Just trying to graduate...

This past fall and subsequent winter has been quite a crazy time for me. Readjusting to school and not talking too much about London, dealing with people and emotions, and working constantly have kept me very busy. Despite all this, I did well in school, passed everything, and am now in the midst of designing and creating my menswear collection! But, before I get ahead of myself....

Here is the work I did in London, photographed in Northern Liberties in Philly. The collection was inspired by skeletal structures, Berlin, and horrible things. I loved it.

Red Dress, part II. I am really pleased with how it turned out, and by following my aesthetic and creating something I really liked, the experience was much more enjoyable than the first time around.

My lovely friend, Courtney, modeled for me, and she was perfect!

 

I attempt to not panic during a crit: I'm not used to them going fantastically.

And for Problem Solving, the experimental fashion and materials course, I made menswear! I feel so much better when I'm not making dresses.

A wearable look was made for the final. I used the class to explore different materials, textures, and techniques for later, and a lot of this look leads into my collection ideas.

Which brings me to my collection for Collection 1. Yes, I titled it in bad french because I am a pretentious design student. Basically, my concept is trapped spirits inside a modern man. I'm exploring layering, textures, hand made pieces and industrial, futuristic elements. I always seem to develop convoluted concepts...

A lovely and strange animal creature, from Angelos Frentzos

I recently discovered him and love the use of metal and leather.

Rad Hourani, for that future and volume look I'm going for.

I've been listening to quite a lot of Arcade Fire, and I've decided Neon Bible is the soundtrack to my collection. I am working hard on sketches and samples, so more will be posted as I go along.

So life has been changing quite a lot these past few months. Being single again is interesting (though Mike and I are still friends, and he helped me a lot with modeling during the fall.) I have very long days at school this semester with a very full course load: Collection 1, Advanced flat pattern, Digital photography, Apparel merchandising management, a service project class, and a lecture class by industry people. Add that to working all weekend, and you can see I am losing my free time drastically. But working on collection is a very exciting thing, and I can't help but throw myself into it. It's fantastic.

I've also been working on a photo project with my good friend Maria, which involves creating creatures out of dolls and animal parts. We're working slowly on it, but it will be quite impressive when completed. This little dear is resting in the sun after her photo shoot.

It's exhilarating to think that a year from now I will be finished my degree, but there's a lot of work to go until then. I will try to keep a good chronicle of it going forward.