Nocturnal Animals (2016 Film)

After an anticipated wait, last week I finally got the opportunity to go and see the gripping revenge tale 'Nocturnal Animals' at the Broadway Cinema in Nottingham. Produced by the extremely talented, Tom Ford, the film is his second feature film since the creative director delved into the world of filmography and it seems that this time round, as expected, he has far from disappointed his audience. 

With themes of meta-mystery thriller, heartache and despair, the film, which was inspired by the 1993 novel 'Tony and Susan' by Austin Wright, offers a double staged narrative which continuously cuts back and forth between the reality and fiction of certain character's lifestyles.  A film within a film, Jake Gyllenhaal takes on two roles in the story as he acts out the roles of Edward Sheffield who subtly yet cleverly torments the 'nocturnal' and ex-wife Susan, played by Amy Adams and Tony Hastings, a man whose family is harshly taken from him in the most traumatizing and physically brutal way. However, although the film depicts such scenes of despair and turmoil, it is definitely one that you cannot stop watching. 

During the film I also admired the way that the production celebrated the freedom and excessiveness of American culture which was vividly communicated during the opening scene and the explicit art that scatters the walls of the art gallery; ran by the main character and insanely insomniac, Susan. 

A film filled with tremendous flashbacks and the most uncomfortable yet artistically brilliant scenes, the synopsis is one that must be carefully followed. Although you may be left slightly confused and ready for a question and answer with the screenplay writer, Tom Ford, himself, the film is a definite must see due to its combination of chilling themes and Hitchockian aesthetic!

Victoria and Albert Museum: You Say You Want A Revolution?

Since I am currently taking part in a project at university that surrounds the topic of identity and subculture, recently, I visited the exhibition 'You Say You Want A Revolution?' at the Victoria and Albert museum.

During my visit, I was taken on a journey back to the 60's; a time when popular culture exploded on the media scene and a baby boom commenced. Throughout the whole exhibition, there were references to all influences that could have possibly shaped an individuals identity during the sixties such as the uncontrollable craze of LSD that evoked a prestigious drug culture among society, the influence of festivals, a rise in consumption, an introduction of high quality celebrity photography and of course, reactions to the political and manipulative minds of the government across the globe during the experimental era that was the sixties.

An enlighten and informing experience for me yet it amazed me how to some, this exhibition would have been a nostalgic and retrospective glimpse into their past. Not only was the exhibition interesting for me when it came to learning about the context of the sixties and how identities were shaped, but it also became such an unforgettable experience as I found myself walking round the exhibition watching individuals reminisce and dance to songs that had sculpted their teenage lives and arguably, viewing elements of media or culture that have made them the person they are today.

Here are just a few of my favourite pieces of art or film posters that I thought were interesting of worth a look at from the exhibition....


Sgt. Peppers, Richard Avedon 1967


White Rabbit in Wonderland, Joseph Mchugh


Martin Sharp, Roundhouse UFO


The Souper Dress, 1966. inspired by Andy Warhol's Campbell Soup Can piece

Michelangelo Antonioni film 'Blow Up' 1996

Christine Keeler, photographs by Lewis Morley, 1963.

Lastly, if you are interested in attending the exhibition, it is showing until the 26th February so catch it over Christmas before it's too late!

NOW Gallery: Molly Goddard's 'What I Like' Exhibition

Since I am a fan of getting involved in any type of artwork that surrounds me, I was especially excited to view the interactive exhibition 'What I Like' by Molly Goddard at the Now Gallery. Consisting of five oversized tulle dresses that were hung from the ceiling of NOW Gallery, each dress has been displayed on a pulley and can be raised or lowered to a height at which visitors can sit and embroider directly onto the dresses.

As a lover of sewing and knitting myself, I found the exhibition so interesting to get involved in as I was able to put my skills to the test and create some patterns and designs of my own to show off my creative flare and add my own individuality to the netted dresses. It also felt good to be able to add my own ideas and contribution to such a acclaimed and public piece of art where others can then go onto add their own response to and experiment further!

Overall, although I did not have the time to spend all day sewing 'what I like' onto the dresses (as I was just briefly visiting) I did manage to take a few snap shots of some of the most intriguing embroideries that other guests had added to the dresses. Out of all of the dresses, I definitely enjoyed sewing onto the lighter grey dress the most, using an array of pink threads because I feel it allowed my work to be seen more powerfully due to the visual contrast between the grey and pink tones. I also liked how both of the tones communicated a calming and muted aesthetic to reflect the relaxation of the activity which is something I wanted to portray in my piece.

