New Theme | Dark Flora

(Sources 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5)

First of all, how on earth is it September already? This time last year I had only a couple of weeks left in my first placement and this year I have just started my new job it really is unreal how much can change or happen in a year. Speaking of which, due to the fact I've moved back home, worked constantly, working on my new blog and spent time catching up with friends this blog has been neglected slightly and there has been no weekly content. I am trying to figure out where I want to take this blog as I have had the same structure for about two years now and want to push it more when I start my own projects. It will take time so stick with me whilst I sort it all out. But I am back to freelancing and working on designs ready for Premiere Vision which I am hoping will bring some success for my designs. You really never know how PV is going to go and there is a lot of competition but all it takes is that one meeting and that one design for someone to pick it up.

So the new theme is Dark Flora which is a theme I have wanted to do for months. Of course it is me, I love florals and so is a great them for me. As with any new project that I haven't really had the chance to do before it comes with is challenges, so the best thing to do at the beginning is to breathe, turn on the music and design away. It will need a lot of working in to and patience to get the layout, colours and florals right. I have this imagined in my head like I do at the beginning of every theme but it is all just about making it fun and enjoying the process of working in to the designs, layering, varying scales and using filters. I've found that during my research I didn't want to look to much in to what other designers have done as I would feel like I had to replicate that rather than take my on approach on it. Some designs can be oversized, smaller, darker, brighter, blurred, layered or mirrored. It really is all about experimenting and if it is not right then just try again or ask for some help. I really enjoyed creating this mood board for it after being inspired on Pinterest for the layout. It really helps to have a mood board for each project and it never has to be a final cut before you start the project as your inspiration can change. Like the name suggest, it just has to replicate the mood or feel of the theme and to pick out little parts from each image.

What do you think of the theme?

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The Comparative Shop #12

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This weeks print comparative shop features nothing but prints from Zara's new woman collection. As you might be able to tell from this post and the previous post I currently have a huge obsession with Zara. 

I'm currently planning a floral themed collection so am already looking for inspiration. This printed Zara dress (1) caught my eye and I was interested in the way the florals were drawn and laid out. I wasn't so drawn in to the colours but they hit the 70's theme spot on. The print is so well conceived in terms of scale, placement and repeat.

The paisley blouse (2) is nothing but visually stunning and something I would love to have in my wardrobe. I'm not ashamed to admit I was staring at this print on the website for quite a while trying to take in the beauty of it and wondering how the print was created. It's such an easy style of handwriting and seems so fresh for Zara in comparison to a few heavy repeats I've seen. Yes, they have done paisley before but I think it is the colours and the white base that makes this blouse seem so new. It is interesting how some of the shapes/elements are coloured in, but some just have an edge of colour and overall gives the print a good balance. 

It has been a while since I have been drawn in to looking at bottoms rather than tops but, after seeing these floral trousers (3), I knew they had to make the list. What drew me in was the block colour leaves and then I noticed the colour in the florals and on some of the leaves which made it even more interesting. Overall, I just like the movement and flow of the print which work and make the trousers a perfect day/night garment. 

Tiles ... a print I don't normally feature on TCS (I actually don't think tiles have ever made it on the list). I want and need this t-shirt. The colours, the print mix and the red sleeves and back are gorgeous and so beautifully curated and put together. Pretty much everything I can say about this garment.

What is your favourite this week?

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The Folk Edit

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Due to the fact that I am currently being inspired by the Valentino Spring/Summer 2015 collection my eye is constantly on the lookout for high street inspiration and my brain on colour overdrive. On a recent wonder around the stores in the city I was suddenly hit by a wave of inspiration by the new collection at Warehouse. The red 70's inspire floral t-shirt (1) immediately made me think of the Valentino collection, with the mix of reds, blacks and creams along side the mirror repeat and swirls. Looking around the store I started to see more inspiration in the style of the boarder floral cami's (2/3) that have intricate details and a mixture of shapes and lines with contrasted accent colours. After searching for the collection online I found the prints were also on dresses, with a little more detail to them and changes of placement and repeats. 

