Designer Research

As my theme is Elemental, I think that it should be textured and be more 3D than 2D, especially when it comes to experimentation and sampling in my sketchbook. I have been looking at different techniques used by different designers who use a lot of fabric manipulation in their collections. In the above picture, I have shown many different designers to see the complexity and variety of techniques used to add detail in collections. This look makes garments appear not only more detailed, but also gives off a distressed, rugged and carefree vibe; which is the look I am going for in my collection. I have also included some key words which I think relate to this 'look', including distressed, raw, manipulated and also natural. I will use this page as inspiration for samples I can make to use in my sketchbook, to further develop into different prints. 

After looking into different fabric manipulation techniques, I decided I should look into a certain designer or artist that uses a lot of fabric manipulation in their collections. I found that Viktor and Rolf use a lot of heavy weaving, beading and other embellishment techniques in their collections; particulary in their Fall 16 Couture collection. Therefore I have created a page in my sketchbook looking at their collection from Fall 16, in closer detail. They have used lots of tulle fabric to create layered ruffles, as well as buttons on trousers as heavy embellishment, and woven pieces feature a lot in their collection. Using this as inspiration, I will be doing more fabric manipulation techniques that will be in my sketchbook, which I will then further develop into prints, editing them on Photoshop. 

As part of my press pack, I wanted to make a look book featuring images of clothes, textures, colours and other elements that relate to my theme. The images above are my inspiration for my look book, I have decided to do my photoshoot in the studio, as this is the look I am going for; simple white background so the items take centre stage. The colours used in these images are also very similar to what I am going for in my look book. In order to make the look book all about the products and to get the feel of the vibe and the colours/textures I will be using for my collection, I will not be using a model, but simply use methods such as stacking fabric or garments with the colour palette of my collection, also taking images of garments on hangers and rails, against the plain white background of the studio. I have never done a photoshoot without a model before, so this will be a new experience for me which could work really well and will allow me to use in the future. The look book will be around 20 pages long, in a  matte finish as I believe using matte paper is more organic looking and looks more creative and edgy, rather than using glossy paper. As I only need this look book as part of my assignment, I will only be printing one, however if I wanted to get my collection out there then I'd print more to give out to a wide audience. 

Customer Profile and Context Board

This is the context board which features on the first page of my sketchbook. I have included images that reflect my theme; elemental, and have used both primary and secondary images. I believe that this context page sums up my colour palette clearly and gives a clear image of the look I am going for. I have also included key words which I think compliment my theme well. I have used words such as; relaxed, natural, calm, pure and sand; to name a few. To add the feeling of different textures, I have printed some of the images on normal paper, and some on acetate. I think that this also gives a more creative look to the images and sketchbook, so I have carried on doing this throughout my sketchbook.

This is my Elemental customer profile board, and I decided to spread it across two pages as I felt there was a lot of different elements to my customer and I wanted to feature them all. Once again, I have printed half the images on normal paper, and some on acetate to give different textures. It is similar to the context board, however this features more images that reflect my customer, such as images of places, restaurants/bars/cafes, shops, jewellery/clothing and other images I feel would relate to my customer, such as the decor in their house. Doing this has helped me get a clear image of who I would be targeting my collection at, and further help me with the promotional packaging. My customer is simple and minimal, yet has a chic and glamorous side to her. Therefore I have considered these elements when designing the packaging for my collection.

Packaging Prototypes

As part of my promotional pack, I want to include some sort of small box that could fit in a small piece of jewellery, for example a set of rings or a pair of earrings. I want to incorporate my print I created into most of my work, so I tried out a few different ways I could do this. I downloaded box templates off the internet and uploaded them onto Photoshop, where I then inserted my chosen prints. I made two different styles; a cube shaped box, and a more rectangular/oval shaped box, just to compare and contrast to see which would be better suited to my theme and the type of jewellery I would be using. Once I had done this, I printed both designs out on normal A4 paper, and also acetate. During the construction of the boxes, I noticed that putting together the boxes made of acetate was a lot more difficult than the paper ones, as the acetate isn't quite as flexible and the paper, and also doesn't crease as easily, meaning the edges of the boxes aren't as crisp as the ones made of paper. I also experimented with two different types of print. I preferred the box with the original print I produced from the sample made from pva glue mixed with chalk, ink and Brusho. This print stood out a bit more than the edited print, which I created by layering the original print with my fabric sample; this print didn't come across as clear as I'd hoped. When it came to the style of box I want, I am still unsure as to which one to go for, as I don't know exactly what type of jewellery I will be putting into it yet. 

