Final Editorial shoot: Brit PoP!

So as the weeks fly by we are coming to the end of the course (massive sad face) and yesterday we had our final editorial photo shoot.

This time the brief was Brit Pop... however it was modern brit pop, so taking influences from the pioneers... oasis, blur, pulp (amongst other 90's gems) and taking a modern spin on it ala Lily Allen, La Roux, Marina & The Diamonds etc...  It was a chance to have fun, and be avante garde.

I knew from my experience on the last shoot that I needed to amp up my game big time... I wanted to show my personality and prove that I am allot more creative.

I started out doing some research, looking up images, flipping through endless amounts of magazines and in the end I found a strong influence in British Hot Babes Agyness Deyn and VV Brown. There style was quirky, bright, fun and everything I wanted my shoot to be.

SO now it was time to put my ideas into something real... Once again I began trolling the shops.. from vintage to charity and even back to my favourite haunt: Oxford Street.

I find that often I get inspiration from one item... The trick for me is finding one item that I absolutely love and then building the rest of the look around that one key piece. After a few weeks of searching I found my start item; this little bad boy from TopShop:

 

Yes, it may be a swimsuit - but it is not just that. It is amazing! From the print to the colour - it is all around great, and a good strong piece that would pop ! Plus I didn't plan on using it a swimwear capacity... I planned on using as a bodysuit, pairing it with some disco pants, or a skirt.

So a week before the shoot we had our developmental reviews as per usual and I was feeling really good about the items I had. After speaking to my lecturers Wendy & Dan.. I had an even clearer idea of what look I was going for... all that was left to do was go out and create it

In the end I had come up with the idea to make a skirt similar to the Pink PVC number VV Brown is wearing in the above picture... but put my own spin on it. I scoured the fabric shops of Berwick street only to be broken hearted when I found out High gloss PVC Vinyl runs at 17 pounds per metre... a little out of my price range.  Luckily a last minute trip to brick lane saved my life - and I got a shiny waterproof material for a nice 4 pound per metre. Once completed I jazzed up the waistband by sewing alphabet fridge magnets to give it some fun and colour.

The next week I spent sewing and creating my look... with a few late night trips to Oxford Street for Accessories, and shoes I had completed my look - and feeling confident this time around.

Wednesday aka final shoot day rolls around and I lug my jumbo skirt (which has now been stuffed with newspaper to make it pouffy) on the tube only to be greeted with odd stares from fellow passengers. I arrive at the studio, make some last minute alterations and finally the time comes for me to get my model ready.

I had the lovely Mel who we worked with before at Britain and Irelands Next Top Model wearing my outfit and she looked amazing - like a barbie. You never are quite sure if your outfit will look how it does in your head... this time around it was better than I thought.

My Brit Pop Look

It's all in the detail... hiding labels, arranging jewellery...

Making last minute adjustments..... not my best look but Mel looks hot.

Taking a step back and comparing the two photo shoots.. this one was allot more relaxed and ran very smooth. I felt more confident and that I had a clearer idea of what I wanted my outfit and images to look like. I definitely feel like I have grown creatively in a massive massive way.

So now we are down to the final two classes... which breaks my heart to even say as I literally love the class so much it hurts!

My next blog will probably be about how I made a tit of myself on the last day.. crying my eyes out in a beer...... 'I love you guys sooooooo much'.

haha until next time :)

Omg.. Shoes. Let's get em!

For those of you who get the reference of the this post title - I couldn't help myself.

On this lovely little course of mine we quite often have to customise and item of clothing as an assignment. For our 3rd customising assignment we were given the task of jazzin' up a pair of shoes.

I was actually really excited about this, because for the runway show I had already planned on customising the shoes my female model was going to wear - they were actually going to be a major staple in my outfit's concept.

I headed down to good ol' Primarni and picked up a cheap pair of shoes that I could work my magic on. I opted for a pair of 5 inch black velvet heels with a extra high hidden platform. Just what I was after.

I had a pretty clear idea of how I wanted the shoes to look. As my outfits in the show were a bit 'gothic glam' as I like to call it - I wanted the shoes to feel the same way.

I had this vision in my head of covering the shoes in a mix of gold and silver studs & spikes. So doing some googling, I found a great little website that sells every kind of studs and spikes under the sun. From Pyramid to dome - you want it they have got it.