On my last note, if you are looking for an activity that is both enjoyable, therapeutic and a great way to gain a new skills whilst showing off your personality creatively, I would definitely suggest going along to this exhibition with a friend or family to experiment with your own embroideries.

My contribution to the exhibition:

Other people's contribution to the exhibition:

The Vulgar at the Barbican Gallery

Recently on a university trip to London, I got the chance to go and visit 'The Vulgar' exhibition on at the Barbican. Since I am extremely interested in any sort of diverse and rebellious fashion, this exhibition was a dream for me to go and visit because it allowed me to view a range of high end designs from across the ages; starting from the 1800's all the way to present day, whilst understanding the social and cultural influences that go into the creation of such idiosyncratic and outrageous fashion. I am also a great fan of historical fashion, therefore, to see how different designs can be past down, twisted and mixed with to create something to fit with the current or past day and age was mesmerising to me. Therefore, it was really great to see how designer's can use certain designs of garments to react to the specific unrest or downfalls in society to unfold something revolutionary and project their voice through garment to make a statement.

‘Vulgarity exposes the scandal of good taste’ Adam Phillips

Across the exhibition there was an array of creations including the works of some of my most favourite designers including Vivienne Westwood (the queen of rebellious fashion with an elegant twist), Christian Lacroix, John Galliano, Mary Katranzou and Pam Hogg. One aspect of the exhibition that I liked the most, was the idea that it allowed the viewers to interpret their own thoughts and approaches to the word 'vulgar' and to challenge our own tastes in fashion. Potent, provocative or utterly shocking, each outstanding piece, unravelled a story to understand each notion of vulgarity, whilst showcasing the territory it holds over ready-to-wear or couture fashion. i found this so important, because similarly to many other trends that we follow, clothing can project our identities in a revolutionary and ground-breaking way to project our views on the current state of society. Therefore, to analyse how designer's do this is great creative inspiration for when i am looking at how other ideas in the future can be projected through garment and accessory. 

To conclude this post, I thought I would share with you a few of my favourite pieces from the exhibition and a little bit about what I thought of them!

Mary Katrantzou's Pencil Skirt A/W 2012-2013

Could you find a piece that literally denoted the meaning of a pencil skirt any better than actually using real pencils?
Possibly one of the most iconic and inventive approaches to a basic garment, Katrantzou wowed with this creative masterpiece which offered a sense of playfulness, flamboyancy and youth. Renowned for her intoxicating creations, the designer combined surrealism with a sustainable fusion of style to address the ongoing issues of man vs nature whilst drawing parallels between the serial repetitions of nature and the take over of industrial mass production of our society. Although some may argue the collection and this piece was too literal, I loved the abstract element it offered in order to define socio-economical and environmental issues that effect the world we live in now.


Pam Hogg's Lawless Collection SS 2016

An outrageous piece, this garment by Hogg showcases a cocktail of different themes including futurism, bodily exposure and undertones of the 21st century cowboy to communicate a narrative based on the modern renegade. Reflecting her rebellious attitude, the designer strayed from any sort of conventions by using an array of studding, sheer materials and metallic spikes reflecting a playful unruliness and a nod towards an anti-establishment and arguably anti-trend kind of aesthetic.


Gareth Pugh SS 2016

Out of all of the pieces I viewed at the exhibition, this definitely stuck out for me! Not only was I amazed at how Pugh had managed to use the motif of a clown in such a serious and artistic way but I was also intrigued by his use of materials. The piece, worn by the model, has been primarily crafted from an array of bronze one pence to communicate a garment filled with energy, illusion and opulent textures. Arguably, although the garment visually communicates the idea of opulence, i thought it was ironic because the one pence coin does not really showcase reality or significance in terms in economics however, through the cut out silhouette and striking exposure of skin, I thought that this lessened the lavish aesthetic in order to really communicate something vulgar and sexual.

Celebrating the work of Bruce Weber

After learning that Bruce Weber will be graced with the prestigious Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator at The Fashion Awards 2016 next month, I thought that I would put together a blog post in awe of the outstandingly talented photographer's work in the industry, which has span for just over forty years.

"His expansive body of work in photography and film is iconic, and he himself is rightly an icon of the creative fashion community. He is one of the foremost photographers and creative talents of our age who has helped shape the fashion industry we know today and I have a great deal of admiration for him."

