Photo shop

To see what my full outfit would look like, I decided to make digital designs using photo shop. In order to do this, I used a pencil to draw out a couple of simple figures so that I would have a template to design on. I scanned the work in and opened them into photo shop and then filled the bodies in using the bucket tool. I then did the same thing to the clothes but found this part easier than the bodies. As I did the outline, I found that this was very complicated using a mouse and therefore would've been better using a graphics tablet. The outcome isn't too neat, but I found this really helped me develop my digital skills and outlook on my work. I found doing the detailed very hard as well as the designs were so intricate that they were tough to get accurate. I decided to do the designs in the style of normal fashion designs and American Apparel adverts to see the comparison between expected models and controversial. I am using the American Apparel positions to question the idea whether fashion is used to provide women freedom or are women used to sell fashion? I am really pleased with the outcome and even though I think I could've done better, I am happy I did the designs.

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My final piece

I decided that I should start making the top as I need to do my photo shoot soon. I want to change the neckline, transform it into a crop top and add embellishment. I will use the deconstruct week as inspiration for this as I found it very educational and enjoyable. It allowed me to realise that not all pieces of clothing need to be made from scratch, but instead one thing can be made into another by using creativity and skills. The first element of the process I need to to do it cut the bottom off so that I can see the size of the top. Considering the top is already hemmed in the centre, I cut along the edge of the mesh panel in order to create a crop top. By doing this, I can now re design the neck line and see how it measures onto a model. I chose to cut a square neck. After I done this and was pleased with the results, I moved onto the patterns and embellishment. Keeping to my chosen pattern, I hand stitched the design at both sides of the piece using yellow thread and cotton. This was easier than the earlier practices, but I still found this quite complicated as I wanted the stitches to be neat and even. After stitching 3 rows per line for a few hours, I am mostly happy with the result of it. On a few parts, there are some smaller stitches but due to the larger outline row, this is less obvious. A simpler way of doing this would have been to use a sewing machine, but I prefer to hand stitch as it's easier to be more accurate to your design. I then added diamantes (some round and some square) to add the glamour the the 20's and to add some extra feminine aspects. Overall, I am very pleased with my top as It is how I imagined it to be. I need to do a photo shoot now and this will be the main focus of the photos.

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Figure 1 Unknown author. 2014. [Online] Available at http://www.boohoo.com/restofworld/clothing/tops/icat/new-in/sammy-sheer-panel-vest/invt/azz32389

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Final pattern

I decided to test out stitching styles on basic cotton material. I used black and dark yellow thread and cotton to do this. I hoped to see how simple or hard it was to do this stitching and whether I should use it it for my top. If I didn't practice this, than the idea perceived may be completely different from the actual piece. The pattern was quite simple at times but tricky to get the stitches even. I need to practice this in order to have a clean, detailed result. The second attempt I did included thick thread, as I used it as an outline. I want to create a thicker effect and think this has really helped achieve this goal. I will use this style for my final piece as I think it has turned out the way I wanted it too and has also helped me understand more about hand stitching and the process of embroidering.

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20s Patterns

I have started to think about the patterns I am going to use for my top. I am researching common patterns from the twenties to inspire this design and keep the theme of the jazz era going throughout my project. I don't want the design to be too complicated as I have chosen to hand stitch the pattern with multiple materials but will be sticking to a dark yellow colour. I have created some basic, digital patterns to get an understanding of how it will look. I done this in a basic way because due to the contrast in colour, the outline of the stitching will be the most obvious part of the top (very little detail will be seen). I like the first piece the most as it is both common of the twenties and the art deco movement. The others I like as well, but I feel they do not create the feminine effect I need for my piece. Even though I am aiming towards a style that includes elements of masculine fashion, I want to balance it with small feautures such as the patterns.

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A piece of literature that has helped me chose this is T.S Eliot's poem the poem 'The Waste  land'. The quote that really stood out to me was 'the glitter of her jewels rose to meet it, from satin cases poured in rich profusion; in vials of ivory and coloured glass': this automatically made me think of bottles and I began to research glass perfume bottles from the twenties. The photos I found include sharp geometric shapes and this makes me sure of what I want to use as I find my pattern and the bottles similar.

