lets be festive

Christmas Day I spent with the family in Leicester, Such a lovely time! We had a Lobster feast and lots of wine, Definitely a memorable day with all my close ones.
I also finally managed to get my hands on the pattern pieces my brother had sent me from Australia, my early birthday present. Didnt expect that many but now I can practice more on the machine and hopefully post some photo's up for you.
Alot of the pattern pieces are Vogue and Butterick. Alot of them quite vintage and 60's themed. I picked out a few of my favourites that I may sew up, What do you think?
My eldest brother also got me a years subscription for Vogue which is perfect for me as I love reading it but hardly buy it because its so expensive-And may I add, recently filled with too many advertisments.

I have also finally had the time to take a photo for an outfit post.Below im wearing Topshop Hareem silk trousers, ASOS crumpled effect blouse and UO Boots.

year twenty eleven

I went to the Trafford centre in Manchester c ouple of days ago before x-mas to do a little bit more Christmas shopping and plus the bf owed me a Christmas present.I Knew I needed a 2011 diary ready for the new year so I got him to get me one from Paperchase.

1. I'm going to the Paris Premier vision in February :D 4 days in Paris is going to be lush. This time I will buy LOTS and LOTS of macarons

2., It'll also be Chinese new year during the same month, where we visit the elders with fruit baskets and gifts and have a festive meal consisting of Lobsters and seafood. The best bit of it is receiving the red packets and getting to see everyone!

3.January interviews for my internship, hopefully as a design assistant but anything else similar to that Im not going to say no!

4.Driving test eek. Ive failed a couple of months back because of road obstruction so *fingers crossed* It'll be second time lucky

5.Its also my 21st in March and I'm trying to pre-plan a trip to Amsterdam for it during the Easter break with some friends.

6.Plus my brother is getting married in September. Theres so much to look forward to I really can't wait!
P.S I also got some beautiful headbands from Miss Selfridge and Warehouse, there so lush! Im really liking jewels and sparkly stuff right now!

december twentysecond

JOCELYN GREY FUR JAGUAR FOX VEST, ALEXANDER WANG ANITA FRAME BAG, ALEXANDER WANG JERSY DRAPE SIDE SCARF BUSTIER DRESS, TOPSHOP WING BRACELET, GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI PEEP TOE PUMP, TOPSHOP STAR STUDDED LEATHER GLOVES.

For any of you who are still struggling to buy gifts or buy things to spoil yourselves over the festive season I have found the perfect site for all you shopoholics out there! Its called Boutiques, it features a lot of different styles from top bloggers, celebrities, designers and retailers so there should be something in there that will tickle your fancy.

I have looked around on the site and im particulary keen on Rumi's (Fashion Toast) edgy style and i'm lusting after all her favourites especially everything by Alexander Wang. If only I had enough money to buy his gorgeous Anita frame bag along with his jersey draped bustier dress(pictured above). It would be perfect to wear on New years eve! Ill be counting down the time to the new years in Bristol with my b/f family and I will be spending Christmas back at home with my family in Leicester. I dont think I will be having roast Turkey though because my parents arent so traditional, It will be more like rice and seafood.

What are all you lovelies doing on new years eve and Christmas? Was there anything you liked on Boutique?

xxx Winnie

P.S Ill just like to say a big thank you for the comments on all my previous posts, it means a lot to me :)

illustration linked to designer Rick Owens collection

Above are my final illustration and design boards for my final project for semester 1 of year 2 in university, Pretty happy with the outcome, For the first illustration board I had used CAD, watercolour, pastels and pencil crayons, for the second illustration board I had used pastels and the final illustration board I had used pencil crayons.

Im not that great with fashion illustrations as my flair lies within design work and sewing up; Which is why I cant wait to get my hands on the pattern peices my brother had braught for my early b-day present, he is currently travelling Australia, If your a keen photographer then take a peek at some of his work. Its amazing.

One big trend for S/S '11

I think I am over the festive christmas season and very excited about the coming summer! Bold, Playful colours will be popular along with the whole 70's glam vibe-Think Jerry Hall and Studio 54! No more camel tones and bring on the Khaki's and brights. Expect to see a lot of colour, florals and accessories.

Christopher Kanes S/S 11' Collection with neon oranges, pinks, greens and yellows saturating his entire coll.
Topshops unique 70's Luxe collection, Burnt celementine, fleshy peach and nude prints with frazzled pink hair. I am SO lusting after this collection!

Project runway

Who am I kidding, this is one of my first ever dress that I have worked on in a group project for my first semester of second year in university, and I have pretty much enjoyed it!

The project brief was for us (Hayley, Jade and Clare) to research, design and complete a garment which must incorporate a Revere collar, Puff sleeve and Circle skirt. And we had used inspirations from designers such as Yohji Yamamoto and Rick Owens, as well as inspiration from the sea (shapes from Jellyfishes and Shells) and historical references such as Renaissance (swirls).

We used these inspirations and had turned them into simple silhouettes in our design developments and had come up with a final design.
This is what we made as a group. What do you think?

winter inspiration

Design research boards-Rick Owens

Just below are some of the work I had done with my group on Rick Owens an avant garde designer, We researched into some of his past and current collections in stores and on the runway, his competitors, his past and present, his inspirations taken from his work and his stores across the globe.

Group work was great fun because we were able to discuss our different opinions and reach an end solution, it was also definitely less work and pressure! We also managed to get a 2.1 for the first half of our project which i'm happy about!