I like how the designers have taken a more intricate approach to the lines and elements that build up but still make use of space, scale and colours. The colours are really inspiring which is great because I am still working on the colours in my designs. 

What is your favourite piece from the new Warehouse collection?

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Colour Crush #2

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July was a mix of hectic work hours, freelancing and a holiday without my laptop so there was no colour crush. And if I'm a little honest I still loved the Burnt Orange colour that I loved back in June (I'm still raving about it at work).

The month of August for me is all about MARSALA - Pantone Colour of the Year 2015 and featured in their top 10 colours for womens and mens this fall. I love dark colours slightly more than pretty pastels and prefer to wear them, so the first thing on my wish list is to seek out a jumper in this colour like the one Tibi put down its runway. This "blood brown" colour was also seen on the runways of Tommy Hilfiger, Tory Burch, Emilio Pucci and many others.

Marsala is a hue that works really well with skin tones so it is going to be very popular in the beauty industry, whether it be a highlight for the cheeks or a captivating colour for your nails such as Essie's Bordeaux colour (a nail varnish I must have in my collection). 

Another way to wear this colour is in outwear as marsala defines sophistication and gives a glamorous touch to your winter wardrobe. ASOS have already shocked this colour in their Skater Coat that features a fur hood and buckles and Topshop have made the colour a base for jumpsuits and dresses so you can wear it on a night out or a posh meal. 

Marsala can also work for interiors with Pinterest full of velvet chairs, bathroom walls and plush sofas all working with printed accessories or some copper. I loved this Victorian wallpaper from Designer Wallcoverings that is flocked and tone on tone. 

How will you wear Marsala this winter?

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The Comparative Shop #11

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There is a bit of light vs dark colourway going on in this weeks TCS! I've not had much time to go to the shops between working and freelancing so I've spend a chunk of my time searching the internet.

H&M are at 1 and 3 because this store is making my head go in to "I love" overdrive with their prints and colours at the moment. They have such a variety of prints but they all fit in to the H&M handwriting that we have seen so much of this past couple of seasons. The dress (1) was in the window of my local store and stopped me in my tracks. I love the contrast of dark and light colours which is achieved due to the simplicity of space around the elements. This is perfect to wear for a night out or a day trip with a boots/bag combo.

I never normally go in to Warehouse but whilst enjoying a morning shop around on my day off I thought I would pop in and see what prints they had in. I think Warehouse do florals amazingly well and have a classic approach when it comes to colours and fabrics. This floral print (2) also comes in a dress and caught my eye as soon as I went in to the shop. It has a hand drawn, water-colour effect which is very "me" when it comes to florals. The dress is a great little catch for any summer wedding or party and the top would work well for a day/work outfit. And now I just want to draw florals all day.

The dress from H&M (3) had that Valentino, Etro, folksy vibe to it which I am starting to see a lot now. Like the last TCS that featured mirror repeats this fits in to the trend of mirror repeats I keep on seeing. Repeats this season, I feel, have been more simplistic (with mirror, half drop and straight repeats) and the amount of work in to the elements or shapes have been more important and shifted the balance. 

Whilst browsing around the Topshop website I was originally looking for my Autumn coat (summer is slowly disappearing) but couldn't help spotting this William Morris style shirt (4) that has a real vintage feel to it. I'm really in to orange at the moment (it was my colour crush back in June) so I am guessing that was another reason I spotted it. Topshop have paid a good attention to detail to with the black piping which adds that accent colour. The feel of the lines is a really relaxed, hand drawn one that is overall quite sketchy and the print is not an overly complicated one.

Which is your favourite this week? And what is your colour crush of the moment?

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Editorial Inspiration

My current freelance work is taking a lot of inspiration from the Valentino Spring Summer 2015 collection (see previous post) which is quite exciting now I've got my head around the drawing and technical issues I had creating the collection. The colours are gorgeous with dark blues, greens, reds and mustards. Primary colours in a more attractive manner.