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 I also found an illustration and a pillow that include similar styles. They both have straight lines that include squares and rectangular shapes. Every item I have looked at are quite a like and I feel that including this in my top will allow people to understand what decade the style looks like it's from.

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Figure 2 Billie Anne Taylor. Exquisite perfume bottles. 2013. [Online]. Available at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/255931191297825246/

Figure 3 Unknown author. Things I like: perfume bottles. 2013. [Online]. Available at http://www.lilikoijoy.com/2013/02/things-i-like-perfume-bottles.html

Figure 4 Unknown author. Vintage perfume bottles. 2008. [Online]. Available at http://romantichome.blogspot.co.uk/2008/10/vintage-perfume-bottles.html

Figure 5 Bettina Deda. The art of decorating in the 1920's and 30's. 2013. [Online]. Available at http://www.bdcolourdesign.net.au/the-art-of-decorating-in-the-1920s-and-30s/

Figure 6 Helen Lane. [Online]. Available at http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-154936739/stock-vector-art-deco-abstract-pattern-for-the-invitations-cards.html?src=Ce1Zq4Lsl46syZDjO6gcAg-1-88

Figure 7 Unknown author. Art deco. [Online]. Available at https://www.mandauefoam.ph/blog/art-deco/

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Styling

For my photo shoot, my model will be wearing the top I am re making but I want to also fully style the rest of the out fit and setting. I could simply photograph the top as this is the main piece I have worked on and therefore would be the center of the viewers focus, but instead I feel like by putting as much effort into the rest of the outfit, a theme will be made evident. I have decided to dress my model in black suit trousers after researching historic, fashion icons and noticing they broke gender barriers. I have also chosen to keep the background extremely simple due to the inspiration from the American Apparel adverts. I hope this will provide enough contrast in colour (black and white) to allow the top to become an highly focused element of the photographs. By doing this, the main detailing will be on the top also, therefore this will also allow people to focus on the top I created.

Pattern designs

Now that I'm working on patterns, I want to see how they'd look on a top I am aiming to create. Here I have done quick, basic sketches to see whether the patterns would work or not. The style of the top needs to balance with the pattern as there needs to be equal amounts of twenties features as well as modern elements. I really like the idea of using something that has elements of art deco as I find this is the most recognisable pattern from the decade.
I've then decided to draw some full outfit designs to figure out whether it works as a statement piece or needs to be fully styled. Despite being a stand out piece, I really want to include suit trousers with the top as this allows the masculine theme to come out. Due to the research into female icons that wore clothes that gave them masculine silhouettes, I feel this is the best way to add a smart and sophisticated edge. I tested both pink and yellow but really did not like the pink as it creates an extremely feminine appearance and did not stand enough against the black. I'm going to use yellow as I find the colour is bolder and contrasts the black stronger.

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The Sixties

Mary Quant is a fashion designer who, in the 1960's invented the mini skirt. She is now know as one of the most important fashion designers of the decade and influential figures in the fashion industry. This provided women the ability to show flesh without shocking people, but instead becoming fashion icons. Today the sixties are known for fashion being bold and daring and the decade where women wore exciting clothes. Like the twenties, this provided them more rights to look how they wanted to look, rather than cover due to others views. I want to compare this to today's fashion and it is becoming increasingly revealing but does it have the same effect? Do people wear these items to show people that fashion can express style and personality or do designers create these pieces to sell their brand?

Another designer that created an impact in the 1960's was Paco Rabanne. His fashion was an instant change for the usual womenswear of the time as it was exciting and extravagant. With heavily embellished dresses, the fashion was now fulled with glamour and unlike the stereotyped housewife of the 60's, this allowed another side of fashion to become apparent. The photo below is from the 60's a displays one of Rabannes designs. They were extremely detailed and decorative, much like the styles of the 20's. This photo is a great example of what I'm researching as the body position presents a sexual side of the fashion but at the same time, displays power by the model. What she's wearing gives her dominance without losing any womens rights.

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Figure 1 Konrad Siebenhüter. Do you remember? The 60's. 2013. [Online]. Available at http://knittingkonrad.wordpress.com/2013/08/10/do-you-remember-the-60s-fashion-icons-part-3/