For the second half of our project we are working by ourselves and we are asked to create our collection based on Rick Owens, pretty difficult seeing as his collections are very unique! I find that the style of his collections keep within the grungy yet glamourous look, very symmetrical, alot of layers and alot of monochromatic colours! especially black and white with a lot of drape and good quality fabric.

Rick Owens London store

Remember when I told you all about my trip down to London? It wasnt just all fun and games.. I went to visit the Rick Owens store in Mayfair to do some serious customer research for my design project. This is what I managed to snap up in the store.




The lightweight flowing garments (cashmere and felt) define the aesthetics, while the asymmetric and geometrically angled biker jackets take the look to a whole different realm.
In the Basement is the more directional Rick Owens menswear collection.
Elsewhere, the store provides the customers with a lot of leather jackets piled with fur and lambskin.
Colours are generally muted with black, white and grey all featuring strongly. Price point starts at the very top of luxury. Starting at £90 for a pair of socks to £2500 for his well known leather jackets, a simple T-shirt of his ranges from £100-£200 and a basic knit are £400-£600. Owens uses truly the finest materials which are manufactured in a factory in Italy.





When I entered the Rick Owens Store Based in London in Mayfair, Starting with the bit that everybody knows, the life size sculpture of Rick Owens head on the large platter just aside of the tills is something your eyes won’t miss, the centrepiece of the store, a typical Rick Owens wit and irony.

There was a very mature feel within the surroundings. There were High-quality furnishings and the staffs were very friendly and helpful.
The space is quintessentially Owens with a modern austerity. The store kept its colour minimum with monochromic wallpaper and concrete flooring measuring in at 3,8000 square feet, this links in with the ominously beautiful pieces of Rick Owens A/ W collection that was out on display.

The Women swear clothing is based on ground floor and Menswear clothing and accessories down the flights of stairs into a large single spaced room.
The Rick Owens changing rooms are worth a look too, being squared cubicles created from black curtains and very dim lighting. The store mimics the designer’s clothing with its sleek interior.
Around the perimeter, display rails are suspended from steel wheels on an overhead rail. On the ground floor there are a lot of leather tunics, overcoats with Herman Munster shoulders, flowy black wide-legged jumpsuits, snakeskin stacked heels, straight-cut tunics, and skirts in monochromatic colours of white, grey and black could be a chic addition to many grown up woman wardrobes.

Visual merchandising

Is anyone else in the festive christmas mood apart from me and harvey nichols?
Only 59 days untill christmas! Its going to go past so quick seeing as I have a heap load of work to get through because of hand in dates the coming week on friday. Eeek. And I also have this special call to make tomorrow morning (I will tell you all about it if its successful!)

Anyway, I walked past the window display of Harvey nichols and it never fails to amaze me, I love every single visual aspect of it! How it just grabs my attention straight away with all its creative and fun quirkyness mixed with dazzling tinsels and snowballs. At Harvey Nichols, the window displays have been an integral part of the store since its inception 200 years ago. I think its so important for the store to have a strong visual because that is one of the key main features that promote Harvey nichols as a brand.
And in most cases, having a window display says alot about the brand and its clothes and draws attentions to the buyers, and behind every window is a simple motivation- sales.

However.. next year it may become a little darker on the streets at night, this is because retailers of a certain size are asked to register for the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme and from next year pay for the carbon they emit. These are new rules being set to encourage High Street retailers to become more energy efficient and help the environment.

Harrods created a fabulous window display last year and I just have to show it to you because I loved it so much! The display featured a pair of red Dorophy slippers poking through Harrods front shop. These slippers were the size of a double decker bus!

Zara lover?

Hiiiii everyone ;] Just a very quick outfit post and a very blurry picture to go with it!
I tried this Lacey blouse on in Zara along with the 3/4 length peg leg trousers with belt and suede waistcoat. I love the decorative floral details and slight winkle effects around the bust area and how the sleeves are flared out just below the elbow. Not too sure about the waistcoat though because i feel that there is too much of a theme towards it?
xxx

Japanese Fashion

I made my way down to London on Friday and headed to Mayfair to do a little research on Rick Owens store for one of the projects I am doing on my Fashion course, As well as this, I had accompanied a friend to the Barbican art gallery for an exhibition on Japanese fashion!
The exhibition hosted work from visionaries such as Issey Miyake, Rei Kawakuba and Yohji Yamamoto, With two Levels to this exhibition, it explores the characteristics which have come to define fashion from Japan.
The exhibition was divided into different sections with semi-sheer white fabric; There was much fashion and art to see but it was a little dissapointing not to be able to take photographs however I had managed to snap up a few of my favourites before being told.
I really like the cream embellished dress with deconstructed tailoring, if i remember correctly, I think it was the works of Issey Miyaki.

Above image; Tao Kurihara/Tao Comme des Garçons autumn/winter 2009 Photo: BEN HASSETT

Above Collection by Issey Miyake. Who is internationally recognised as one of the most innovative clothing designers today, He is known for reinterpreting traditional japanese garments as well as his technical and material innovation.
In the Image above features Miyake's most popular and accessible collections -Pleats.





"In Praise of Shadows" Junya Watanabe Comme des Garcons, A/W 2009-2010.
The row of collection here features assymetric, deconstructed garments which was heat pressed to create these amazing pleats and shapes, these garments exemplify the power and versatility of black which was first demonstrated by Pioneering designers Kawakubo and Yamamoto.