This is the skeleton of the cube box that I made, on the top is the acetate one, and below is the paper one. I thought this print was a lot stronger than the other one I have used, as it is more prominent and eye catching. 

This is the other rectangular/oval shaped box I have made. The print isn't very clear on either the paper or the acetate prototypes. I wasn't too pleased with the outcome of this box as the print let it down, I would try making it again with the other print instead. 

This is the final result of the cube box, I quite like how the print turned out on this as it is slightly clearer than the previous one, however the acetate isn't the best material to work with when trying to make a box, as it doesn't crease easily, therefore it was difficult to get the box to stay in shape.

This is the final result of the cube box, but this time using just normal paper. I think this one looks a lot more neat and professional than the one made from acetate, as the creases are crisper, and the print is a lot bolder. I think I would be more than likely to go with this print, using a thin, white card to manufacture the box, if I am going to go ahead and make one as part of my promotional pack. 

What will be included in my Press Pack?

• Look book including images from the photo shoot I will be doing.
• Swing tags with my logo on 
• Garment labels produced with logo on
• Luxury packaging boxes, including ribbon and tissue paper
• Canvas tote bag

Action Plan:

• Tuesday 7th February:  

1. Complete blog posts on slides 1 and 24

2. Start designing logo (experiment with pva/paint sample, scan in to create a print, and use the embroidery machine).

3. Print out competitor research and high end magazine research on acetate and stick in sketch book.

4. Edit look book images on Photoshop.

• Tuesday 14th February:

1. Start making and designing packaging for products.

2. Textile and digital experimentation.

3. Create digital and hand drawn illustrations

• Tuesday 21st February:

1. Make sure logo is complete and send off to packaging company to print (precious packaging website)

2.  Get look book printed.

• Tuesday 28th February:

1. Analyse progress on blog.

2. Keep adding to sketchbook.

• Tuesday 7th March:

1. DEADLINE DAY

2. Make sure sketchbook and press pack are completed

Defining a Brand

Today, we had to brainstorm ideas about what it takes to create and maintain a brand identity. As a group, we came up with factors such as; logo, slogan, swing tags, labels, retail atmosphere, how they promote/advertise their products and how they package their products. A picture of the mind map is below:

As part of this module, I have to start creating my own brand identity and I will be doing this through creating a promotional pack which will include items such as business cards, swing tags, packaging, a canvas tote bag and a look book. In order to create a look book, I must carry out a photo shoot. I have decided to not include any models and would rather focus on colour, setting and texture. I have gathered a few ideas including taking pictures of zoomed in fabrics and garments that relate to my theme. In addition, I would also like to have a few garments hanging on a rail with a clean white background so that the garments stand out and are focus of attention. Also I want to be able to add texture to either my business cards or swing tags as I think that this fits better with my theme rather than having everything flat and digital. However, despite this, I still want to add a modern twist into some of my promotional pieces as this will appeal to the younger audiences more. I think that some of the illustrations I created using mixed media, I want to use these as features on my business cards and swing tags as I think that this will look more organic. 

In terms of retail environment, I would envision my shop to be very minimal with bare white walls complete with a few simple pieces of artwork hanging on the walls. The garments would be hanging on railings with only a few in each size out. The staff will be friendly and helpful, helping with any request. The packaging would be chic yet high end, with simple white fold over boxes and printed tissue paper.

1. Illustrations using mixed media

To create this illustration, I found an image of a female model out of a magazine and cut out the outline of the swimsuit she was wearing. I then placed the image of the photograph I took of the sea underneath the cut out so that the image of the waves came through. I think that this is a really effective technique as it makes the outfit stand out clearly, especially the print and the shapes. If I was going to use a model for my look book I would style her similar to the model I have used for this illustration; the look would be complete with minimal makeup, and beach wave hair. 

