Unexposed Expression

I have just finished my final project at university, which is a sad moment really, I love being a student: being able to experiment and be insane in my work is something I love, and I believe, although when I do leave I will still be in a creative field, being a student I feel you are at your most creative.

Anyway....


Our final project was left open to each of us to decide what brief we wanted to work towards. This in itself is maybe something that again being a student you can really creatively drive the brief to how you want to answer it, maybe in comparison for when you work in the industry. So, for my final brief at university, I decided to focus on trend for A/W12. At university we are truly privileged to have W.G.S.N at our fingertips for free until we graduate, which is a massive, beneficial and sheerly amazing resource and site. For my trend brief I was attached to the trend site to figure out and understand trend in itself (as this was the first time I really studied trend) but to also distinguish trend for A/W12.

After 2 months of field trips (which included visits to leeds and london), a tonne of research and articulation, I began to understand and creatively experiment with trend ideas for A/W12.

My trend is called Unexposed Expression, it's a theme that lies with the new minimalist consumer, buyer and person. It's a protest against the digital and an exploration of simple, basic being.

For my actual project I looked at producing a trend package, these images here, are visuals from each virtual section- these are the visuals I created to showcase my idea and concept.

Concept:





Colour:





Structure & Form:









Materials:




Shape:







(all images & text copyright of Ashleigh Chapman)

Burberry Prorsum looks SS/11

I'm still trying to take in the amazing Burbery show yesterday, it really was phenominal. Here's a few of my favourite pieces from the collection...

(my review)

Ashish SS/11

The video above is the music that accomppanied the Western themed Ashish london fashion week show. It has a fab and playful beat to it, much like the collection today.

I believe Ashish may have seen ToyStory 3, loved the film and wanted to create replica adult sized costumes, only much more glamorous and with a fashion twist for SS/11.

The first look to hit the runway (the models gave the runway a ton of attitude) was a Cowgirl, yes a cowgirl, with the hat and the boots, everything.

For the show, the boots seemed to become an advertising space for brands, specifically with MacDonalds, which is quite ironic considering the song. The golden arches were spread all over the footwear. However, this may sound very costume-like, maybe a fancy dress idea, but you can see Ashish's influences and his style is influenced by fashion. The fringing in the pieces for instance is gonna be a trend for SS11: I've seen fringing on recent shows in the past few days, maybe not this literal but still fringing is key. I felt an androgynous theme with this collection too, although there were some dresses, in sequinned leopard print, but some of the structure and silhouette of some pieces was quite masculine. Underneath the fringing you saw glimpses of the lovely loose trouser, in nude tones acting almost like a back drop to Ashish's artwork. The relaxed fit seem to run throughout the show too which is fab for SS11.

There was one look which took comfort to it's extremes: the model was dressed in sweats-soft, grey marl sweats with added fringing to the pockets and side seams of the trousers, so if you are feeling the fringing trend and want to see it in your wardrobe next season get those pins out and add fringing to some of your basic wardrobe staples.

When looking at past collections of the designers, you understand that from the outside the show looks fun and playful, but I think there's an underlying thought to his 'out-there' pieces.

A fun show and what a way to bring Jessie the cowgirl (Woody's friend in ToyStory) to life.

Burberry Prorsum SS/11

Oh my goodness....

I have just finished watching the Burberry show, (I've been thinking about the show since last season) I've been so excited and when the live stream appeared on my computer screen I became even more so: the venue looked incredible, Christopher Bailey certainly doesn't do things by halves does he?

Did anyone else see the show? Or is that just a really silly question?

After seeing a couple of interviews before said show, which included the likes of Serena Williams, SJP, Alexa Chung and the god of fashion, Anna Wintour, the filming then went straight to the catwalk. Our view was more so from above so you could really understand the sheer size of the catwalk runway (apparently one of the biggest if not the biggest in the country for LFW). The floor was amazing although, if you did see the show: could you see the model falling before it happened? I could, I felt worried for her then embarrassed, but you know what, it was completely worth it, and I'm sure the model would say the same thing because if your gonna fall wouldn't you want to, in an amazing, heavily studded Burberry biker jacket?!

Anyway, enough about the show, lets discuss the clothes.

Burberry's statement trench coat this season was belted with fun, coloured belts, which juxtaposed lovely with Burberry's style of country/britishness. As for design of the trench, Bailey added leather with some trench coats whether as an arm, or trimming and most of the leather was quilted, giving the look a much softer edge although some of the trench's reminded me a little of the military look-quite structured and strong. The trench for Burberry also lost a little of it's length; alongside Burberry's statement trench there was a plethora of biker jackets (a definate trend for next year: well if it's at Burberry...): biker jackets that were heavily studded with spike studs or ball bearing studs where amazing (and they looked extremly heavy but gorgeous). My favourite biker jacket from the collection has to be the gorgeous, soft ruffled leather biker, the layering of leather looked beautiful and made the biker a lot more feminine. A note I also made with the biker was the amount of straps, buttons and detailing each one had, giving the look that Rock 'n' Roll feel.

In terms of colour palette, there were a lot of muted tones,specifically in Burberry's khaki green, but also some off beige colours too the only shots of bright colour were really seen in the accessories- the belts, the enveloped clutch bags. However, saying this, colour did come through in Bailey's dresses, which were just gorgeous- they were ruched and draped on the body, short in length: they reminded me of bandeau dresses but much more glamourous and sohpsiticated and the colours of these were stunning- soft mint green, dusted rose. The pieces looked really quite elegant, yet very wearable.

We saw leather pants again for the season from Bailey, with quiting detailing too- I kinda got a feeling of the equestrian look with regards to the Burberry trouser this season- some trousers were the colour of traditional riding trousers and looked skin tight.

To end the show, not only did the last model, in the last look, fall on the mirrored floor (oh dear) in those beautiful heels but the ceiling became studded with silver confetti. Very rock 'n' roll. Such a fantastic show.

Mark Fast looks SS/11

Here's some fab photos of the amazing Mark Fast runway show at London Fashion Week...

(Here's my review)

Holly Fulton looks SS/11

Photographs of the fabulous Holly Fulton SS/11 show at London Fashion week.

(here's my review)

David Koma looks SS/11

Images from the playful David Koma fashion show...

(Here's my review)