And so it ends...

DUE DATE: Thursday 3rd June 9am

I have finally come to the end of my to do list and felt it only fitting to wrap up my sadly neglected blog, i do apologise to any followers for the lack of photos, i am currently without any access to a camera. FRUSTRATING i know!

To paint a perfect picture i am sitting in my living room feeling rather smug about the fact that i found it impossible to hand draw my capsule collection techs, throwing page after page violently to the ground. The solution was to use CAD, which i never thought in a million years i would have the ability to do complex tech drawings on illustrator, but i did it :) and if i dont mind saying they look fabulous. i realised the reason i was throwing the hand drawn attempts to the grown was not because i could no longer draw but because i was unhappy with the effect of hand drawing in comparison to the clean, neat lines produced on illustrator. Thank you dean!

My swimwear however i am not so happy with, as i mentioned in my last post- but i keep repeating I AM MY HARSHEST CRITIC!

Anyhow i do promise to get my grubby hands on a camera and post many photos of my final garment, techs, illustrations and maybe even some slides of the powerpoint... stay tuned- my blog is not yet over :)

I am my harshest critic...

After spending 7 hours in the studios yesterday i had a traumatic melt down...

With the Final Presentation of my garment and every other piece of the criteria due next week, my stress levels are rising DRAMATICALLY!

With the changes i decided to make after sample review, i fear my garment does not look how i had imagined and my techniqual abilities (sewing) are not up to par..... ahhhhhhh!

Walk away, Relax and go back to it with a clear mind

Walk away, Relax and go back to it with a clear mind

Walk away, Relax and go back to it with a clear mind

Apparently, I AM MY HARSHEST CRITIC

Capsule Collection...

Jane has the ability to calm my nerves...

Forgive me if i have already mentioned this in a pervious post, but i am going to repeat myself regardless...

I am required to design a CAPSULE COLLECTION from my already developed concept NUDITY NIGHTMARE - six outfits that include woven fabrics, jersey fabrics and cover ups that share the same aesthetic as my already designed and illustrated six swimsuits.

Design development- Design development- Design- development

After my one on one consultation with Jane today, my nerves are calmed as i was reassured i am on the right path, and it is now clear what i have to do before handing in the final assessment.

TO DO LIST-

- Fabric research : Silk Dupion, Chiffon, Velvet, Silk, Jersey, Silk Faile, Prints

- DESIGN DEVELOPMENT- tweak and abstract over and over and over

- Illustrate the capsule collection

- Technical drawings

- Powerpoint presentation

- Presentation Presentation Presentation- garment- blog- illustrations- powerpoint.

Sample...

The Photographic evidence of my sample swimsuit...

Alterations to be made:

1. Re- shape gathers to taper around the breast and sew into jacket piece

(Gaining leverage and therefore creating coverage)

2. Create a support for the bustier

(i.e bando or breast cups/ underwire bra)

Ladies, Gentleman and Fellow bloggers...

Stay Tuned...

Behind the scenes of the construction of the one chosen

Nudity Nightmare swimsuit,

The technique and tears, laughter and fears and learning process

will be exposed threw visual displays.

Photographs coming soon...

The Female Anatomy...

Breasts exposed...

Sample review made it clear, i need to alter my design... When making my sample Swimwear i knew that i would be having difficulty in covering the breast region. I was proven correct when the poor model had to hold herself in, due to the fabric being to heavy and the gathers falling in the opposite direction to what i had intended. After much back and forth feedback and comments, i have gone away and re- sketched my design altering it, to hopefully achieve a more practical outcome. My concept is Nudity Nightmare but i did not wish to expose the whole breast in what seemed like a vulgar attempt. I was picturing more coverage with slight hints of exposure, particularly from a side viewpoint.When fitting the model it obviously became clear that most women have breasts, unlike myself, so as a designer it was narrow minded to assume no support was needed in this area SO as suggested by Dean and Gillian I will be adding to my design, creating some form of support, which i am Brainstorming. However to give you an idea, the direction I am heading toward would be some what of a sheer cup, subtle, therefore it will not take away from the essence of Nudity Nightmare but it will give support and comfort to the models who will be wearing the garment. So to achieve the most successful end result possible, i am now in the process of re- constructing my patterns, by adding the gather into the jacket- giving leverage and support so it wont have the freedom to fall and over- expose. Wish me Luck- and what is the need for Breasts in Fashion, really?

I am Learning.

Forgive me Dean for i have sinned, It has been 27 days since my last post...