The motifs are quite folky which means searching Pinterest for inspiration and then losing three hours due to how addictive it the site can be (of course I go of route to cute other things). I sometimes find that searching for editorials from the runway collection I am working on helps bring the mood together and I have come across the visually stunning and well put together editorial for the Valentino SS15 collection my Michal Pudelka. The clothes speak so loudly in the photos, nothing "fancy" needs to be done to make the garments stand out. It helps to see how the different repeat or placement patterns stand together and the contrast between them blend well together. I'm always pinning but to check out what all things folky I am looking at, follow me on Pinterest.

See the full editorial here.

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Book Haul

Having just gone on a recent trip home it was the perfect opportunity to go and route through my big box of fashion and textile books. I always forget how many I actually have. Some (like the career ones) won't come in handy like they did in college. But some of the books I own (like the designer, picture and printing books) I know I will go to again and again to build up my knowledge. Three of the books that I have used throughout University, and mainly for my dissertation, I wanted to share and point out what they include and what's good about them. All three combined together have a wealth of know,edge within the pages and have helped me so much along the way and still continue to. Just this weekend reading through them I picked up things I forgot about, like hoe this or that dye works and what this process does to fabric.

So, which is what and what do they do? 

1. The Complete Guide to Designing and Printing - by Laurie Wisbrun 

Includes: 

- Interviews with professionals

- How to develop collections 

- Developing your market plan ~ your vision

                                               ~ your objectives. 

                                               ~ your brand personality

                                               ~ what are you selling and who to

- Trade shows ~ developing your budget

                       ~ what shows to go to and general advice 

- How to build moodboards 

- Various different patterns 

- Building colour palettes 

- Legal considerations 

- Explains Photoshop filters 

- How to create block, half drop and straight repeatson Photoshop and Illustrstor

- Explains textile dyes and inks 

- Small amount of detail on types of fabrics 

- Explains dying fabric ~ resist and vat dying 

- Hand printing ~ block and stencil 

- Screen and digital printing process 

2. Printed Textile Design - by Amanda Briggs-Goode 

Includes: 

- How to understand a design brief and how answer that brief alongside how to brainstorm

- How to categorise prints from geometric to floral etc 

- Explains the variety of printing methods ~ resist printing 

                                                                ~ woodblock printing

                                                                ~ copperplate printing 

                                                                ~ engraved roller printing 

                                                                ~ screen printing 

                                                                ~ heat transfer printing 

                                                                ~ digital inkjet printing 

- Understanding the textile market 

- Trend predictions and trade shows 

- Design fundamentals like ~ drawing 

                                          ~ colour theory 

                                          ~ the various repeats from half drop to mirror 

- Creating a motif block repeat in Photoshop 

- Block repeat using offet filter 

- Creating half drop repeats

- Developing your drawings through composition, scale and filters 

- Discusses stencil printing, paper stencils, photographic stencils, relief printing, transfer printing, direct and indirect transfer printing, collagraph printing, digital printing, mono printing, reactive mono printing, direct and indirect mono printing

- Surface manipulation and visualisation  

- Colour seperations for screen printing    

- Manufacturing methods and materials 

- Talks of fabrics like ~ silk

                                ~ wool 

                                ~ cotton 

                                ~ linen

                                ~ synthetic and man made 

- Dyes and pigments 

- Discusses digital printing and screen printing

- Sustainability 

- Discusses freelancing, design studios, textile manufacturers, textile converters, garment suppliers, contract furnishings 

- Designer case studies 

- Becoming a printed textile designer ~ having a website

                                                          ~ digital portfolio 

                                                          - how to present your CV 

                                                          - Selling designs 

3. Digital Textile Printing - by Melanie Bowles and Ceri Isaac 

Includes: 

- Discusses digital, inkjet, sublimation and other styles of printing 

- Advantages and disadvantages of digital printing 

- Digital printing technology 

- Discusses drawing, using a graphic tablet and photography 

- Tutorials in using Photoshop filters, creating complex colour blends, building floral motifs, engineered prints, photomontage, sequin effect, building a brush palette, creating a colour palette

- Repeat tutorials in Photoshop and Illustrstor from basic block(with offset filter), half drop and half drop motif

- Creating gingham, stripes and plaid patterns 

- Pen mapping tool 

- Line drawing 

- Creating graphic silhouettes

- Discusses Devore, foiling, flocking

- Designer case studies  

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The Comparative Shop #10

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Well, it certainly has been a long time since my last comparative shop. Life can definitely get in the way of blogging sometimes. But this week its a Topshop overdose of mirror repeat prints in a gorgeous array of colours from pinks, reds, blues and greens.

