Final Project

This is my collection, imaginarily for the house of Betsey Johnson.

I feel like maybe I should do a cartwheel now! ;)



crits by Jamie, Christian, and Sabrina

1. Is the collection well-developed and balanced in terms of fabric, color, silhouette, proportion, and design details?

For an intended Betsey Johnson collection, I would say everything is well balanced. Betsey has a tendency to stick to making dresses, and Emily really stuck close to the mark on this one but threw her own spin on things by bringing in some pant/top combos. All fabric and color choices were spot on for B. Johnson. I feel that the silhouettes are not quite what I expect from a Betsey collection, but all of the fabric choices and detailing (such as the rhinestones and large face graphics) bring in some Johnson style.

The collection is well developed in terms of fabric and color choices. The bright, bold colors play off of each other really well in each of the looks. Great use of design details. I like how the mustache was incorporated into the garments as well. Look number 1 might be my favorite. It has the potential to turn tacky but it was executed to fit the theme perfectly.

I know it’s a spring collection, but I would have liked to see another long piece like the dress in #9. I like the ruffled hemline and feel that it could have been used further in some other looks. I like the attention to detail in these garments. It is clear to see that the designs were well thought out. I would like to see more color though, like the pink striped dress.

2. Have the silhouette, proportions, and all design details been fully explored, and has the designer arrived at the best ultimate uses for these elements in the collection?

The more and more I look at each piece in the collection, the more I feel this is a very well developed Betsey style collection. The details, such as the swimmers, rhinestones and the handle bar mustache belt buckles, etc really tie it all together, and are used in ways that make sense (for B. Johnson). I think the designer really looked at all of the options and found what worked best for her perspective.

The collection provides a wide range of very unique details and the color story keeps everything cohesive. I feel like each design detail (i.e. mustache, face, etc.) is implemented in such a way that they could individually be explored in a collection on their own. 

All design elements have been fully explored. There is great attention to detail. As mentioned previously, another fuller silhouette added to the collection would have added more variation to the collection. I do like the change of the Betsey logo on the cover page. It goes well with the inspiration of the collection.

3. Is the presentation created in the most professional manner possible?

While her Intro Board, Moodboard and Illustration boards appear professional enough, the presentation of the Fabrics and Color board needs work. The swatches for the fabric really need to be bigger, usually they are done at 4" square for a professional portfolio. Also, when cutting knit fabric (as this appears to be mostly knits here) try making a square in masking tape on the back and then cutting just the outer edges of the masking tape. This will give your knit structure to lay flat as well as allow you to get a clean cut edge.

 The presentation is very professional. I'd be interested in seeing what images you would choose to incorporate into the background of the renderings (if you had decided to go that path).

The placement of images, sketches, and flats are laid out professionally and consistently with the exception of fabric swatches. They are cut and placed crooked. The color chips are also cut inconsistently in size and shape.

4. Do all boards appear clean, neat, and legible?

Yes, all board are neat, clean and legible.

Yes - very clean, neat and legible

The boards are clean and legible, but the image on the cover page looks crooked. I’m not sure if it is the angle to which it was photographed or if it was cut this way. I love the images on the mood board, however it is a little cluttered. There are so many great elements on this board, but it is a lot to look at and a little white space here and there to separate a few pieces would make some of the stronger elements stand out and create a more balanced mood board.

5. Is the style and rendering of the fashion figures appropriate and beautifully executed?

Yes, Emily really went an extra step and made each figure really embody he spirit of her designs, with the girls sporting mustaches and such. I really enjoy Emily's drawing style, and she has rendered the clothes beautifully.

The rendering of the fashion figures is true to your artistic style. Due to the flat nature in which you render your fashion figures, some of the arms appear to be really short (esp. look 2) as the perspective aspect and movement of the arms isn't getting portrayed.

Yes, again I love the attention to detail shown in the garments on the fashion figures. The style and detail captured my attention. The rendering could have shown more contrast with some shadowing, as they appear a little flat.

6. Are the flats accurate in their proportions and details? Do they look good in the layout and presentation?

While the line quality could be smoother and each could be more symmetrical, I feel that they are plenty accurate enough for beginner flats. They also appear to embody the proportion and detail of each of her garments as well. Try getting the tiny french curve tools and a 6" c-thru rule, these are god sends when trying to do symmetrical hand drawn flats.

 Yes, the flats are accurate in their proportions and details.  They compliment the presentation. 

 The proportions are a little off, for example, the hat on the red dress in #2 is longer on the flat than on the figure. The hemline on dress #9 looks fuller on the figure than on the flat. Also, how is the wearer getting into this dress? I don’t see a seam in back for a zipper. It looks sleeveless, but it is not resting on the shoulders.