Therefore, here are a collection of my favourite images by the creative which portray a mixture of themes including fantasy, luxury leisure, imagination vs real life and colour composition.

My all time favourite images by Weber:

Mr Porter 2016

Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, 'Behind the Row' 2011

Sarah Pivovarova and Carmen Dell' Orefice, French Vogue 2009

Natalie Portman, Teen Vogue 2007


Aretha Franklin, American Vogue 1991

Kenzo x HM

After waiting months and months, the collaboration which has probably been one of the biggest talks of the fashion industry this year has final arrived.... and it definitely did not disappoint!
Following the hysteria and excitement that has always revolved each collaboration that H&M has taken part in, this time round, the Swedish brands loyal customers have been greeted by an array of clashing wild patterns, edgy silhouettes with a subtle hint of the nostalgic 70's, multi-cultural trends and a splash of animalistic fever to conclude an utterly graphic and print-tastic collection. With a theme of diversity, the collection is channelling the current social state of society today in a colourful and innovative way to translate a celebration of cultural integration and a new direction in fashion.

Kenzo Lookbook:










My favourite pieces from the collection:

 

Nottingham Contemporary: An Encounter that took a part of me / FOXP2

Since I am back at university in Nottingham and as always, looking for various cultural and creative landscapes that can influence my work, I thought I would take a trip down to the Nottingham Contemporary to check out the new exhibition that is showing from 15th October - 15th January 2017.

Whilst I was there I was particularly interested in the work of Otobong Nkanga which was called 'The Encounter That Took a Part of Me' and 'The Taste of Stones'. Both parts of the exhibition consisted of large tapestries, wall drawings and installations that traced different areas in botanical and geographical studies, alongside a constellation of various pieces that were from environmental and natural elements of the world. I found these pieces of art very important because in the upcoming weeks I am taking part in a 'Self Promotion project' which looks into different visual ways of promoting ourselves through designs and styles. Therefore, since the exhibitions by Nkanga included a range of graphic and abstract patterns that depicted her own emotions about a subject, I thought these would be great inspiration for when it comes to creating my own diverse prints for my business cards or even taking inspiration for the design of my online portfolio. As a fashion communication student, I definitely feel it is important to start looking at wider backgrounds to capture influence and inspiration for my projects to ensure that my ideas are unique yet filled with imagination and interesting contexts.

Finally, I admired the exhibition by Otobong Nkanga because it translated a relationship between different entities, corruption, ideological shift and power imbalance, which were all depicted through an in-depth composition of contaminated materials and textures to reflect the different turmoil's that had caused the social breakdown. Although none of the work I will be taking part in soon will feature as heavy or intense subjects as this, again, as a creative, I thought it was important to see how different characteristics or problems in society can be depicted through prints, textures and surface materials to communicate a narrative.

The next exhibition I visited in the gallery was 'FOXP2' by Marguerite Humeau. I really liked this exhibition because it allowed me to appreciate the effectivity of merging synthetic voices with sculptures to not only communicate an innovative kind of visual language, but to also show a historical interpretation of the evolution of humans and their formation throughout history.

The exhibition, which displays prototypes of living beings with different degrees of sentience, also taught me of new ways to visual communicate subjects such as biology, psychology and education in a creative and aesthetically pleasing way. Although I am a fashion student, it is very important that I keep up to date with wider contextual references because it is argued that they do have a great impact on the evolvement and the dynamics of trends and also have an effect on consumers behaviour.

Lastly, I liked how the exhibition used a range of different pink hues to create a composition and contrast within the room against the immaculate white elephant sculptures. Again as a creative myself, I enjoyed how this composition enabled the details and the textures of the sculptures to be witnessed and appreciated more, forming new dimensions and volumes within the room. I also liked how the colour scheme and sculptures brought a futuristic, abstract aesthetic to the exhibition which was ironic considering it was based on the evolution of humans and the creation of 'FOXP2' over 100,000 years ago.

Nottingham Zine Fest 2016

Over the past weekend I spent my day doing something I love to do; looking through endless amounts of zines and magazines. Located at one of the most individual and idiosyncratic hubs in Nottingham, the Zine Fest took place at record store / café / gig venue, Rough Trade. ( If you are yet to visit Rough Trade make sure that you do one day! Especially if you are into old records, aesthetically pleasing coffee table books and collecting edgy band posters.)