For me, Topshop hit the nail on the head when it comes to intricate prints with curves, layers and multiple colour ways. I love how they take one print and utilise it on a variety of garment shapes and cuts. They seem to be not afraid to experiment with colours, scales and compositions. 

My eye seems to have been drawn to their mirror repeats of recent, especially the William Morris inspired sleeveless duster jacket (1). I tried this on in store and its a perfect, drapey jacket to go with jeans, pumps or heels and a plain 3/4 or capped sleeve top. The colours are so warming and ideal for the transition from summer to autumn. 

The deep blue complements the pink base on this playsuit (2) and the contrast of the sleeves makes it all that more exciting. Pretty, but daring! The floral v-neck cami is full of deep reds and dark oranges with the accents of white and green. It's a floral / fauna / tile print mix up that is visually exciting and perfect to wear with jeans and sandals this summer and with jeans, boots and a cardigan this autumn.

This pretty floral dress caught my eye away due to the William Morris style handwriting of the print and juxtaposition of soft, flowing lines with placed florals. The side ties at the daring side to a girly dress. A perfect holiday dress if you ask me!

What was your favourite this week?

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Resort 2016 | Stella McCartney

(Sources 1 | 2)

I've finally started my Resort catch up sessions and am picking out my favourite colours, prints and style combinations (you can follow what I'm inspired by over on my Pinterest).
Stella McCartney is the first show I've managed to power through and as always I was inspired by the florals. I love the relaxed large scale florals she has done in soft pinks and oranges that sit perfectly with the flatter flowers which remind me of flower pressing. Her theme of Cuba comes through easily in the garment shapes that are modelled perfectly and makes this simple collection come to life through the cut, shape and material.

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Colour Crush #1

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I, like many designers, have certain phases of loving one or two colours that can lead to colour addiction and buying or wearing it constantly until the next colour crush comes along. At the moment mine is definitely Copper Orange, named Dulux's colour of the year. Not only is this colour huge in interiors it is also featured in many Spring Summer designer collections including Tome, Lanvin, Theory and Barbara Casasola. It has also filtered down to the high streets and my eye has tracked in down in Zara and H&M. My colour crush won't end when the Summer season is over and the Autumn/Winter collections start coming in to the stores as its a big colour trend for the next season as featured in the runway shows of Alberta Ferretti, See by Chloé and Open Ceremony.

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The Comparative Shop #9

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It's very much a floral theme this week and I have had my eye caught by a few fashion prints from the likes of Topshop, Zara and Warehouse. Recently though I have been much more in to block colour and have had weeks of have colour crushes (blog post must!).

My first print is one I saw at Topshop a couple of weeks ago and feel in love with it (as I do with most of Topshops prints). The layered inky detail contributes to the eye catching mix of reds and its stunning how there are hints of darker blues with the neon. Even though the print is very busy and made of of marks and what seems like brushstrokes, you can still see the detail of the florals and leaves.

Zara has made it twice on to my list this week. The printed top (2) has such an interesting lose style and the mix of bright yellows, oranges, pinks and black give it an eye catching overall look. With the combination of a ditsy, boarder scarf print it works so well across all the bottoms and dress the print also comes in.

The Zara jumpsuit (3) caught my eye immediately when I saw it online. The print is made up of jet three colours but overall is visually exciting. I think the scale of the print is what makes this print so fresh and effective on the jumpsuit. Even though I can make out the way it repeats, because of the scale and the way the garment has been cut make it seem more complicated and intricate. 

To sum up this floral shop is these giant floral tailored trousers from Warehoure, a brand that has been making me look twice every time I walk past my local store. The simple colours work well on this large scale print and, as I personally wear dark colours a lot, I like the hint of neon yellow that brighten this print up. The looseness of the lines give it a very hand drawn feel that is unique and not overworked. I could definitely see these in my wardrobe.

What was your favourite this week?