7. Do all supporting boards -- mood board, muse board, detail board, color and fabric boards -- look professional and deliver the necessary information in a beautiful and informative way?

As I said earlier, the fabric/colors need some work, but other than that, yes they appear nice enough and deliver all the necessary info. Because you are using very plain paper for the background, you may want to play with a grounding element for your illustrations, such as board lines or creating a shadow around the feet. As they are now, they appear to just be floating strangely on the paper.

The cover board creates a great first impression of the project. Your personalization of the Betsey logo really adds to the mood of the project.  The moldboard is very busy but I think it fits the ambiance of your chosen company. The board that contains your fabric and color swatches is a bit confusing because the colors are not aligned in the same order.

Overall, I think the presentation is good. It shows an interesting collection, capturing my interest, hoping to see it on the runway.

8. Does the designer possess an understanding of high taste level and an awareness of the modern direction of the fashion industry?

Yes, I believe Emily has a very high taste level, and see a very modern twist in her designs here.

Great job on your final project. I enjoyed seeing your work all semester and appreciate the feedback on my fashion figures. 

Yes, this collection is modern and very Betsey Johnson. My favorite piece is the dress with the face.

my comments in response:

Jamie
Great advice on the jersey knit! I don't know why that never occurred to me. It would probably work for cutting pieces for construction too right?
I'm totally into learning industry standards, thought I will probably never draw a professional-style croquis again, it's fascinating. I remember from fashion illustration that they would say to put a shadow below, but i could never quite figure out where the shadow needed to be in order to not look like IT was floating in space. I'm going watch some runway with solely that in mind! Thanks for the reminder!
I've never been able to draw or cut a straight line to save my life (I've got the scars to prove it), luckily I don't have much need for them in abstract painting. ;)
I really appreciate your feedback!! I had a lot of fun with this class. It felt like playing make believe only with other people who are in that world, very interesting experience, like no other I've had! It's been awesome to be in class with professionals as a large percentage of the folks in my program are hacks at best....  it used to be amusing now it's just boring. But I am basically done with classes, I have professional practices and a 1-on1 DS and I'm DONE BABY!


Christian
I can definitely see that about the arms, I know how to render dimension, but for me the thing i need to work on the most is line. I really love prismacolor and the juicy not exactly flatness of them, so I've been getting into them a lot. I have rendered humans and clothes a lot more finely in the past but it's just not what I'm working on right now. And since I'm an abstract painting and drawing major I've been trying to have fun with this class, do the assignments, but also stay on track with my own person and artistic goals. However, i do think now that they are dry, another layer on the shadow sides of just the skin would be a great addition, thanks!
As far as the color swatches go, I had them in the same order and it just looked annoying. I'm a color girl above all else, and my eye and brain demand asymmetry balance and surprise, so I went with that layout instead. If I ever did this again I would shoot each swatch individually and then digitally lay them out because my digi-cam cannot figure out how to read all those colors and textures at the same time.

Sabrina
I had some more full skirts in my 26 looks but when I whittled it down to this no others made the cut, plus, full is not really in right now (especially in my book) and it's a little too cliche Betsey. MORE COLOR? It almost runs the full spectrum. I have never had anyone tell me I need more color, that's just funny to me.
Personally I think more variation would have taken away from the cohesiveness of the collection, none of my dresses have the same silhouette plus a jacket and 2 pairs of pants. I mean, i guess i just don't see how i could have fit more into 10 looks and kept it harmonious.
The image  on the cover page is not crooked, that's exactly what I meant it to look like, a little rough, just like Bestey. in fact, my crit from Ali on that cover page was "perfect".
The face dress I imagined having a hidden side zipper so that's why I didn't draw it. I envisioned this dress with straps inside that are holding the dress on and some sort of boning inside the "hair" that holds it up, a little gaga and impossible to explain with a 2 sided flat... good eye on noticing that though!!
As far as seeing it on the runway, I'd be happy to sell it but I'm sure not going to be pursuing it. I girl who works in the bar i draw at a lot said she wanted several of the outfits,  so maybe i can get her to make a few of them for me in trade for whatever designs she wants for herself!! We shall see!


Thanks for all your comments and suggestions!!!

13.2 Final Eight-Outfit Collection

I can't decide. I got it down to 10. I'm going to switch the lengths of the black dresses.

 

 

 

13.1 25 Designs for the Final Project

Spring, obviously. I changed the color fabric story just a little.

