Deliberating Fashionista's

Guest Speaker

2008-11-29T20:00:00.001-08:00

With regards to the speaker that spoke the other day, I found that her presentation was very pedagogical. She introduced pragmatic information, which benefited the students more than a lecture about her job. One of the most important comments that she made was that even though fashion was not her major, she was still able to get into the field through the skills that she learned while interning at the Coliseum. This example can be applied to a multitude of jobs throughout the country.

If there is a skill one could acquire that would benefit a company, then he or she needs to capitalize on that skill. If this is done, then one has the ability to successfully infiltrate one’s company of choice.

In addition to the helpful work information, was the enthusiasm that the young lady employed. When one brings this type of fervor to a presentation then the audience can really become involved and is more apt to maintain their mental acuity throughout the presentation. For example, the young lady was even excited when she was speaking about the fabrics used to make the curtains in her home, and the shoulder bag that she brought to class. It is easy for others to be excited when the presenter is enthused.

Overall, she was very informative and I am eager to hear from her again as she progresses in her career.

Housing Bubble and Home Fashions

2008-11-29T08:41:00.000-08:00

Masolow’s hierarchy of needs is a theory in psychology proposed by Abraham Maslow. This theory takes on the form of a pyramid, with the physiological needs at the bottom, then safety, love and belonging, esteem and self-actualization. This theory also applies to the housing crisis, which is directly tied to the home fashions department. Using this theory one can observe that when the people of an economy suffer, and they are loosing their homes or are on the brink of losing their homes, they are most likely not going to put more money into the interior decoration. However, this theory also states that once higher levels are met it is difficult for the individual to revisit the lower levels in the pyramid and completely ignore the higher levels. For example, if a wealthy male investment banker has reached the esteem level and has just been diagnosed with cancer, this man will most likely devote a lot of his time and thoughts on his health. Nonetheless, he will not completely ignore the esteem level. He will continue to work and focus on his work between the treatments. Another theory that is generally believed true is that the rich will always be rich. Thus, while the home fashions market may take a hit from the everyday user and from the blue collar worker who saves a lot money to purchase from the home fashion’s market, the rich will continue using the markets services. What this does is, the recession in the economy and the housing bust will naturally get rid of a lot of the competition in the home fashions business and the strong companies that are not fly by night operations will stand strong through this hardship.

Having said this, there are still exceptions within this theory. There will be those individuals that take this hierarchy of needs and misplace their importance. Some will place the esteem level over safety level or even the love/belonging level. From a moral perspective this choice will affect said persons quality of life in the long run.

Art vs. Usability

2008-11-10T19:22:00.001-08:00

Art vs. Usability

To better understand art and fashion one must look throughout history and study the past. One has to take into consideration how the arts have made an impact throughout history and how history influences art and fashion. In doing so one will observe that art and fashion are analogous to one another. They both go through seasons and eras. For instance when one reflects on the 80’s in America one will recall that there is a fashion and art aesthetic associated with those times; from bell-bottom jeans to abstract expressionists and graffiti. It is from these eras that artists and designers often pull inspiration from, and we frequently see elements from the past constantly being incorporated into designs today.
A question that has been raised is, where do we draw the line between fashion that is art and fashion that is usable? Professionals have been deliberating about this topic for a long time and will most likely continue to do so, for it is a matter of opinion and personal preference. For example, Milan’s runway shows are known to be very fantasy like and not very functional. However, this all depends on each individual’s preference. In our world today there is a multitude of people who like to dress in a way that makes them stand out, or make a statement. This is very similar to art. We use art and fashion simultaneously to make statements and communicate whatever it is that we choose to be perceived as to those around us.
The problem designers run into, as well as artists, is when he or she designs for the public. In this scenario one can no longer say that function is irrelevant. It is here that problems so often occur. The user has to be taken into accountability because he or she is the client. If the client is not taken into account then the designer will most likely run into problems.

Sweat Shops Why So Controversial

2008-11-03T21:47:00.001-08:00

The reality that sweat shops exist should not be surprising to Americans when once considers the morals and respect for human life that is being taught to our kids, the future of America. Furthermore, sweatshops are only a problem to those who still believe in the values this country was founded on. For example, why is it a problem that one human being feels he or she has the right to oppress another and keep another from being treated in a humane manner. In our school system today we are taught the theory of evolution. According to the theory of evolution, which believes in natural selection or survival of the fittest, we are here to survive and the weak ones die off to eliminate the weaker genes from the evolutionary process. So why are we trying to fight the evolutionary process? It appears evident to me that we have a duty to the future of the world to make it the best it can be, and that means we have to let the weak pass on.

Now this thought process would never be made so evident in the school system, but the core values of evolution support and teach natural selection. As a result, we grow up and this general mindset is being incorporated into our every day lives. Evolution also teaches us that we have come from animals and it is natural for us to behave as such. For example, there was an article in a scientific journal that informed us that it was natural for men to cheat on their wives or girlfriends because this desire comes from a gene that we inherited from our evolutionary process and we had no choice. If this is what we are being taught, why is it so bad that we underpay and make others work really long hours in harsh conditions. If these people can not find better jobs then they should fall in line with the evolutionary process. In this light we are actually treating them better then we should, and therefore should be punished for making our future kids have to deal with a weaker species than before.

