, as are the fashion illustrations.  The later is something we have been working on quite intensely recently. 

They are currently exploring the vast area of embellishment - trying to develop a wide range of techniques & skills.  They are being stretched further by having to develop ideas suitable for the world of Contour Design - early days for this work, so much to learn.  As a mini outcome they are going to be creating small bra-let designs, so their detailing needs to be exquisite and fine - no chunky ruching in the Textiles studio please!

They have proven themselves to be real geniuses with using and manipulating alternative media and fabrics etc.  Small squares of pre-printed acetate have suddenly been made into personalised sequins, creating a highly unique and fascinating surface quality.  Vanishing Muslin has been used beautifully by a student exploring a colour palette of 'white on white' - icy and yet powerful with a delicate quality suitable for the world of underwear.

Exceptional attention to detail has been called for, and students have been found sitting in huddles beading (they just needed a cup of tea & I think they would have thought they'd found heaven) - they were so quiet when beading, really interesting how it concentrates the brain.  They are having to develop skills working with specific fabric types such as net, meshes, laces etc., they are also going to have to develop some clever colour palettes, which also have an eye on detail and texture. 

This whole little section of the course, is really building their skills & techniques, and demanding high quality from the outset.  The students are really focussed and already have some powerful ideas for development.  As always keep your eyes peeled for the next Blog postings & I'll try to reveal some of their samples along the way.  It is truly so exciting!

(c) 2014 - As always all layouts & images on this blog are purely for the 'Moon on a stick' blog. I enjoy sharing information & ideas, however, I ask you not to use any of these images/layouts etc without permission or without noting its origins on your post. All rights reserved.



MV16 Arts End of Year exhibition - Time to celebrate the student's hard work.

 

Thursday 26^th June saw MV16 celebrate the hard work and creativity of the students in the Arts Faculty.  The work on display was representative of work produced by students throughout the year from the following AS and A’ level courses: Art & Design, Graphics & Illustration, Fashion & Textiles, Photography and Design Technology.  The show is a snap shot of each student’s great potential; the work is diverse and reflects the creative ambition of each student that has developed over the duration of their courses.  Behind each piece of work is a wealth of research, development and experimentation.  This work is a reflection of the student’s determination, practice, patience and above all skill. 

 

The Arts students have produced dynamic and exciting work that has explored a range of media resulting in outcomes to be proud of.  Many students have studied on a range of the practical arts courses building a creative portfolio preparing them for the next stage in their lives.  They have been encouraged to explore and experiment using a wide range of Art & Design media and techniques. 

The Arts at Melton Vale Post 16 are consistently led by innovative solutions.  We aim to nurture the most innovative students in Leicestershire and help support them to realise their creative aspirations. 

 

The Arts staff are tremendously proud of each students personal achievements.  This year once again, many students have achieved 100% in their final assessments, this is a result of their hard work, creative talent and enthusiasm.  Our aim at MV16 is to equip our students with a wide range of exciting and contemporary based skills in order for them to progress confidently to prestigious H.E institutions. Over 50% of our students are progressing onto Arts related degree courses this year, and additionally a healthy number of students are going on to Arts Foundation courses locally.

 

I hope you enjoy looking at the images below - if you have any questions regarding how things have been made etc. please ask.

 

 

 

 

 

 Sketchbooks are a fundamental underpinning of all work on display, they become a true 'labour of love' for the students.  This is the one focus of interest that we place right at the beginning of the students AS studies, we literally train them to use them to record, reflect, experiment, document etc. their entire creative journey.  The Textile sketchbooks generally have a 'bulky' feel to them & only when they are bulging with samples, fashion illustrations etc. do the student's feel happy.

 

 

The students work very hard on their layouts, colour palettes, samples, fashion illustrations (this one is a wizard at using magazine collage to underlay her fashion illustrations - exquisite), and not to forget their annotations too.

 

 

Sampling is vital to the students growth as a practitioner, but also for their confidence in expanding their wealth of skills & techniques.  Without an array of skills they can't develop their ideas fully.  So the documentation of these skills & techniques is vital for their studies, but also for them to reference & reflect upon in the future.

 

 

 

These two bodices were created as a direct result of research into architectural details by two different A' Level Textile students of mine - they have used a wide variety of manipulation & surface driven skills to successfully realise their design ideas.  Each panel of the bodice is a sumptuous riot of textile techniques (all developed & documented in the student's sketchbooks). Both of these students are progressing onto Textile related degree courses, both obtaining their first choice as a result of direct entry - I am so proud of their achievements & certainly feel they are ones to watch in the future.

My student above was fascinated by Contour Design (this has been very popular this year & I am now writing into my SOW a little mini project about Contour Design for my A' level Textile students - unit 3).  The beautiful underwear was inspired by the Dolce & Gabbana 'Byzantine Mosaic' range (who wasn't inspired by this amazing range - I certainly was!!).  This student was quite tempted to apply for Contour Design, but has actually successfully secured herself a place on a Fashion Communication & Promotion degree course, which will enable her to combine her love of Fashion & English. 