To further develop my illustration from before, I scanned it into Photoshop and edited it. I used techniques such as the magic wand tool to select the area of the swimsuit so that this would be the only part of the illustration that was edited. I then adjusted the saturation levels to make the blue colour of the sea more prominent and eye catching. I also changed the levels of the colour of the model to make her hair darker and skin lighter, to make her features stand out more. I think this is an effective way of promoting clothing, especially when the colour of the model is black and white, and it brings more attention to the garment(s).

This was the final edit I made to this illustration. I decided to cut the illustration in half so that I can spread the illustration over two pages, leaving more white space on the pages which gives a more minimalist feeling. Doing this also focuses the attention on this one illustration, rather than having more illustrations on one page. I think that this will look effective once placed into my sketchbook, as once again all the focus is on this one illustration,  I would use this technique again in my sketchbook but with a different model/ underneath image. To add more media to this illustration, I printed this out on acetate and stuck the illustration over the original, however I made it sit slightly off the illustration to give a 3D and layered effect.

2. Illustrations

This is the second illustration I made today. It involved me using a printed out image of the line drawing I did with watercolours, facial features cut out from magazines, and a print out of fabric similar to what I will be using for my line up. I took inspiration from a sample of an illustration I had analysed earlier on in the day, and wanted to experiment with. The main feature being the ripped out middle section of the face of the continuous line illustration. I then used the image of the fabric and placed it underneath so that it came through where it had been ripped out. I have also kept the remaining edges of the image of the fabric overflowing outside the primary image of the illustration to give it an unfinished look. I did this because I think it fits in with the care free and relaxed vibe of my collection, and this is ultimately what I want to portray though my illustrations. I then added parts of models' facial features to add to the face of the illustrations cut out from various magazines. This gave a fun feel to the illustration, and made it look more unique.

Styling and Image analysis

The images used for this look book are about the styling of the models, and less about the garments. The bottom image is the most effective, with the models face being painted white, even the hair is white. The model also blends in with the white background, making it subtle yet effective. Also, the garments aren't the centre of attention, it even looks as though fabric has been used in place of garments, giving the images more movement. These images are very minimal, yet still surprising and bold, they draw people in despite them only being black and white. This is the impact styling has on images, and can be the difference between a boring image and a striking one. The way the images have been placed on the pages are interesting and will draw people in, they look more creative than if they were all placed in the same way. I will take inspiration from this when creating my look book, by placing my images in creatively, rather than all the same. 

This is another styling and marketing image. There are many creative elements to this image, including the large, bold numbers across the centre of the page, then the mixture of text and colours going down the centre of the page, adding layers to the image. I also think that the image of the person is really effective, as it is blurred it allows people to make up their own minds of what the image is about. Contrasting to this however, some may say that the blurred image of the model makes it unclear as to what the image is advertising, and would prefer it if the image was clear. The colours  of this image are subtle and compliment each other well, they also fit in with the aesthetic of the blurred image. giving it a hazy and relaxed feel. I will take inspiration from this image from looking more into using text in my look book, however using bold text may not work with my theme, as my theme is more natural and calm. 

These images have been styled a bit more differently than the previous two. It looks as though the images of the models have been scanned into the computer and worked into digitally, using paint and other mixed media to layer the image and add more depth. The original images of the models look monochrome, so adding the paint and other materials adds some colour to the images. This is an effective way of styling images if the brand is quite fun and quirky, however mine is more subtle and relaxed, so I probably wouldn't go for this look. However, I think that I should add some texture to my promotional pack in some way, as it is based on a very textured theme such as the rough beads of sand and the salty sea waters, so I would like to incorporate texture in somewhere. Perhaps I could do this but add in digitally scanned in images of the sea and the sand, so it look textured but to give it a more professional look, it'll be flat.

