CS - Development collection for Grey Gardens

Just to show an example of what I have been working on lately, when I have finished the final collection I'll post it, so you can see it. This collection was specifically requested by our Creative Director as for the main line is requested by our Construction tutor.

Hope you have had a lovely Monday, but if you ask me a Monday is a Monday.

I had to meet up at college at 8:30, that meant a early start - 6:00, we had to do a trip into London, to attend a seminar with six people doing each their own talks. A print artist, a graphic designer, two animation designers (they did it together) and two photographer (individually).

The trip didn't really have much relevance to what it is I'm studying, but the most interesting was definitely the photographers, can't remember their names right now, I know lazy, but will post their names when I get around to get!

xoxo

Hannah

Kingston University

My impression of KU

The greeting was absolutely fantastic, the staff and students were really helpful. The ‘Top Tips’ session was very interactive, as they were testing their audience’s knowledge, while doing the talk. It was great that there were three students that represented the student voice – it was interesting to see the students’ point of view on the different subjects (Student Life, Accommodation and Finance).

The ‘Study Abroad’ talk was done by two students, which had experienced the exchange option. Having the opportunity to study or work abroad is definitely something that is on the high priority list.

My impression is that Kingston offer a great course, one thing that did put me off was when I first looked at the course, they didn’t have any entry requirements and when I turned up for the course talk, I suddenly got told that an Art and Design foundation course is really a must, unless you believe that you could be the exception to the rule.

Elinor Renfrew is a very passionate person and is really striving to keep the course place as one of the best in the UK and claims that they are in the same league as Central Saint Martins, Brighton and Westminster. She didn’t come across as one of the nicest people, as one the parents were asking a question, Elinor didn’t seem very impressed and clearly thought that she has just clarified that particular area.

After the course talk we were divided into three groups so we could get shown around the faculty, I wasn’t best impressed with how it was organized, I got the opportunity to flick through some of the students sketchbooks, which was really interesting, it gave an idea of what the level was and what sort of style the work would be in.

xoxo

Hannah

Manchester Metropolitan University

My impression of MMU

Overall it was a great experience turning up to the MMU Open Day and I was pleasantly surprised with what the course could offer. Even though it ticks a lot of boxes what drags it down for me is the commercial side of things, also regardless of what their website is telling me; they no longer do portfolio viewings and interviews, they claim that this way they get a broader variety of students. You simply have to get 240 UCAS tariff points and you have a place with no conditions. I suddenly get a nasty feeling that their standards and expectations of their students can’t possibly be that high…

Should my decision be based on all the things that I can do there or should they be based on the things that they can’t?

xoxo

Hannah

London College of Fashion

My impression of LCF

It’s a bit hard to judge since I more or less gatecrashed the place, as mentioned before I did think that the course talk was too long, and I only got to see one third of the Application, Finance and Housing Advise (Talk). The passion and enthusiasm didn’t come across when the tutor was talking about the course. I’m sure that even if I went to the Fashion Design Technology I would been told exactly what it said on their website. Even though there was plenty of opportunity to ask questions, at the given time I didn’t know what to ask.

I was a bit disappointed that I was not shown around the John Prince’s Street site, but what I did see of the campus gave me an impression of a place, that looks like a studio space or a work space, it had a very modern and industrial feel, which made me think of home.

I was shown around the Curtain Road site, I was surprised with the amount of space that was dedicated to production, although it did make me laugh, as it is an old building and with the amount of stairs and steps there were all over the place. I would definitely not be able so show my Mum around there, as it is nowhere near disabled friendly. The students that I talked to were full of enthusiasm and positive comments, I was told that it is always inspiring to talk to the tutors as they all have part time jobs in the fashion industry which helps them remain updated with the current trends. The atmosphere on the Curtain Road site seemed laid back compared to what I saw of the John Prince’s Street site and perhaps a more positive experience, one thing that did get me was; if you want a student life you have to seek it yourself and the Student Union is nothing to get excited about, but if you’re all about getting the best opportunities within your education this was the place to go…

Have a great weekend!

xoxo

Hannah

PA - Play part three

I thought it was about time to give a little update, but life and college is busy and the rest of the time I spend on recharging and NOT blogging unfortunately. Heh, well read blogs of course, but not blogGING.