That being said, this is not my belief, but who am I to say that the scientists are wrong, and therefore these companies employing sweatshops are wrong. I am not suppose to impose my moral or spiritual beliefs on others, and I can not force others to believe the same way I do. As a result, it is my conclusion that there will always be sweatshops in this world or some form of forced labor. For those of us who do have a strong moral belief system we should continue to set a good example and do our best to treat all humans as we should be treated. Our four fathers placed this belief in the constitution, because most of them believed in the Bible and were taught Matthew 7:12 which says, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets”.

Illustration Aspirations

2008-10-27T11:13:00.001-07:00

These are some illustrations that I am inspired by and I am using to learn how to illustrate myself.

Design Inspiration

2008-10-27T10:51:00.001-07:00

Inspiration can come in many different forms and from a multitude of places. There are times when I am walking down the street on the way to class and I may see an outfit, a flower or plant, or a thought may just pop into my head. These examples are the most often way in which I receive my inspiration.

Most often these inspirations come from things that I have experienced or a present need. Some of the best designs and most widely used designs today have come from there being a need in design. A great example of this are all the fashion designs that have originated from the military and the need that they have had for the soldiers. Items such as the t-shirt, and the bomber jacket are just two of the many examples.

The pictures below have come from me learning how to illustrate in the fashion world. The outfits below are all about femininity, elegance, and the celebration of the woman. A woman can be a powerful C.E.O. worker or a runway model and still be beautiful and elegant. It is often thought that the fashionable women are in the vogue magazines and the regular women are in the office working and running a family at the same time. This is not true and one of the greatest advocators of this ideology is Dona Karan. Her designs often allow a working woman to go straight from the office to the cocktail party and I love that she has accomplished such a great design problem.

NY Fashion Week Trends

2008-10-14T18:20:00.001-07:00

There are multiple trends that evolve every season from the multitude of designers exhibiting their designs on the runway. There are also trends that come about from other sources and less reputable designers. In addition to the designer, there are musical artists, artists and celebrities that have the ability to sway the public's opinion resulting in a culmination of new trends. For now we will stick to the fall 2008 runway in New York.
According to style.com this season has provided us with belle curves, country life, the long view, minimalist tendency, superhero worship and winter garden as concepts for the new trends this season (Style.com 1). It is very intriguing to see the eclecticism of the trends this year, and it is challenging to formulate a diagram and hypothesize their interrelatedness. For example, do the bell curves pull inspiration from any of the other themes or do they exist as their own entity? In addition to analyzing the interconnections of the themes, it is also compelling to research these designs, and see if they have pulled elements from the past, and if they have, where and when were they pulled from. The belle curves and the peplum are great examples, for they were first used in ancient Greece as a woman’s loose outer tunic or shawl.
After having analyzed all of the trends this season and enjoying multiple aspects form each, the conclusion for the overall best would be juried down to the long view. It really accentuates the original form of the body while being conservative in length and coverage, and it is sexy by forming various parts of the body. The long view in general, is also considered by many to be very sophisticated, powerful and elegant in appearance. Long graceful lines are created by this view allowing the eyes to flow over the body for longer than glance, giving the viewer more to take in and comprehend. The examples provided should support these observations and speak for themselves.

1. http://www.style.com/trendsshopping/trendreport/072808/longview/

Ethnic Inlfuences in Apparel Design

2008-10-13T18:22:00.000-07:00

Ethnic influences in apparel design are ubiquitous throughout the history of fashion. Each fashion generation is reanimated with influences form all over the world. The novelties these influences reanimate designs from all over the world. A cycle if you will is formed from each country being influenced by each other. As a result the consumer is constantly refreshed with designs he or she has never seen before. For example, from 1890 to 1927 Sudo-Japanism influenced apparel design by offering these characteristics: the v-neckline, straight seams, contrasting wide waistband, banding along edges, full and rectangular sleeves, or full rounded toward the ends and sleeves sewn to bodice at right angle (udel.edu 1).
This season there have been multiple designs that have employed ethnic influences abroad and nationally. Hermes’ employed a western cowgirl theme for their spring 2009 line by using cowboy hats, natural colors mainly light brown and white with some western accents such as riding boots, gloves, and mirrored aviators.

Illustration Aspirations

2008-09-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

This is one of my friends illustrations and she is teaching me how to illustrate in a similar manner. I love the attitude shown through the use of elegant lines and great facial expressions. Simple but very effective.

The Organic textile movement

2008-09-24T07:33:00.001-07:00

The green or sustainable movement is a rapidly progressive movement that is fostering a new mentality toward everything we do. It encompasses where we place our waste, to everything new that we produce or design. Despite the popularity of the green movement, there are many companies that are not yet willing to commit to going green. The primary reason for this results from the cost of making a company go green. For example, the certification of textiles may involve on-site inspection, inspector's reporting, review of the report by the certification administrataive board in light of the standard, and a certifier's decision to certify or not the operations of the farm, gin, spinner, mill, dye house, or finishing facility. Certifiers are independent non profit and for profit companies that inspect the fiber farming, each step of the manufacture, and all record keeping according to the designated organic fiber standard. (Sew Organic 1) In conclusion while it may be difficult to go green for companies today there are many clothing companies that are producing fabrics that are green and sustainable.

Source: Sew Organic.com. “Definition of organic and certification standards.” 2006.

Favorite Designer Donna Karan

2008-08-28T17:39:00.000-07:00

Donna Karan has an artistic integrity in her designs. Her designs show strength and power, and this strength and power comes from dressing generations of young women looking to mature their style while maintaining an understated glamour. Donna once said, "Everything I do is a matter of heart, body and soul" and this can readily be seen in her work, and sums up why I love her as a designer.