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The Comparative Shop #8

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My comparative shop this week has taken an interior turn. Since I was quite young and knew I wanted to go in to textiles I've always been inspired by interiors. I get a real sense of excitement when I go in to a department store and see all the bedding and wallpaper with coloured walls and accessories. I could definitely spend a fortune on interiors from bedding, wallpaper, cushions and throws. 

My eye was instantly drawn in to the kaleidoscope print from Anthropologie (1) and the mixture of greys and oranges (my favourite colours at the moment). It is such simple repeat that is just built up with layers of textures, motifs and shapes.

I've always explored the Urban Outfitters home section and have a couple of accessories from the brand, but this duvet (2) is one I have been admiring for a while. Firstly, its mainly blue which is a favourite of mines. Secondly, I love the simplicity of lines filled with colour and the overall structure of the print. The lines have a sense of looseness about them and there is a mixture of busy and more spacious areas. 

The 100% cotton duvet from Zara Home is so simple in terms of colours, but so intense with its paisley print. I like the variant degree of blues with the cream as a core colour. The motifs are a combination of large versus small scale that give the print an overall balance and flow. The bedding is also a brilliant price for the high level of design it represents.

I have recently used this woodblock print from Anthropologie on a recent project I did (more on that to come in later posts) and I love the loose handwriting of this print (4). It is screen printing in gorgeous colours like reds, greens and oranges with deep greys and a hint of pastel yellow/orange. This is one of my favourite Anthropologie prints at the moment with its large scale motifs and use of lines with block colours and sketchy marks. And, because the core colour of a simple white, the colours are so strong and eye catching. 

What was your favourite this week?

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The Comparative Shop #7

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It was slightly harder to pick my favourite four prints this week. Nothing has truly caught me off guard apart from this William Morris style print from H&M (1). The colours are sweet and simple but I was really struck with how well done the detailing is. Marks like lines and dots make up the print which twists and turns in a non-directional repeat. 

Floral prints that I have seen recently tend to be created using marks, lines and a build up of colours much like the shirt from Zara (2) and the shorts from Urban Outfitters (4). Zara's printed shirt has a small scale in comparison to the shorts which I like better. 

Of course, I love a paisley print and was really excited by this paisley printed shirt from Warehouse. The navy base colour works so well with the mint greens, yellows and oranges of the print and the scale is the perfect size and print direction to create a flattering look.

All prints are (again) so different this week. What was your favourite?

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The Tropical Trend

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Recently, as I browse through the high street stores I have noticed a vast amount of tropical prints being featured in front shop windows. From New Look to Topshop, the tropical trend has officially hit the high street.
Think Osklen and Tracey Reese, Matthew Williamson and Mara Hoffman. This print trend explodes with colour and layers with print repeats from mirror, all over and half drop.
I've noticed the high street are experimenting with base colours including white, orange and blue but a lot of the base fabric colours are black. This makes tropical prints easier to translate from day to night and, in my opinion, more sophisticated and easy to accessorise. An array of different greens and browns form the colour of the leaves or tropical flowers with accents of neon blues, creamy pinks and purples.

How are you going to wear this seasons trend?

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Floral Inspiration

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I love florals. I love interior print designs. So, clearly, I am in total admiration for the floral prints at John Lewis this season. With a vast collection of colours from soft blues, creams, yellows and pinks my mind goes in to colour overdrive.

The overall inspiration for me is the loose hand drawn, water colour look and feel that translates so easily from bedding to cushions and to curtains. You can really brighten up your bedroom with these prints by picking out accessories that match the many colours in the prints.
For my next project, I am creating some hand drawn interior prints and feel really inspired by the prints at John Lewis at the moment. So, it's time to get the watercolours and paper out!

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The Comparative Shop #6

Shop these looks 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Every week for the past month or so I have been blogging my favourite five prints from browsing in-store and online which I have really enjoyed. It's made me more aware of what trends are filtering down from the catwalks, more aware of the different styles of high street stores and made me aware of new brands. But now I have decided to change the look of how I present my comparative shop after being inspired my a River Island look book magazine. As you probably guess by reading my blog often I love putting together mood boards and making presentations of my inspirations in neat little layouts.