These pictures are from last week at Printed Accessories; our first try out on printing one of my designs on to a scarf, so exciting. Its a combo of Sydney Habour Brigde and a cut out of a map of Australia. As I'm not completely satisfied with the outcome, I have today experimented with different colours of the material, but also perhaps looking at other materials, such as silk, velvet (really don't like that though!) and an other fabric which I can't remember the name of!

This project is especially exciting as this is a 'live' project as they call them, that means that if my creative director is pleased with the outcome, it will be sold in the college pop-up shop, as a christmas shop.

I'm also currently battling with my fifth draft of my personal statement for the UCAS application, its coming along!

I have also completed all my Open Day visits at Universities, so all the other reviews will hopefully be up ASAP!

Today I caught myself in some mess, besides having paint all over my clothes, but at the student rep. meeting we were discussing events that could involve all the Art and Design students, so I have signed up for being apart of the event management team. We'll see how that goes, all the previous years a Aylesbury College, all the events have pretty much flopped, so lets see if I can help break that vicious circle! Or perhaps I'll just break under pressure because of the workload of my final major project... But it would be a great opportunity to get some extra work experience and be really proactive within the college environment - plus it would be so cool saying at the age of 17 I helped plan a fashion show/event/exhibition! Wish me luck!

Non college related stuff, spending Christmas in Denmark back home with the parents and little brother, be surrounded, I hope, by family and friends. A little piece of random information!

Hope you all are well out there behind the screens!

xoxo

Hannah

U+WE

Sorry for being a bit slow, I promised in the previous post that I would give a little review of U+WE, so here it is;

When I left University if West England I had a good feeling about it, it could offer me a lot of opportunities that you’re perhaps not able to find elsewhere. The Bower Ashton Campus is mainly for the Art and Design department, the campus is rather isolated in relation to the other campuses under University of West England. My impression was from listening to the other students that are currently studying at this campus, was that they didn’t really interact with the other campuses as they were so far away from them, but there was a great unity amongst the Art and Design students. The atmosphere of the place was great; the staff is friendly and talkative. My only concern is that they told us during the Course Talk, that we would be learning everything from scratch, as by the end of this course that I’m currently doing and would already have the basics, and it wouldn’t be enough of a challenge to study there. After the talk I was able to catch up with the Course Director and I told him about my concerns and asked if the course still could be the right one for me. He assured me that there would be plenty of opportunities to take advantage of the situation and I could instead be improving the skills that I wasn’t so good at or perhaps look at something more challenging.

Yesterday I went to London College of Fashion, there will be a review of that coming up soon! Have patience with me.

xoxo

Hannah

CS - Back to Basics Part Two

It looks a bit strange, but that is because it is a jumpsuit and it has legs, and this dummie wont fit a jumpsuit. This is a development from the top that you have previously seen in pattern paper, this is a toile made out of calico.

My imperfections: Seams that aren't lining up! I redid this around four times and I still couldn't get it right.

It was really rather annoying since the other side was perfectly lined up!

Things are really going to get crazy now, I haven't really showed you much of Grey Gardens, but don't really feel like boring you to death with lots of research. I would take snap shots of my research pages, but as my camera is nothing to get excited about, I will spare you from that.

I have ready started my designing and I'll be scanning them in during the coming week, so will try and post some of them - got 32 so far and need 50 by Wednesday! Plus a rough collection line up of 18 outfits, as the retailers are coming to see us that day, to get a feel of what we are doing, as they have to promote our collections.

xoxo

Hannah