Friday 12 July 2013

Style icon

Style icon

Marianne Faithfull


Girl friend to mick Jagger, singer, song writer and actress, Marianne Faithfull was a popular and famous face of the 1960s. Her glamoursous and simple sexy style was one that young girls aspired to. The outfits of miss faithfull made the fashion trend that we remember the 1960s for.



The Fur coat! The iconic fur coat of the 1960s that would be paired with a little black dress a cigarette or just on its own...without anything underneath!





Style Icon
Mick Jagger


 The Man the myth the legend! Mick jagger not only being a rock n roll legend has set some of the iconic looks and styles of the 60s and 70s. Through his music performance and his clothing, Jagger created a brand new never seen before style and sex icon! 


Mick and Bianca Jagger



The most stylish couple in the 70s.


Here Mick rocks the tudor style jacket. Mick brought back the old culture of England and redefined it and threw it back at Britain. Mick's sexy rockstar persona was a canvas for artists and designers to take something simple and make it a memory of the times.









Thursday 4 July 2013

Style icon - Jane Birkin

Style Icon
Jane Birkin


I have chosen to look at the style of Jane Birkin the British actress who lived in france. She successfully combined they fashion of the two countries to create her own unique and sexy style.


Here I have put together a small collection of images that create the key pieces of the style icon Jane Birkin. She is well known for her boyish laid back casual day look,  which she combined with ballerina pumps or fur coat to give  it a feminine touch. Her simple little black slip dress made her simple unforgettable at a party. The basket was another one if Birkin's iconic accessories. The Birkin bag was inspired by the British actress and the idea came to the designer, Jean-Louis Dumas when he met her on a plane from Paris to London. When the glamorous actress dropped her basket and and the contents spill everywhere. Birkin explained that she was in need of a stylish yet practical bag. Hence the Birkin handbag was created and named after the woman who inspired the most iconic accessory in fashion history.


Inspiration - Kansai Yamamoto

Inspiration 

Kansai Yamamoto








Designer to to Legend that is David Bowie, Kansai Yamamoto was a major element in creating the image of Ziggy Stardust. He showed his first collection in London in 1971 and was highlighted for his avant-garde kimono designs and is widely known as the man who re-invented the kimono. It was this unique talent and creativity that produced the famous image of Ziggy stardust.

David Bowie and Kansai Yamamoto met in New York and Kansai orgianally gave two of his kimono designs to Bowie as a gift. Next, he was commisioned to create nine more costumes for the tour.

My pencil sketchs of some of Bowie's outfits.






"He has an unusual face, don't you think?  He's neither man nor woman.  If you see what I mean; which suited me as a designer because most of my clothes are for either sex.  I love his music and obviously that has influenced my designs but most of all there's this aura of fantasy that surrounds him.   He has flair." - Kansai Yamamoto (June 1973)

Kansai's designs helped to maintain the mystery of Ziggy Stardust whilst still maintaining a wow factor which captured the curiousity of the British nation, in one way or another. The Costumes and Bowie, at the time, did not always receive the positive press which it is so famous for today. However the designs of Kansai combined with the music of Bowie did capture the nations attention and became the most exciting thing to happen in Britain since the Beatles.


Inspiration

Inspiration 

David Bowie!
David Bowie has contributed so much to British culture and society. Through his own journey of self discovery through his music a Legend was created. Bowie gave us Ziggy Stardust, Hunky Dory, Fame and The Man Who Fell to Earth. Not only was his music inspiring but his image was a performance in itself.





In 1980, as a part of his 'Scary Monsters'  album, Bowie produced a song called 'Fashion', which expressed the view that we are all slaves to the fashion industry and it is merely something we follow like sheep.
Bowie is one of the most outrageous and most exciting thing to happen in music history. He has contributed so much to British culture and redefined music. For that we thank you!

Saturday 29 June 2013

Angel the Costumiers


Angel the Costumiers

Angel the Costumiers was established in 1840 by a Mr. Morris Angel. He provided a service that provided good quality clothing for those who wanted it. Offering a suit hiring business and with the filming industry kicking off Morris Angel's Business kicked off!

