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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Let's Talk Fabric | Zara TRF New Collection

Top // 1 | 2 | 3

Middle // 1 | 2 | 3

Bottom // 1 | 2 | 3  

Zara, Zara, Zara. Oh how I am in love with this store at the moment. Firstly, their prints are on point with the latest trends. Secondly, if anyone is doing the 70s theme right this coming season it is Zara. And, thirdly, their fabric is to die for! On a recent trip to Zara to collect print inspiration I got more inspired by the fabric, its quality and its colours. 

The new TRF collection features - lace, denim, cotton, ribbed knits, suede, velvet, polyester, viscose, wool and faux fur. Not only are the fabrics soft to touch and dyed or woven in seasonal colours but they are cut beautifully. That wool coat (B2) for instance is coat perfection and the perfect autumn accessory. Denim comes in soft cottons that are frayed at the seams to give a natural, worn look (T2 & M2). Everything feels very oversized and boxy but fresh and exciting for the new Autunm season ahead that can be layered going in to the Winter season with messy hair, plaits and simplistic make up. I mean, who doesn't want to look like a Zara model with the clothes, hair and make-up!?

The collection as a whole makes me wish I could shop in Zara more, I think they are the main high street store easily translating catwalk trends and colours at the moment but still keeping to that Zara look and catering to the Zara customer. I seriously want to rave about these fabrics and looks!

What is your favourite? How would you wear these pieces?

All images copyright of Zara.

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The Folk Edit

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

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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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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New Theme | Freelancing

(Source: Vogue UK)

After a little break from freelancing it's time to get back in to it and create as many design groups as I can before Premiere Vision. My last collection was a William Morris inspired one and this new collection is also based around the idea of his work, but more inspired by the Valentino Spring Summer 2015 runway collection. I achieved a good outcome with the last group and I'm very excited about this new theme. Of course, I'm a little wary and scared as I always feel about taking on a theme I haven't experimented with before. I have a constant look in my head of how I want the designs to look and try not to feel disappointed when the outcomes don't match the ideal look in my head. But, overall, it's about experimenting and testing myself and my design skills. There is always something to learn from designing a collection and to use those for future themes. 

So, lets get designing... 

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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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Competition | Bohemia

"Inspired by the catwalk shows of Etro, Valentino and Burberry, "A Travellers Dance" captures the Boho style. A colourful and unique print designed by hand that layers a fee-flwing repeat with a visually eye-catching boarder".

I recently entered the latest Textile Federation competition entitled "Bohemia" which I somehow manage to squeeze in to my busy schedule. I was quite excited by the project so wanted to give it a go and use this as a base to test my graphic tablet skills. I designed the print using various internet found paisley and indian woodblock designs which I then changed slightly using different brush marks that had a sketchy and relaxed edge to it. I then use copyright free designs for the boarder (which were slightly modified) that fit in with the half drop design of the main print. I was really inspired by the way Burberry had simple straight block repeats in a two colour way in their A/W 2015 collection (bottom right) and wanted this for the boarder rather than Etros dip-dye hem from their S/S 2015 garment (bottom left). This print, however, gave the the idea for the main repeat of my design which I decided to make slightly more busy and use warmer colours as well as the purples and blues. There is so much inspiration for the Boho style print and pattern so I could have spent a lot longer design this print in real depth, but competition deadlines call and submission is a must! I am quite pleased with the overall look which still carries my handwriting. Every project definitely teaches you something and this one taught me to not be afraid so much of an open brief. And yes the mood board is a great reference, but what it does and should do is in the name and allow that mood to be felt but not have to follow whats on the board so tightly and restrict design freedom.

Lesson learnt! Next project please!

See the design over at Textile Federation.

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Resort 2016 | Issey Miyake

(Sources 1 | 2)

I'm not a huge fan of tropicals and tend to avoid them in my own work and in my wardrobe, but when I saw Issey Miyake's Resort collection I begun to like tropical prints that little bit more.

The colours used are what draw me in the most with lush trend and burning reds and pinks. The blend of tropical greens with earthy blues are a perfect combination against the softer greys and whites. The creative director, Yoshiyuki Miyamae, and the team have combined visits of tropics amazingly well and even experimented with its 3-D stretch technology (which I am to get my head around still) that is visually stunning on the outerwear pieces. 

Textile technology and print at its best!