Marketing Strategies

This is one of the competitions created by the Versace for H&M collection. This is the poster that has been used to advertise the competition. I don't think that this is the most effective marketing strategy advertising the competition, as it is very busy and unclear as what it is that needs to be completed  in order to enter the competition. There are too many patterns, images and words, there needs to be more space to see what they are asking for. In addition to this, the images of the garments look very out of place  and don't compliment the rest of the poster and they clash with the leopard print background too. Not only this, the text at the bottom of the poster looks misplaced and as if it shouldn't belong here. It is telling us what to do for the chance to win the competition, however the font of the text doesn't match the gold text used for the top of the poster. It would look better if the text was gold, and looked as though it was a part of the poster, rather than it looking completely separate. Overall, this is a really amateur looking competition poster, if I were to create a poster for this competition, i'd at least have all the text the same font, size and colour. And I wouldn't have the images of the garments on the poster as they look as if they don't belong there.

This is the competition poster used for the River Island/ Rihanna collaboration. The colour scheme is really effective, as it allows the important information to be seen clearly. Every image and block of text are clear and placed in neat and sleek boxes. making it obvious what the poster is talking about. The first thing people may see is the word 'WIN' which people automatically link to the word 'free'. This is the key word to this competition poster as it will draw people in and want to enter the competition, this is a great marketing strategy. The information is clear as it says what will happen to the winner, and where this will take place. They have also cleverly used Rihanna's logo (the 'R') that she uses on her merchandise which sells at her concerts etc, and have used it too look similar to the River Island logo, meaning that when people see this poster, they will more than likely thing it is advertising River Island, however they will then automatically see the image of Rihanna next to it, assuming that it is a poster for the Rihanna x River Island collaboration. Overall, I think that this is an effective poster as it is sleek and clear to see what is being advertised. The use of black and white colours, and the text placed in blocks makes it easy on the eye and see what the poster is advertising. I will take this as inspiration for my work, as I think it is a really professional looking piece and will easily attract customers. 

This is the re-opening of the River Island Church Street store in Liverpool. It is quite clear to read as the background is a catchy but subtle colour, and the text is bold but simple using the colours black and white, making the text stand out. At first glance however, some may think that this is a poster for  a club event, as it is very much set out like this is the case. With the name of the venue (River Island), the date and time (Saturday 15th June 9am) and the list of attractions, including DJ's this looks like it could be advertising a club event rather than the re-opening of a shop.  In addition, River Island's logo hasn't been used on the poster which can maybe lead people to think that it is advertising something other than River Island, I think that using the logo on all promotional material is key. Some may argue that there is too much text, and images would attract more people, then again it may be clearer to read without images. I think that this method is the most effective, using no images as it is clearer to read. 

Branding Proposal

1. What will your Press Pack consist of? What promotional tools and techniques will you use?

I will include a look book/zine of a photo shoot (the photo shoot will be done in the studio, sourcing my own garments as I won't have my outfits made), swing tags and garment labels that I want to attach to my garments, packaging including tissue paper, a canvas tote bag and any other promotional materials, business cards which will be innovative and creative, and also include my contact information (Instagram, email address, contact number, and possibly some stationary (such as a pen or notebook) with a print that I want to create. I will also try out making my own jewellery boxes, complete with my print on the box. To store all the materials of my press pack, I want want either make my own or buy a luxury packaging box with a tie ribbon.

2. What is the name of your collection?

The name of my collection is Elemental and I will be focusing the collection on Summer/Spring 17/18. I have decided to go with this season as my collection is based around the beach and coastal areas, which automatically brings to mind the Summer season, such as going on holiday.

3. Briefly describe your target customer?

I am aiming my collection towards a woman who is between the ages of 20 and 30, who enjoys to travel around the world but particularly to places such as Greece (Mykonos, Santorini), St Tropez and Nice in the South of France, and possibly Seychelles. This woman loves nothing more than to relax with good food, good wine and good company, however she also has a sense of adventure and whenever she travels she enjoys to explore her surroundings. She doesn't wear too much makeup or wear glamourous clothes, she prefers to go for the more natural look with loose fitting clothing, wavy beach hair and has a year round tan. She works for herself freelance designing but also blogging, as she travels for work she documents this as she goes. She would be able to wear the garments from my collection for lounging around in the day visiting local boutiques and eating in classy but rustic cafes, and then also wear in the evening when she goes out to eat and have a few drinks.

4. Describe the style of branding you have chosen. Why did you choose this style of brand? Analyse how the branding fits with the target customer for you collection.