Now Angel the costumiers devotes their work to creating fantastic quality clothing for the filming industry. They have contributed massively to our culture by creating the clothing of the characters in some of the biggest blockbuster films ever made. 
Angel the costumiers have created the wigs for the Marie Antoinette 2007 film, in the old traditional way. Been a part of the production of the unforgettable Great Gatsby costumes and award winning films such as The Young Victoria, Alice in Wonderland, Anna Karenina, Brave Heart and Romeo and Juliet and so many more.


Thank you Angels for adding love, time and energy to the creations that made me fall in love with fashion, art and the beauty of costume design. 



Inspiration 

Tim Walker

Tim Walker is my favorite photographer. His artistic and creative ability to make a fantasy or fairy tale come to life makes him stand out from other artists and photographers and, in my opinion makes him truly unique. I do not consider Tim Walker to be a photographer but an artist. It is his skill of creating something new that draws me to his work. The world of Tim Walker is truly fascinating and his photos allow us a sneak peak into his world of magic.

Tim Walker is a British Fashion Photographer and has worker for publications such as Vogue creating magical and romantic motif characters in his style. Over the years Tim Walker has gained prestige and appreciation for his magnificent work, and has been named 'The Story Teller' a title quite fitting to the genius artist. 

Walker photographs in many beautiful British houses, castles and landmarks. Walker collaborates with Angel the Costumiers to create the illusion of a magical character. This helps in order to invent the story's and concepts behind the photoshoot. Walker mainly works on a large scale and has created many large scale drawings and models such as the Mullberry campaigns. 


Tim Walker is also extremely famous for his portraits and photographing the iconic designers, actors, artists and musicians of our time. He has photographed the legendary Alexander McQueen, Vivienne westwood and Helena Bonham Carter.


I have chosen to look at Tim walkers photography and artwork because I find the collaboration of colours and shapes of the costumes and settings beautiful! There is something very appealing about every single one of Walker's photographs. Additionally, Walker focuses on many traditional British settings and events such as hunting, world war two and royalty. 

In my project I have looked at Tudor and Stuart fashion and the royal family. Tim walker approaches these subjects in new and unique ways. I hope in my final Garment I can create a new and interesting twist on the fashion so rich and beautiful of the time.

Monday 24 June 2013

Welcome

Made in Britain! 

I am so excited for our 'Made in Britain' project because the British culture has shaped the way in which the world is today! Britain was once the greatest empire in the world! There were magnificent rivers, mountains and forests named after our Kings and Queens. Britain owned half of the world and its people! However war and industry swiftly saw the destruction of this great empire and Britain fought in two major wars that crumbled the economy and brought about a time of austerity and depression. 

However the post world war two years saw the creation of Rock n' roll music!  A subject which in my opinion gave people a  voice and a purpose in life. Rock n' roll music created the concept of the teenager and new styles. In other words Britain is were the rebellion against society began. Britain created the genius' of The Beatles, David Bowie, The Who, The Jam, T-Rex, The Rolling stones and The Sex pistols.

Personally I find the era of the 60s, 70s and 80s in Britain truly fascinating. With new inventions, styles and a new way of life I find it a shocking and fantastically hypnotizing era. I have asked many people in my family and circle of friends who live through such era what it was like and all have replied in the same words 'It was nothing like it is now...it was fantastic!'.

The history of British culture during this time period is the first thing I thought of when we were introduced to the project. I immediately thought of the colours and patterns and wacky shapes of the outfits that rock stars wore, as these are fantastic inspiration for creating my own designs and garment.

Throughout my sketchbook research I have looked at designers that have shaped and changed the trends of the century such as Vivienne Westwood and the infamous Alexander McQueen who have turned clothes into an art form and redefined the orthodox way of being a designer.

Enjoy the blog!

Welcome to my blog 'Made in Britain!'. This is my online sketchbook which reveals additional research relating to my fashion project at the Brit School. All the information I can not fit into my sketchbook or additional information and images that inspire me through out my project will be posted on this blog, along with the final outcome garment.