So I’ve been sat here thinking about where to go with this… I’ve made my first post, ’setting the scene’, now to make a move on this project I’ve set myself!
Okay. The first thing that I am going to do is give you a small insight into the scary place known as “Sarah-Leigh’s head” .. How my brain works.. What I plan to look at.. and what I plan to do. Fun! (and for those of you who know me personally.. I’m just waiting for the blonde with a brain jokes to roll in! *smirks*)
So, what do I do when coming up with a theme, trend, idea.. hmm.. A ‘Forecast’! First of all I grab a pen and paper, that always helps.
I make a list, or a mind map of the usual things to look at when considering a trend. For example;
- News, Politics & People – Yes this does affect fashion trends!
- Existing catwalk designs, designers, street-trends, celebs!
- Culture - Art Exhibits, theatre, movies, festivals, special events – check out as many as you can over let’s say.. the next 2 to 3 years (as far as you can go!)
- Marketing trends! - I know it can be tedious but check out marketing reports on spending habits, especially on the audience you’ve decided to target! Don’t just check out fashion, think about what your target would be buying and check out those things too
I’m sure I’ve missed a few points out there, but I’ll be sure to add things when I think of it. This works much better on paper I might add! (plus.. My brain isn’t working to full capacity.. I’ve been at work all day!)
I’ll go over these points in more detail later.
From my scribbles on the bit of paper, I’ll then begin to list key things which happened or will happen in each of these sections this will allow me to do a bit of research in the process (whether it be market research, reading the news or visual things), take some photographs or use others as reference, draw some quick sketches, attend exhibits and events if needed, and piece by piece I’ll start to build links between things… and if you’re like me have a conversation with yourself about things, then bounce ideas off other people once it sounds right to yourself. It could be as easy as saying to yourself… Okay Sarah, what have we heard in the news lately?
Well, Afghanistan is always in the news lately, whether it be things going on over there, or servicemen and women in tragic accidents .. or worse. We’ve also been hearing about the recession, money concerns, erm.. the death of so many celebrities! M.J., Patrick Swayzee, etc. Then there’s the X-factor and Celebrities – Jordan and Peter.. The Beckham’s and all the drama with them. We’ve seen the likes of SAW VI and lots of scary and thrilling movies of late.. We’ve got classics remade – Alice in Wonderland is coming out next year (Personally I can’t wait! Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter.. awesome!)
Erm.. what else?! Catwalk trends! - Okay Catwalk 2010 is seeming very floral and floaty, draping, a real girly yet sexy theme going on with most designers. Sophia Kokosalaki with her gorgeous draping, mixed with bold floral prints in black. Contrasting blacks and whites.. gorgeous.
John Galliano, floaty pieces with tailoring, again with some floral print fabric, eccentric as always – Love it.
YSL, again tailored pieces mixed with draping, a really sexy, girly theme going on. Black and white contrasting against each other.. and gotta love the leather with the contrasting fabric.
Dolce & Gabana, reminds me a little of Madonna! I think it’s great. We have the black and white theme still going here.. tailored, sexy then it goes kind of rebellious, lace, floral design but with a gothic theme coming through.
Others with the draping theme include Issa and Stella McCartney, yet they’ve gone for really bold, bright colours which again contrast! Can we see a pattern emerging? I think so!
Let’s not waffle on too much… Thats how easy the inital research can be.. and that’s from me just sitting here and talking to myself like a mad woman. I could start making my links from this – for instance Afghan, celebs dying, the recession.. what do all of these have in common? Concerns! A need for people to feel secure.. Health worries, money worries, loved ones in the forces.. (I could go on forever.. ) This leads me to think.. “What do people want or need?” They want protection? a need to feel protected.. a need to feel secure.. “So? What makes us feel protected.. or secure?” (now this can be as easy as the first thing that pops into your head!) Armor? feeling comforted?
From armor I get the ideas of Suits of armor.. fabrics – knife proofing, fire proof, teflon coating.. etc. Protective!
Comfort I get.. Wrapping up, luxury? cushions? blankets, nostalgia – looking back at how things once were.
Etc. etc. I won’t go on.. I seriously will go on forever!
To summarize.. the first process of coming up with ideas, is research, talking to yourself .. writing down the first things that come into your head.. then leaving the editing out until later.
Make links..
What do these ‘links’ mean to you?
How can you translate this into something visual?
Keep asking yourself question after question..
Bounce ideas off other people for inspiration
Then put it all together at the end..
I’ll draw up a mind-map of what i’d do in more detail when i’ve got some free time.. show you the process in more detail instead of boring you all and writing it here.. Plus it doesn’t look as messy as i’d like it to be.. you can’t see the train of thought clearly writing it in a blog like this…
I’m gonna get some sleep for now, I’ve had a long day at work.. so please excuse me if I’ve made no sense at all… or i’ve waffled on way too much.
Bye x
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