I have chosen to go for a more natural look for the branding of my collection. It includes many soft and neutral colours such as white, light blue, sand and other subtle tones. I also created my own print, however it isn't too bold, so it still fits in with the theme. I plan to put this print onto materials I will use for my press pack, such as ribbon, tissue paper, and swing tags. I have gone for a more luxurious look, as I want my brand to be high end, therefore I want to give my customers a luxurious feel and that will show through not only my products but also the packaging too.

5. What marketing strategies do you hope to use to promote your collection?

I want to create a look book in my promotional pack as a way to convey the vibe that I'm going for. I will do a photo shoot for this, that will take place in the studio as I want a very simple and basic background so my products stand out. I will source my own garments as I won't have my outfits made in time from my collection, however I will make sure to source garments that reflect the theme of my collection. I won't be using a model as I want to try something different and create a look book just focusing on the products.

6. What season will the collection be for? How will you reflect the season in your promotional branding?

I will be creating my collection for Summer/Spring 17/8 as it's based around the beach and coastal areas, so I want my customer to be able to feel like they can wear my collection in the Summer, and be able to take my collection with them on holiday. Most of my garments are loose fitting, and are natural fabrics, which are perfect for hot, sunny days, which is when you only want to wear loose fitting clothes as they keep you cool. My colour palette includes natural tones with blue hues to resemble the colours of the sea. I believe this colour palette is more Summer based rather than Autumn or Winter, as they are quite light. I will create swing tags and garment labels that look organic and natural, I will experiment with colours and with the fabrics I want to use to make them. I will also be doing a photo shoot to make a look book, and this will take place on the beach, further giving the feeling of the Summer season.

7. What will you use your sketchbook for? Analyse: journey, layout and critical analysis.

My sketchbook will help me create and develop my ideas and see what ideas work best. I will include all my inspiration, including digital and more organic. I also want to do a lot of experimentation using different types of fabrics, ink, paint etc and see what looks the most effective for my swing tags and business cards. Even though I want my promotional branding to be more organic, I have realised that everything looks a lot more professional if it is made digitally. I will create a concept board for my theme which will help me focus on the vibe I want to go for my promotional branding. I will also do more research into my target customer which will help me hone in on the ideas I want for branding, such as the type of packaging I will use, the swing tags and the labels for my garments. This will also help me make the layout and design easier for an Instagram page and for a website. I will also experiment with ideas for fonts for my labels, swing tags and business cards. In addition to this I will look at the logo I want to use for these promotional strategies. The sketchbook will also include images from my photo shoot where I may get more inspiration from such as shapes that might stand out in the images, or the colours that may keep on appearing.

8. What intentions do you have for photography/ photo shoots and or video image making ideas? How will these target the customer? How will you ensure these methods and techniques match the style of branding you hope to achieve?

I want to do my photo shoot in the studio as I want the focus to be on the garments/products and not on the surroundings. I want to do a look book that features no models, only the products that I think reflect my theme. If I were to do this again and use a model she would have natural, subtle makeup and wavy hair, and the press would be soft and organic.

9. Evaluation and Progression- How will you continuously evaluate your progress throughout this project? Why is reflection important? How will you critically evaluate?

To continuously evaluate my progress I will put all my progress onto my blog, by taking pictures of my sketchbook and annotating and analysing them. I will also be able to see my development and growth through the use of my sketchbook, where I will be developing my ideas further. Reflection is important as it allows me to progress and improve, I can see where I have gone wrong and what things have worked.

Images for Look Book

I took some images at home of folded up clothes that are of the same colour palette to my collection. I layered them out in different ways to see which worked best and which made the colours stand out more and complemented each other. I also took images of some silver rings I have at home on the white table so the background was plain white. I also took some images of some silver earrings I have at home using the same white table as a back ground. I will have to edit the images I took on Photoshop to make the colours more prominent and the quality higher, because the images I have taken don't have the most effective light. Once these have been edited I will upload them onto a printing company such as Blurb and move them round so that they are placed in the most creative way. In addition to these images, I will also be using the studio in college to take more photos. I plan to use my own garments (same as the ones below)and hang them up on a metal clothing rail. I have also sourced my own hangers, they are light blue and beige so they fit in well with my theme. Below are the original images I took;