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The Comparative Shop #9

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

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

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

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

 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

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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Floral Inspiration

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

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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Inspiration | Marc Jacobs A/W 15

I am a big fan of William Morris designs and so I was thrilled when I discovered my latest freelance print theme was designing all over Morris prints.
I had a brief research in to this trend that took the runway by storm and was instantly inspired my the Marc by Marc Jacobs Autumn / Winter 2015 collection.
The colours range from browns, green, blues and reds creating an exiting colour palette for me to work from. The prints are so bold and stand out on the jackets, trousers and skirts that Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley placed them on.
I am just hoping my designs come out as great as these.

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Interior Inspiration

 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

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

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

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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Project | Intimates Print

Another project under my belt this week was researching and creating a Spring / Summer 2016 print trend for underwear and nightwear. And so, I came up with the theme Elegance. A theme composed of a soft base colour, bright core colours and a dark accent colour that all compliment one another. The prints range from being very busy to spaced out and half drop, straight or all over repeats. It was a very quick project but if I had more time I would wanted to expand on the number of prints I created and combine elements a lot more.

Below are the florals and leaves I hand painted with inks and watercolours that were then indexed in Photoshop. Indexing, for those who are a bit unsure what I mean by that, is where I have made the drawings around only 5-6 colours so I could easily select and fill the different shades of my florals and leaves. These were then made in to three simple prints that were inspired by the prints on my mood board.

As I stated in my previous project post, I love to put together design mood boards that show my prints to their full potential. I placed the prints on the best underwear / nightwear garments suitable from WGSN. I love seeing my prints on simple working flats and presented nicely, it makes the print feel to me much more successful and professional.

Designing the prints was something I got stuck in to and went in to frantic design mode. It was a lot of fun creating prints that I hand drew and brought to life in Photoshop just like I used to at University. 

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Project | Kidswear Print

I've been doing a couple of short projects this week. The first being this kidswear print, based on the theme of Scandinavian Forest. 

I hand drew the little fox and triangles but digitally working in to them on Photoshop and Illustrator. The pantone colours are all on trend as according to WGSN kidswear. I decided to place the print on working flats. As illustrated there are two tops (one has a grey marl fabric base) with the print on and a rusty pink neckband. And a cute little summer dress with a rusty pink frill around the waist.

It was quite fun doing kidswear and creating something different to add to my portfolio. I love putting together design presentation mood boards like the one below, which feature all the pantones used and the measurements of the half drop repeat.

One kid print down ... maybe time to do some more?

WGSN GARMENTS

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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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Tea, Cake & Lace

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours at one of my favourite little finds here in Nottingham - the Debbie Bryan Shop. An afternoon spent drinking tea, eating cake and hearing amazing stories about lace.

As part of NTU's (Nottingham Trent University) research for the collection of stories from or about lace workers from the 1900s onwards, Debbie Bryan hosted an afternoon gathering for anyone with a story, wanting to hear stories and those who wanted to help collect these oral stories. The purpose of gathering these stories is to enable Nottingham's lace heritage communities to preserve lace history.

So, with my tea and cake I sat back and listened to some amazing stories that these people had about their family members working in the lace industry and how they wanted to fill in the gaps that were missing in these stories.

Facts I learnt (and remembered to note down) ...

- Methodism was a popular religion with the working class and lace factory workers around the 19th century.

- Around 1810, lace machines were smuggled out of Nottingham to Calais, France. 

- Nottingham lace and Calais had a big connection with families moving to Calais or families moving to Nottingham. 

- Nottingham lace is renowned as Nottingham lace because its machinery. 

- Apparently, Hooters in Nottingham used to be a lace dye house.

I don't have any known stories of any family members working within the lace factory, but I found it very interesting to hear these stories and learn things about lace I never know. I remember learning about lace back at school when I was in Year 4 (I was about 9/10 years old) and how fascinating I found it back then and how, even now, I do find the history of it all interesting. Hearing personnel stories from peoples past made me want to ask my family if they have any stories (my history, if any, would be about Bedfordshire lace rather than Nottingham lace).

Do you have a story about lace (especially Nottingham lace) you would be willing to share with me for NTU's research? If so, then please get in contact with me as I would love to hear it.

I also couldn't recommend a visit to Debbie Bryan for tea, cake and a wonder enough.

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