The birth of Nudity Nightmare and the strenuous weeks of being bound to my Journal feel like a distant

memory. However, there is more designs to be created, i am required to now also design a capsule collection which will mirror the aesthetic of my swimwear, to be presented with my Nudity Nightmare Black Swimsuit collection, and my final garment. Design Selection navigated my concentration toward just one design, and the next step in the criteria, sample review. My abilities to pattern make are questionable but i will not hesitate to scream confidently, I AM LEARNING...

It is the night before...

It is the night before design selection...

I am running over the criteria with a fine tooth comb, in shock, denial and utter bliss that i have completed everything required of me for tomorrow the 25th March, the day i have been dreading for weeks... Design Selection.

Below are my final collection of black wool swimsuits, which reflect and compliment the concept which i gave birth to and researched extensively, Nudity Nightmare. Each design mirrors an aspect of our nightmares based around nudity, plotted to further exaggerate the issue...An example being, i have manipulated the black wool fabric to gather, fall and drape to symbolise the heavy sagging skin that the human form develops during the ageing process. The procedure in which majority of our culture tries to avoid, it is a torment that i have pinpointed and exaggerated- oh what a nightmare...

Wish me luck...

Neglect...

With Design Selection on my mind i fear i have been neglecting my blog...

however, in saying this... my hours and minutes have been constructive, consisting of constant journaling and planned distractions to calm my anxious behaviour after an exaggerated amount of time spent sketching and designing. Design selection is this thursday and the stress has arrived with suitcases...

Did i mention...

Did i mention that while journaling i have a tendency to go crazy...

I am into the early stages of my third week of journaling and twenty pages are complete and safe (3 did not survive my obsessive compulsive ways). Every second i can spare i lock myself in my room and make myself anxious by flicking threw the sparse pages of the rather empty visual journal while also pacing the room a few to many times to count.

But despite this i have finally begun designing...

Welcome to my concept...

Nudity, the state of NOT WEARING CLOTHES.

Nightmare, a FRIGHTENING dream.

Nudity Nightmare inspired by Annette Kellerman, (the first women to bare it all in a nude scene recorded on film, 1916) explores the self conscious mind of women, in relation to the naked body. From public exposure and human emotion to the innocence of a child and the process of developing into a women, i will explore the nightmares of nudity and rein-act them threw a collection of black swimwear...

Once my concept was born, i instantly began sketching and toying with words...

Can you envisage your deepest, darkest, horrifying nightmare? Does it involve exposed or undeveloped breasts, petruding hips, thunder thighs, lack of a gluteus maximise or the infamous tuck shop lady arms? Is nudity your nightmare? If you can't stand the sight of exposing yourself to.... yourself, unmask the swimsuit that takes these nightmares and toys with your mind... are you game?

Its all about the technique...

I have never explored the avenue of manufacturing swimwear...

Due to this my design studio lecturers took the time out to show the class a variety of TECHNIQUES. I was instantly inspired to launch a swimwear label then and there (imagination running wild with a label name, variety of prints and target market) when i realised how quick a pair of bikinis could be made as well as how many techniques arose for each of the general processes e.g.. hems and/or finishes, straps, cuts, embellishments... the possibilities were and are endless.

My World...

I Stefanie, VOW to not be obsessive compulsive and rip pages out of my journal...

Each semester my journal becomes my world... i do not let it out of my sight for a long period of time, often falling asleep amongst its carefully crafted pages. I am very vigilant to let myself touch it when A. I am overtired B. Frustrated or C. Stressed. Due to making the observation that this is when i spend a significant amount of time on one or two pages and then become anxious that they are not up to standard, and without hesitation find myself violently ripping the pages from the journals grasp. And so the research begins...

Woollen Mermaids...

Confession... i am a blogging virgin!

So as a virgin i feel i must explain the reason behind my sudden urge to begin blogging. I am Stefanie, a student currently studying a bachelor of fine arts, majoring in FASHION DESIGN. This blog is to document my design process, developments, ideas... frustration and tears based around my current design brief ... Woollen Mermaids. So basically, a concept is to be born, inspired by the original mermaid Annette Kellerman, and a collection of one piece swimsuits is to be designed, one of which will be manufactured. oh... and did i mention we are restricted to the use of BLACK WOOL!

And so it begins... i am currently living amongst a plague of magazine clippings, taking over my bed, desk and every corner of my house, spilling out of my handbag and diary and even occupying residence in the back seat of my car. The crisp, fresh, starch white pages of my new visual journal excite me as i begin my design development, slowly making use of the clippings and getting closer and closer to the birth of my concept.