This week I have been inspired by quite a mixture of prints. The first being this conversational bug print from Urban Outfitters. With its retro feel it is a fun and easy wear, with the softest material and minimalist drape cut. I am also a really big fan of the base fabric colour which is a deep green navy. Who doesn't love a fun conversational print?

Of course, Zara has been a winner with me this week and I have fallen in love with these florals shorts with a flowing cut and high waist. It is a perfect summer wardrobe hit for weekends in the park or a BBQ with friends. The composition of the print and the simplicity of the lines and colours makes it very eye catching and a print I would love to try and replicate in my own style (when I have a spare moment).

Just like Zara, Topshop and H&M have again been two of my favourites this week. I love scarf prints and this Topshop one (3) has such a great free, bohemian feel to it. I love the loose lines, the simple colours and the variety of scale. It has that hand drawn feel that H&M have achieved with their print (4). This v-neck top has an Ikat look to it and is a soft, drape jersey top with a round hem and the ideal partner for shorts this summer. With layers of colour and a structured repeat the contrast lies in the looseness of shapes and elements that have been built up.

I wish I had the time to sit and create my own versions of these prints! I love them all. What was your favourite this week?

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Prints | Top 5

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This weeks comparative print shop is a combination of heavy to more spacious prints. It features a lot of garments that would be perfect for summer ... if the sunshine ever stays long enough. 

My favourite print this week comes from H&M. I saw this gorgeous dress in the window of my local store and am dying to get my hands on it. This beach dress has a stunning all over ethnic/paisley print in warm colours. Just pair with wedges and you're set for the beach!

I've been a fan of marble prints for a while now and even attempted to design my own marble print for a competition a few months back. And this Topshop shirt (2), which as I write this is currently out of stock, is a perfect wardrobe staple and great for updating your tailoring. I love the mix of grey, white, black, brown which is topped off my the baby pink stripes. It is a simple repeat but so eye catching and would create the perfect outfit in so many ways for day and night. 

Ink and floral prints are one of my favourite combinations. And this duster coat from Jigsaw (3) if perfect. I love the oversized detail of the marks and the blending of colours. The print isn't heavy, it is fresh and bold for summer and creates equal space. Overall, the print has so much easiness about it that sits perfectly on this garment. 

My final two prints from Reiss (4) and Zara (5) are both equally great. The simplicity of this print works perfectly for this style of mark making and can translate from crop tops to skirts to dresses so easily. It feels so easily yet elegant and passes off an overall sense of "buy me, spring is here".

Which print is your favourite this week?

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Interior Inspiration

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As a print designer, I find it really important to not always be so focused on one area on the textile industry. The textile interior industry is an area of design I have always dived in and out off over the years. For my graduate collection, the beginning drawing process drew a lot of inspiration from the beautifully crafted prints by Bluebellgray. Fi Douglas, the creator behind the brand, established Bluebellgray in 2009 after graduating from Glasgow School of Art. Just like myself, Fi has a "love for colour and all things floral" which result in these gorgeously painted pieces which give your home a unique touch. 

The design philosophy behind the brand adheres to the ‘eclectic mix’ school of thought, encouraging the designs to sit beside vintage finds and modern design alike.

Each design is painted by hand in the Glasgow studio before being printed on natural cottons and linens. 

The printing methods used enable every brushstroke and colour to be captured, enhancing the feel of the hand-painted design.

The prints are colourful, eye catching and, overall, aesthetically pleasing. I would love to have one of her cushions on my sofa or bedsheets on my bed. I am really drawn in to this style of interior design, it is a style of designing that I love and miss the most. The prints have an essence of freedom with the running inks, loose florals and scratchy marks that are in elegant repeats. 

Head over to the website for more collections.

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Prints | Top 5

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A colour mix of florals and texture graces my top 5 prints this week, which features a mix of perfect summer hits!

My favourite print is these brilliantly bright shorts from Topshop (1). I spotted these in my local store about a week ago and I was so eager to by them. The light fabric and elasticated wait is what I love in a pair of shorts and are great for summer heat waves and buckets of ice cream. The prints sums up the cut and fit of these shorts, very loose and fun. The print mix of a busy background and more spacious forefront print makes for an interesting variety. 

