Hanna Vestin: Middlesex Internal Show

Last minute fitting before the show to make styling decisions...

Notes typed for the dressers...

SHOW TIME!

SHOW DAY: Middlesex University 01/05/2014

As a dresser I was given the responsibility of model Harry Uzoka who had 12 different menswear looks. 

Working as a team and being able to cope under pressure were really important here and I was able to stay organised with the help of one of my peers. One of the key focuses was not only dressing Harry in the correct order and on time, but to stick to the styling directions that we were given by the designers. This was quite nerve-racking because I knew how crucial the show was to each student and the presentation of all their hard work rested on our shoulders!

Internal Work Placement- Hanna Vestin

Tuesday 1st April: 1 month until the internal fashion show at Middlesex University and I begin my internship with 3rd year student, Hanna Vestin. 
A simple start, I pressed her final fabric for a shirt and after laying the pieces as economically as I could, I cut the fabric.

Wednesday 2nd April: Cut more fabric pieces and learnt how to use the fusing machine to apply bondaweb to fabric to stiffen it. Was sent on an errand to Shepherd's Bush to buy fabric. When I returned did some fiddly hand tacking for the teeth detailing on the shirt.

Thursday 3rd April: cut interfacing for collars and button stands and adjusted the pattern for the button stand to make it slimmer. Unpicked trouser facing. 

Sat in on the 3rd year FORUM meeting about the details for the show. 

Stitched plastic pockets onto garment bags.

Pattern cut a pocket inside of a pocket for the jumpsuit which was quite confusing but I managed to do. 

Finished off by pinning more teeth onto the front yoke of the shirt.

Friday 4th April: pinned more teeth, this time into the collar. Cut interfacing for shirt button stand, pinned teeth into back yoke and unpicked trousers.

Asked Hanna for work to do over the weekend but she is going to focus on her dissertation so I have 2 days off...

Monday 7th April: Cut and fused collar facing and hand stitched the back neckline of the dress to stop it from rolling. 

Worked with cutting silk fabric for the first time. Using extra pins and weights, I cut the pieces for the skirt. 

Cut and fused 1cm strips to strengthen the edges of the pockets.

Started to make large teeth for the glittery jumper by fusing, pressing and sewing tubes of fabric.

Tuesday 8th April: had th hand stitch the collar again because Hanna had to take it off. Then made up more teeth for the jumper and started to sew them on with the machine. 

Wednesday 9th April: Cut facings for the jumper. Added hems onto trouser pattern pieces for the jumpsuit. Then laid out and cut pieces in crepe fabric. 

Hand stitched teeth up on trousers and jumper to hold in place.

Thursday 10th April: replaced the pocket on the shirt because Hanna wanted it in a different fabric. Had to sew in teeth again...Also learned how to make bias binding.

My list of tasks for Friday 11th April: 

EASTER BREAK!!! 

Kept in touch with Hanna over the break to see how she's been getting on...

Wednesday 23th April: Modelled Hanna's skirts and trousers so that she could level off the hemlines.

Took another trip to Shepherd's bush for extra bits of fabric and went to the haberdashery stall on the market for the first time- glad I know where it is now! 

When I got back I had some unpicking of the jumpsuit to do because the side panel had puckered.

Thursday 24th April: 1 week to the show!!! Hanna is well on track with the collection now so we have been tidying up bits and bobs.

Started on the headpieces today- strengthening the boxes with extra card. 

Cut fabric pieces to make shoe bags with...

Been in the print studio all afternoon with Hanna, helping her to screen print labels etc. This was really useful to watch (although I have done it in the past, it was refreshing)

The Independent- Fanzine

"I was born in Salford and grew up in Northwich, Cheshire. I always loved my music and thought Manchester was the place where I fitted in, but I wanted to prove people from the suburbs weren't idiots, so I always made it clear the Charlatans were from Northwich, although that meant nothing to anyone outside the north-west"-

Lead singer, Charlatans

MODA

Faris Badwan- The Horrors

  A former illustration student of Central Saint Martins, Faris Badwan now fronts indie rock band The Horrors, who have performed with the likes of Florence Welch and won an NME award for Best Album.

Although mostly recognised for his music career, Faris expresses himself also through the use of art. His work displays his perception of the world; his particular style uses repetition and transformation to create hectic, hypnotic illustrations. His intuitive monochromatic mark making works have been displayed in 2 exhibitions, at the Bondhi Gallery and The Book Club in London. Inspired by artist Paul Klee and his tendency to become frantically obsessed with things, his work presents as meticulous yet chaotic.

   Creatures in Colour was Faris’ most current exhibition and took place at The Strand Gallery, London September 2012. As the title suggests, this was Badwan’s first time of presenting colour in his work. In an interview with Dazed Digital, Faris says, “Watercolours can be extremely vivid and transporting. I like the enthusiasm that comes with enjoying new things.” Most of the drawings are done in a “hypnotic states of consciousness” which interests the audience because “they want to observe the world of the drawings and discover the secrets.”- http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/gallery/14594/1/faris-badwan-creatures-in-colour

   Personally, I find Faris’ monochrome work more interesting because the style is more expressive and seems more natural to the artist. The use of colour in his most recent work makes it blend into the art scene, sitting in with the likes of Paul Klee and Gustav Klimt. Being in an indie guy himself, it suits more for him to stand out with his work and so some of my favourites of his illustrations are from the Dark Arts at Shoreditch's The Book Club.

   Amalgamating art and music, Faris designed the illustrations for the lyric sleeve of the band’s debut album Strange House. The album artwork for their most popular album Skying was produced by Neil Krug, who founded Pulp Art Book and has also worked for Tame Impala and My Chemical Romance. With The Horror’s music being classified as garage rock, gothic rock, shoegazing and post-punk revival it lends itself suitably to the indie culture due to the originality of its sound. The overall appearance of the band is set aside from mainstream music culture, seen in the way they dress, the gigs they put on and the artwork used for their albums.