Not only did I enjoy the zine festival for my own benefit, but it was also at the top of my do-to list because very soon, on my university course, we will be creating our very own zines under the theme of identity. So what better place to get inspiration from than a fair dedicated to some of the most innovative and artist zines floating around the creative industry that fills the streets and museums of Nottingham right now. The zines were also great inspiration for my upcoming project because I have never actually engaged in such a creative or hands on activity during my previous studies before so I am extremely excited to undergo the process of making and designing my own zine. Furthermore, after taking part in an editorial internship over the summer, I uncovered that it is my dream to one day go down the route of fashion journalism or magazine editorial. Therefore, I intend to get the most experience and understanding of magazines and zines as possible during the upcoming project to ensure I am employable and skilful enough in a variety of areas to ensure my dream can become a reality.

As I walked around the zine festival there were many mini magazines that caught my eye. From quirky self-drawings with fabulous illustrative designs to kitschy patterns exuding delightful compositions and a mixtures of superbly vibrant colours, the festival was a creative and fashion communicators heaven.





One zine that I was particularly drawn in by had been created by a graphic designer called Ben Wood. Although I was not entirely sure about the subject behind his zine until conversing with him, I was mostly intrigued by his unique layout and use of abstraction. Wood's visual communication reflects a design style that I am especially interested in therefore, I could not wait to show his work throughout this blog post. I also admired his taste for contextual and historical references which were mixed with a graphically edgy twist shown especially through his front cover. From what i can interpret myself, I presumed his front cover communicated an image of historical roman or Grecian sculpture which he had redesigned with a feel for animation and illusion, alongside a high contrast and intensely saturated colours.

The life of an Intern

Since the beginning of June this year, just after my final hand in for Fashion Communication and Promotion, across the span of three months, I interned in the editorial department of Jules B; an E-Commerce designer brand in the heart of Newcastle. During my internship I gained an array of invaluable skills within areas such as editorial, styling, web sales and buying and merchandising. Not only did the internship provide me with a clearer vision of a real workplace in the fashion industry, but it also allowed me to become a lot more confident within my style of writing, get into a routine of constantly monitoring cultural and fashionable affairs through weekly blogging for the brand and become comfortable with editing the website through visual communication software.

Furthermore, the internship also allowed me to exude my own creative flare through taking part in photoshoots and styling jobs which I believe is extremely beneficial when it comes to the execution part of future projects that I will be taking part in during my second year of university.

Lastly, through working in a high end brand throughout the Spring/Summer season, this also allowed me to gain a more in-depth understanding of how different brands position themselves within the market against competitors, how brands promote seasonal trends and a key understanding of a brand’s consumer and how to maintain their loyalty. Finally, by working within an industry with a variety of viewpoints and attitudes towards fashion, this encouraged me to confidently express my own outlook and aesthetic as a fashion communicator and change my perspective on the creative industry by taking more inspiration from lifestyles, designs and culture which I will be able to utilise within my future studies during my second year of university.

Although this has been quite an in-depth blog post about my roles during my summer internship, thank you for reading and I hope this has encouraged you also to look into gaining experience within the future!!

Kate x

Paris Fashion Week 2016

The last of my four part Fashion week series but certainly and most definitely not the least, Paris Fashion Week. Home to some of the greatest desires to have ever graced the world of fashion, this week I will be showcasing looks from legendary fashion houses including Chanel, Celine, Comme Des Garcons and Balengiaca. Visiting Paris Fashion Week is possibly one of the biggest dreams a fashion student can have, however, since i was unable to head over seas this stylish month and grab myself a seat at one of the most innovating and spectacular shows going on in the Parisian city, I have gathered a source of photographs of my favourite looks this season from Vogues fabulously fashionable and impeccably organised archive. To take a look at many of the other shows which have been going on throughout the week, follow this link!

http://www.vogue.co.uk/shows

Chanel



Celine


Comme Des Garcons



Balengiaca

Milan Fashion Week 2016

Following on from last weeks memorable fashion debut in London, in my series of Fashion week reports this week I have brought to you a recap of my favourite looks from the recent Milan Fashion Week. Out of each city, I personally would say that there is something about Milan's clothing extravaganza that makes it so unique and ahead of the game in comparison to the other fashion capitals of the world. With inspiration from historical Italian tailoring and impeccable detailing and silhouettes, the Italians really do know how to do it when it comes to fashion. From classic brands with enriched desirable apparel such as Valentino and Dolce & Gabbana to the more innovative and experimental designers such as Moschino and Versace, take a look at some of my best looks from this weeks array of catwalk shows and let me know what you think!

Valentino



Moschino



Dolce and Gabbana


Versace