Evaluation

Evaluation

ΔT& Exertion

My main aim for this project was to create a sports wear garment that was reactive to heat and changed colour in response to this. The main motivation for pursuing this concept was to create something original that would have a practical use. The garment was intended to not only look aesthetically pleasing but also indicate to the wearer the amount of effort they were using; shown by an increased degree of colour change. This would have the benefit of motivating the wearer to engage in sustaining sporting activities. It was initially intended for dancing professionals but it is evident that the garment could be utilised by a wider range of sports.

A further aim of this project was to create a number of fashion films to showcase the entire creation and implementation of this garment. My future aspirations are closely linked within the fashion film context and I hope to pursue a career within this industry. This project was an ideal opportunity to explore my fashion film making skill and develop my directing and editing abilities.

Live Project/ fashion film student

In terms of research, this project built on resources gained from the past unit and consolidating the research I had previously carried out. This was coupled with new concepts and ideas. In the past unit, I created the floral prints which would form the basis of my current project. I also tested the equipment required such as a thermal camera and identified the areas of the body which were most effective in producing heat. Mastering these skills in the last unit equipped me significantly and increased my confidence. In the current unit I was able to hone these skills further. The last unit also provided the opportunity to test different thermochromic paints. This saved considerable time and resources when creating the garment. This offered me flexibility to experiment with different colours which lead to the identification of the optimal colour balance.

I have had some hurdles to overcome such as people failing to turn up for shoots. In response I have been able to work out strategies to resolve this. Through networking I find people and if they fail to show, I will use this networking to find another suitable individuals at short notice. This skill is one of my strongest as it can be very disheartening when models or dancers don’t uphold their commitments. But this adversity has worked in my favour, finding other, possibly more suitable individuals for the role. In directing these individuals on set, in a professional manner, with little understanding of their abilities but admiration for their skill. I feel has worked well and has benefited me as I will be working with different people and challenges every day in my field of work.

The ideal platform for marketing my Project work and my fashion films would be similar to show studio and Dazed. To market my print designs, I have used a range of female dancers to show my ideal model for my sportswear. Working with dancers outside of university has given me the opportunity to focus and network with all different kinds of creative people. Working with a fashion student, Chloe Parsonson, has given me the opportunity to expand my directing skills and creating narrative within fashion films, working in a number of different directions.  I have created a website, Instagram and Youtube channel to show case my portfolio.

Evaluation

 

Evaluation

 

Making the final 8 sample digital & thermochromic screen print designs have been a challenge but I feel, overall, that they have developed well. Within my sports samples I am displaying the colour change in sports wear when heat is produced from the body,  to help dancers sustain exercise. Researching different stretchy sports fabrics has been successful, although it was a challenge  as I need to work out the shrinkage value to the material after digital printing. However, the technicians were able to offer support and guidance in relation to the most optimum materials and fabrics for my sportswear designs.  Within my research, I have looked at Stella McCartney’s Adidas collection and Mary Katrantzou It should be noted, however, that I feel modern architecture has supported my inspiration the most. The dominating structured shapes have helped me to reflect this into my drawings and then into final designs.

Making films for my live projects has been an adventure. I have experienced challenges in terms of balancing time for each project and I have struggled considerably in this area. I found the editing for the blog the hardest as it took up a significant amount of my time and it took considerable rewording and rethinking. This is something I will have to get used to quickly as working for different clients requires a great deal of editing time. I found working on Annah’s behind the scene shoot & the Berlin Fashion Film festival the most enjoyable and I learnt such a lot from them both. With Annah’s behind the scenes shoot I was able to assist Annah with direction and I used basic editing techniques so it worked smoothly and did not take up a lot of my time. I found the BFFFC the most enjoyable as I feel it reflected directly my concept of heat changing sport wear well and it was  uplifting to feel appreciated from a high ranking individual in  the fashion film industry who took a keen interest in my work.  For my personal investigation films showing heat change in a dancer's body, the UV & projection film, have also been an adventure and a challenge as it has offered the advantages of working with models and dancers outside of University and sourcing equipment from other areas that does not involve the ease of the normal University channels. In this way, it has helped me to work outside of the university and has given me a taste of how I would cope if I was a film maker for fashion films sourcing people, props and filming equipment.

 

For unit X, I will be developing my final designs and choosing one design for my garment that I will make for my fashion film. I plan to make a fashion film with my dancer Ina Colizza and Orson as well as an extended film crew as I have been sourcing more people to help film the shoot. It is most important in my work that I have a team available for my fashion film as it is quite a big project and has great potential if implemented well. A photographer has also seen some of my film project work online and has asked to collaborate with me for unit X.

 

 

 

Final screen Print & Digital designs

 

 

 

 

 

This week I worked on my final designs. I organised it well so my material was delivered late last week and then I produced my digital print design and screen printed on the following day. I am happy with my final sports samples but I will carry on working on them in unit X and construct one of the sample designs into a garment.

Final digital designs

Final Toile

This toile fit my dancer perfectly and I used fabric called Biscus.  I have also used power net for the panels to allow the body to breath. I will be adding more development to this toile in unit X and making it perfect before my final garment as this material is close to my sample print design material.  I feel I need to create another toile in the same material that l I have been using for my print designs.

 

These are my final digital background designs. Pixilation has been my direction within this work as I want to link it in with the geometric shapes. I feel they work well as a background before I screen print on them with the thermochromic geometric and floral screen prints. I had some trouble sourcing my sports material for my digital designs as there are very few lightweight stretchy materials that are suitable for digital printing. I tested the shrinkage of the material with the technician as stretchy materials tend to shrink down the digital design during the washing period.

 

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Development of Toil

This week I have been developing my toile. I have chosen to do my next toile in a light lycra cotton with netting for the panels. Making the shape of this did not take a long time and the technicians offered advice in constructing the toile. When fitting it on the dancer it did not fit on the inside of her thighs and it made a hole in the crotch area. As a result, for my toile, I will add a couple of inches around the thigh area.

Thermochromics new print tests

 

 

 

I have chosen to make 8 final print designs digital with screen printing on top. I have implemented some tests with the Thermochromics paint on white jersey before the final designs as I want to test out my new geometric and floral prints to screen printing.

These are a selection of my test prints that I have added foiling to give them a reflective effect as in sportswear reflective material is displayed quite a lot.

BFFFC film : Heat and Movement feedback

I have sent my idea to the Berlin Fashion Film competition and I have had feedback from one of the co- directors and their response is as follows:

                                                                                  

With this response, I have changed my idea and will be having my dancer there as a moving performance as an installation piece with the projecting designs. The dancer has agreed that they would be able to accompany me and perform at the festival. Hearing this positive response from a co-director from the competition was amazing and I appreciated that someone from the industry I wanted to get into was recognising and had enjoyed my work.

Start Of Toile

Over the Christmas break I have been working with the fashion designer Sinead Leonard.  As I will be making a range of toiles  for this project, Sinead has helped me to create a size 10 body suit for a dance sportswear that I will develop in unit X.  She gave advice for the best way to sew the toile and which materials are the most effective. It was good to work with someone who has worked in the industry of making sportswear for a sports company. Sinead told me to use a stretch light material including a lycra or cotton.

 

The process of this toile was to establish that the shape would be right for my model. In unit X, I will be developing this toile into a dance sportswear body suit, so it needs to look and fit perfectly to my dancer. Thankfully, this body stocking fitted my dancer well. I have drawn lines to show where I will be making panels for my next toil . This toile is made out of stretchy cotton.