 

 

My student below was inspired by Rocco architectural fine details, which were extracted and manipulated into free machine stitch suitable for a 'bra-let design'.  This student is progressing onto an Arts Foundation course and then intends upon applying to a Contour Design degree course.

 





 

It's not all stitch & textiles, my student above produced this amazingly detailed painting based from a man that frequents a local bar where she has a part time job.  The painting is large scale, approximately twice A0 in size, and obviously took her weeks to complete - it's been painted straight onto a sheet of canvas (that was prepared first).  Her whole unit of work explored the fragility of people, both young and old - this can be seen in the studies of elderly people in her sketchbook.  She has chosen to engage in portrait based painting throughout both her AS & A2 units of study.

My AS student on the right has chosen to create quite a
disturbing self-portrait, enhanced with the use of red paint & areas that are highly detailed contrasting with areas of almost under painted, vague patches.




To the left is another painting by one of my AS Art & Design students - this is from Unit 1 - it's a truly beautiful painting when seen first-hand - the detail is breath-taking & the suitableness of the chosen colour palette, quite exquisite.


To the right is another
painting by one of my AS Art & Design students - once again from Unit 1 - she wanted to create a portrait that was painted in a more graphical style, the paint resembles the contour that you might find on a geographical map - it's stunning first-hand, as there are many more contour rings than you can see here.

To the left you can see a student who wanted to paint on an alternative surface & so chose clear PVC - which is a great surface to paint directly onto & as you can see gives some wonderful results.

We truly wish all of our Arts students the very best of luck for their results in August 2014 & of course for their creative careers ahead of them!!

(c) 2014 - As always all layouts & images on this blog are purely for the 'Moon on a stick' blog. I enjoy sharing information & ideas, however, I ask you not to use any of these images/layouts etc without permission or without noting its origins on your post. All rights reserved.

 

 



I salute you Monsieur Gaultier!!

 

Jean Paul Gaultier

@ The Barbican.

 

In the first major exhibition devoted to the celebrated French couturier, you have the opportunity to explore Jean Paul Gaultier's fashion world. With his avant-garde fashion creations and cutting-edge designs, Gaultier has shaped the look of fashion over the last 40 years. His reputation for witty and daring designs and a ceaseless interest in society, identity and a beauty borne of difference has earned him a place in fashion history. 

 

From the very outset you are confronted with the sheer genius that we have grown to love as Gaultier - you realise that all of his creativity, theatricality & originality is going to be on display - even the mannequins talk to you as you approach them (truly - every mannequin has a projected video of a person talking & as you approach, giving expressions & one even sings, - clearly you are triggering off voice chips - it's fabulous in a slightly freaky way - there's even a Gaultier mannequin, dressed in a long kilt & striped top - of course!). 

This is a riot of sound, movement & colour!

 

Gaultier is fascinated by world cultures and countercultures, conceiving a new kind of fashion in both the way it is made and worn. Through twists, transformations, transgressions and reinterpretations, he not only erases the boundaries between cultures but also the sexes, redefining the idea of androgyny or subverting fashion codes. 

The show is split into eight thematic sections - The Odyssey of Jean Paul Gaultier, Punk Cancan, Muses, The Boudoir, Metropolis, Eurotrash, Skin Deep and Urban Jungle. Each features a series of mannequins dressed in Gaultier's dazzling apparel.

For me one of the most interesting collections was the punk era, it was a blast from the past, a sharp reality check where I remember when full Mohicans glided down the High Street with pride.  

 

This collection was far removed from poor construction & slashed low quality clothing -  this is too often the first image people recall when the name 'Punk' is branded around - this was dominated by the clever use of the Union Jack flag, sometimes gold encrusted, juxtaposed against lush velvets etc. An imaginative use of materials & techniques is evident throughout the whole exhibition - Gaultier is a master of materials & the sheer expanse is breath-taking. 

 

This theatrically-staged exhibition brings together more than 165 cutting-edge couture and ready-to-wear garments including iconic costumes for film and performance from the early 1970s to the present day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The infamous conical bra and corsets Madonna wore during her 1990 Blonde Ambition World Tour are showcased alongside stage costumes designed for Kylie Minogue as well as pieces created for the films of Pedro Almodóvar, among others.

 

 

 

 

Gaultier’s rich collaborations with renowned artists and photographers such as Miles Aldridge, David LaChapelle, Pierre et Gilles, Peter Lindbergh, Herb Ritts, Stéphane Sednaoui, Cindy Sherman and Andy Warhol are also shown together with footage of catwalk presentations, concerts, music videos, films and dance performances.



 

This is a rare and fascinating opportunity to get inside the creative mind of one of fashion's most daring designers, whose work celebrates the pleasure of looking, sexual empowerment and the diversity of real beauty.  The exhibition is a study in pure creativity.  All that he does is infused with a genuine love of life, which I find deeply infectious. But the humanity and humour which are his trademarks are also underpinned by discipline, professionalism, and a skill that is second to none.  'From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk', explores Gaultier's exuberant inventiveness, his long-standing reputation as fashion's enfant terrible, and his embrace of cultural and sexual difference and beauty in all its shapes and sizes.