I order a shit ton of studs,  ( I was also using a large majority on the jacket...) so the lovely man at 'Studs and Punks' gave me a discount for placing such a large order.

They arrived the next day and I got to work... several hours, tubes of super glue, puncturing and a few curse words later...... my masterpiece was complete!

In the end I was very pleased with these bad boys! They looked epic with the female out fit and they got loads of attention during the show. I had a number of offers to buy them - but I am going to keep them as they are the first pair I ever made... Who knows perhaps when all is said and done I could always start a little shoe company.

So what is the verdict?

Britain and Irelands Next Top Model - Live!

Britain and Irelands Next Top Model - Live, or BINTM is an exhibition that the London College of Style was chosen to show case their work at. From the begining of the course we were told we would each be showing 2 out fits, for a male and female model.

There was no breif except that the outfits needed to compliment eachother - so it was quite hard to come up with an idea from scratch. After a number of consulations with our lecturer's,  endless trips to fabric stores, and model fittings etcs...  our creations were done. In the end my look had a bit of a gothic inspired vibe to it....... dark colours, studs, velvet etc. I even customised a pair shoes I picked up from Primark.

The weekend of the show arrived and it all of sudden felt real - we had a call time of 7am for rehersals on the first day and it was all a bit nuts. Rehersals did not go well to put it lightly - we were slow, missing timings, outfits broke (which later resulted in a cat fight, however that is awhole other blog post in itself...), basically a disaster.

Our shows were roughly mid day each day and we had to be back stage exactly half hour before each one to get first all outfits in order and the models into their first looks. When that beat of 'Moves like Jagger' started (our first song in the show... ), the adrenaline began.

The show was roughly 14 minutes long - but felt like 30 seconds. When you see the model you are dressing step of stage - you literally have 1 minute, maybe 2 if you are lucky to change her into the next look before she back out there again. it is a whirlwind and before you know it - it's the last outfit and the show is done.

After 3 days of chaos the shows were complete, and I  was very happy. My outfits looked great, and the customised shoes I made got LOADS of attention. People left and right were offering to buy them and the presenter of our show even mentioned them on stage... very flattering. So it was an exhausting weekend... but all the stress was worth it in the end... and now I know what it's like to work backstage at a runway show - never again will it be my first time.

Model wearing my females outfit

Show finale, my 2 looks on the inside male and female model

Time & Leisure Magazine

My first experience working on an editorial photo shoot was for Time & Leisure magazine. The class was given a brief (which was 1940's Glamour) and we had to draw sketches, create mood boards, and source the clothing for the shoot. After the shoot.. one of our styled images would be chosen to grace the November issues cover... no pressure then.

When the day finally came around I was feeling pretty confident.. until I saw the other girls clothing! They were bloody brialliant... I was bricking it. I felt that I had severly under achieved and I could do so much better than what I had brough to the table.. this however was my first time, and a massive learning curve.

Weeks passed by.. and we were all busy working on another project when the editor stopped by the studioto give us feedback but more importantly to present the winner with an issue of the magazine.

Never in a million years did I expect to win - so when they annouced my budy from the course Hannah as the winner I was truely happy for her.. she totally deserved it, and it was the best. HOWEVER what I didn't expect was to win bloody runner up!!

So in the end my styled image was featured inside the magazine as a shortlisted image (Pictured below). I was pretty chuffed.

Here is a link to a digital copy of the magazine...  Time & Leisure Magazine the schools feature is on page 15.

I guess it is true what they say - we are our worst critic.

My shortisted Image

Is everybody in? The Journey is about to begin..

 

Yours truely

Right so you have stumbled upon my little blog - welcome :). Just a little back ground information to catch you up to speed with what's been going on in my life. 

About 7 weeks agon I started a course at the London College of Style.. and I have had no life since (I mean this in a good way..). The course 'Foundation Diploma In Styling' is prepairing stylist of the future to break into the fashion industry.

I have spent the last 7 weeks of my life sourcing clothing, preparing mood boards, customising items, writting articles, working photoshoots & attending catwalk shows...... needless to say its been a very busy, albeit stressful but AMAZING time. 

I am 5 weeks away from completing the course (makes me sad to think it's almost over..)... where I then will have to face breaking into the fashion industry. Welcome aboard the journey.