I have loved H&M prints for a long time, but since recently making myself search and create each week my top 5 prints I have noticed how H&M have become so advanced in their print designs. My second print is this beautiful H&M dress from their Premium Quality range. This print is also available in a swimsuit and trousers. At £100 it is quite pricey but is a silk woven dress and a piece that will stay in your wardrobe for quite a while. To me, the print feels fresh with sharpness of colour and sits so well on this garment which can be worn in so many ways. 

Zara is on my list again at number 3 with this summer sweet dress. It is a simple composition of colours, flora and fauna with a tropical feel. I was drawn in to this dress for the simplicity of the lines and colour, yet it has a sense of fullness because of the large scale print.
This dip dye cotton dress by Jigsaw (4) is so feminine and captivating. I was instantly attracted to the richness and various hues of colour. A colour hit in my book and one I must work with in a design at some point (a note to myself I must remember).
My last print comes from Miss Selfridge and this cute floral angel sleeve blouse (5). I was drawn in to the light colours and delicate detail. The print has a simple layering, which adds depth and colour. The blouse is great for the spring summer season and, of course, I love it because it is a floral print.

What is your favourite this week?

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Alexander McQueen | Savage Beauty | Review

This weekend just gone I spent a very fun and busy day in London. I haven't been back to London since leaving after my placement ended there back in September and it was great to go back and visit. I felt quite excited about going back on a day trip and visiting old spots I went to when I lived there last year. Once the crowds used to be normal to me and I could easily work through them and on to a tube, but I found this time I was actually scared of busy London was. I do miss that London vibe though.

My reason for going to London was to see the Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty Exhibition with two good friends from University at the Victoria and Albert Museum  And I honestly do not think anything has left us speechless before ... until now. 

Sadly, you weren't allowed to take pictures, but this Youtube video below by Vogue explains and guides you through the exhibition. However, it does not do the exhibition justice. It is really something you need to see for yourselves. 

It starts off with a video of past runways shows and him speaking, which made us all feel a bit emotional. It's is hard to remember exactly which room of creations came first (probably should have wrote it all down) but they ranged from his themes such as animals, romanticism, tartan, jungle, a mix of his creations (including accessories and head pieces) and florals. I couldn't believe how up-close we could get to some of the dresses, you could literally smell the leather and feel the dire need to touch the fabrics, the animal hair, the embroidery. 

Each rooms interiors related to the collections themes and had different atmospheres. This resulted in royal musical tones, jungle overtones, golden baroque frames, misty glass stand stages, floral wallpaper and walls illustrated with bones. It was regal, romantic, exotic, sexual and emotive in the true McQueen form. 

My favourite room of all was the last one, which featured dresses and a video from his collection - Plato's Atlantis. The digital prints of this collection was amazing to see up close and inspired me so much to work harder on my designs. Alexander McQueen was never afraid to push boundaries and test his limits, which is something I really took away from this last room (and the exhibition as a whole). He put all his energy and passion in to this collection, which was sadly his last runway show. 

I think I speak for many when I say that Alexander McQueen was not just a fashion designer, he was an artist and a passionate creator. He thought so far out the box and brought every idea to life with structure. amazing materials and layering. This exhibition takes you from the very beginning of his career from the Central Saint Martin days to his last. I found the fact we got to see his journey quite emotional, and that fact he would never see how much and how many people appreciate and love his work. He has inspired many people in so many ways. How I saw the exhibition would be different from my friends, the people who saw it the same day as me and the people that saw it on other days. Listening to people overly review his work and try and get in to his mind and others who would quietly focus on the one creation before moving on to the next gave you a real sense of how different people have enjoyed and taken in this show. 

Overall, I came out the exit door with a thousand more questions than what I had about his work when I went in. How did he does this or that? What was his thinking behind this or that? It amazed me how many ideas one person can have and how you can truly bring them to live with hard work and passion. Sadly, we won' get to see any more of this ideas but the collections live on and stay true to the McQueen brand. 

If you didn't make it to the exhibition you can purchase the book on Amazon. Or visit the V&A website for more.

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