 

Part of Gaultier's appeal is his relationship to visual culture; how he continues to work within a creative feedback loop drawing from a melting pot of high and low culture, religion, art movements, politics, and more, and in turn his work transcends the fashion world. As echoed in these shows, he has the power to inspire creative minds whatever your background, and remind us that humour and risk, alongside skill and discipline, are often what produce truly unforgettable work.
 

 

 

Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore exhibition @ Somerset House - You must visit!!!

If any of you were contemplating on visiting the Isabella Blow exhibition in London then read on & ensure you get there before it closes on 2nd March 2014.  This is such a fascinating & iconic exhibition & a honourable homage to the late muse.  Isabella (1958 - 2007) was a true dedicator to fashion, seeking out and promoting new fashion talent throughout her career.  She worked as an editor for several major fashion magazines and used that position to promote, collaborate and drive the careers of many creatives way beyond their wildest dreams.

 Isabella quickly became the muse of the hat designer Philip Treacy, and wore his eccentric designs making them a signature part of her own flamboyant style (it was rumoured that she once said that she enjoyed wearing the hats as they formed a barrier between her & the many that wanted to slap a kiss on her - she felt she preferred to be kissed by the people she loved!).

 

The exhibition is bursting with some of Treacy's finest examples of head wear.  They display his fascination with aerodynamic volumes of shape & his ability to use  Swarovski crystals to highlight & add dazzle to his creations.  His hats are well crafted luxury items, that reflected his fascination with fantasy & aesthetic delight. 

 



Isabella is seen here in one of the most intricate & wildest hats I've ever had the pleasure to view up close.  The beauty of the exhibition is the visual & audio overload that the visitor is treated to - Treacy's hats are accompanied with fashion items ranging from Alexander McQueen to Hussein Chalayan, music from the many clips of fashion shows belt out of the many little gallery settings.  Large scale fashion photography fills one of the galleries show casing some of the many models that Isabella discovered & promoted.  Bryan Ferry (a blast from the past) wafts through the airwaves at the end of the exhibition almost hypnotising you, before being thrust into the 'pop-up' shop - beware it's a little pricey.

 

 

The exhibition showcases over 100 pieces from Isabella's rich collection, which forms one of the most important private collections of the late 20th century - early 21st century, showcasing many British Fashion designers.  This collection is now owned by Daphne Guinness (to prevent it going under the auction hammer at Christie's) who said 'This exhibition is a bittersweet event.  Isabella Blow made our world more vivid, trailing colour with every pace she took!'.

 

 

 

The exhibition starts with fascinating snap shots into Blow’s past with ephemera including a birth announcement in the Evening Standard and old photographs of Blow as a child on the Cheshire family estate, Doddington House. Walking through past an installation of Blow’s head by Tim Noble and Sue Webster, you arrive at outfits from McQueen’s breakthrough Dante collection of 1996. She purchased McQueen's entire St.Martin's graduate collection for £5,000 (paying it off in monthly instalments) - she was one of the most influential people in launching his international appeal & career.  There is video footage from the show and you see Blow’s excited gesticulation and expressions of delight while steely fashion editors stare on glumly.

As well as displaying over 100 pieces from Blow's wardrobe, many of which are styled exactly how the fashion editor wore them, the exhibition is also littered with double-page spreads of her editorial work. Celebrated set designer Shona Heath was hired to create unique installations.
 

 

 

 

 



 

She was also known for her collaborations with photographers such as Steven Meisel, David LaChapelle, Sean Ellis, who pushed boundaries of convention in her increasingly provocative fashion spreads & establishing herself as a legendary figure within the international fashion & contemporary art worlds.  See below some of the fine photography on show in one of the galleries, where the streets of London & the eccentric fashion models scream 'ultimate coolness' to the viewer.

 

 

There is also a range of Nick Knight's beautiful & evocative photographs that have been made into postcards for sale at the exit - see below:

 

 

 

The climax to the exhibition is a gallery of Blow-a-like black mannequins complete with red cut-out lips and wonky black bob featuring her most dazzling and photographed outfits.

The clothes, hats and shoes she collected were astonishing. Some of them challenge gravity itself. Others were outlandish in their audacity yet slyly witty – like the Rolls Royce hat by Treacy complete with the Silver Lady atop and a metal shield standing in as a veil. Some pieces were created by blow torching black lace. A dress by Chalayan actually had iron filings engrained into the fabric to create a rusted patina. This is fashion as living art, sculpted assiduously so their natural forms bend to their creator's will. Feathers assume volume, metal appears soft, fur becomes geometric.

However, it is their artistic expression that leaves an imprint on your brain as you stroll through the galleries. The pieces are by turn whimsical and morbid, at time both together. You’re never two steps away from something darker, especially with the Gothic brilliance of McQueen’s creations. Her collection is all so irresistible that you can't walk away without an emotional response. They provoke you.

If you are reading this & have applied to study fashion next year (or indeed you are already studying fashion then this exhibition is a MUST - people will talk about this for years to come & you should be able to discuss this from your own personal viewpoint). 

 

 

Be prepared to be wowed, this is fashion in its purest and most captivating form.