Ali: good - I like the outfit 3 and 4 here.

1&2

Really like the color story developing on this page. Good.

Again nice use of print here

3&4

Very nice overall.

Eyes on the Dries

I absolutely love this article from WWD

The highlights for me in blue

Dries' Pieces

by MILES SOCHA
Posted MONDAY MARCH 21, 2011
From MENSWEAR ISSUE 03/21/2011

Dries Van Noten and his dog, Harry, on the rooftop of his Antwerp headquarters.
Photo By Marleen Daniels

Very few fashion designers—no matter how clothes-crazy they are—can say they’ve been going to Pitti Uomo since the age of 12. Indeed, Dries Van Noten might be the only one. Is it any wonder that his love for Harris Tweeds, flannels and other old-school fabrics runs deep?

“For me, one of my biggest joys is to go into an archive of old suit materials and try to find all the incredible things—hoping they can still reproduce it,” says Van Noten, a stealth force in men’s wear around whom buzz has been building steadily for years.

Time spent at the Florence trade fair figures among Van Noten’s earliest memories because the affable designer—still boyish at 52—comes from two generations of tailors. His grandfather reworked second-hand clothes during the lean years between world wars, turning them inside out to get further mileage out of the fabric, and later began importing ready-to-wear to Antwerp. His father, having inherited the fashion gene, ran upscale boutiques in Belgium, and his son was often in tow as he toured the runways and showrooms of Milan, Düsseldorf and Paris. “I was the youngest in my family,” Van Noten recalls. “I had the choice of either staying at home alone or going with my mother and father on buying trips.”

What he still appreciates most about men’s wear is “the respect for tradition—the skills are always very present.” Yet he’s also proven adept at making it contemporary and desirable, with just the right dose of fashion excitement.

David Bowie’s Slim White Duke persona was the jumping-off point for the designer’s hit fall 2011 collection, a blend of military and other classic styles spiked with luxurious and graphic touches, including fur collars and contrast lapels. “I wanted to do something with kind of an edgy elegance,” says Van Noten, elbows resting on a hulking antique table, near a long side counter strewn with looped fabric swatches, at his Antwerp, Belgium, headquarters.

With his perky, two-year-old Airedale terrier, Harry, forever under foot, Van Noten is right at home at his vast, 58,000-square-foot base of operations in Antwerp’s port district, where he enjoys panoramic views of the city from his sixth-floor showroom and an in-house chef he imports from Brussels during his sales campaigns. His 25-year-old, privately owned business is on a solid growth track, and men’s wear is starting to generate as much editorial and retail interest as his women’s fashions.

Last fall, Van Noten opened his first freestanding men’s wear store, a 1,100-square-foot boutique on the Quai Malaquais in Paris where customers have to ring a bell to get in—“as if you’re paying a visit to someone,” says the designer. He also opened a 900-square-foot corner at Bergdorf Goodman Men in New York, another sign of momentum for his men’s collection, which accounts for about 35 percent of the business. The brand won 30 new clients for fall, bringing the number of doors worldwide for men’s to 180.

“He continues to be relevant and set the bar for what is cool and desirable in men’s wear,” says Nickelson Wooster, men’s fashion director for Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.

It’s hard to pinpoint the precise moment when Van Noten catapulted into fashion’s big leagues, but—like all Belgian designers, who don’t advertise, chase starlets or do logos—he made that leap in the most understated manner.

A fashion graduate of Antwerp’s celebrated Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Van Noten gained early recognition as one of the influential Antwerp Six, who, in the early Eighties, put the small Flemish city on the international fashion radar. The collective included Ann Demeulemeester and Walter Van Beirendonck, with more avant-garde fare, as well as Van Noten, whose small collection of blazers, shirts and trousers immediately caught the attention of Barneys New York, his first customer.

His self-financed business has since grown gradually and at modest dimensions, staying within Van Noten’s comfort zone, but his star has risen considerably in recent years as his women’s designs, initially prized for their ethnic character, have become more urbane and modern. In men’s wear, Van Noten mines a classic vein, but gives it the pulse of today. “I’m not nostalgic,” the designer says, citing his penchant for juxtaposing “very advanced” materials—such as the papery nylons that figure into the fall collection—with his beloved tweeds and flannels.

During men’s fashion weeks in Milan and Paris earlier this year, a striking number of the assembled buyers and editors were sporting Van Noten, a flash of white felt under the collar of coats and blazers among the subtle signifiers of his designs.

“Every designer has their time, and this is definitely Dries’ time,” says David Walker-Smith, buying and merchandising director for men’s wear, beauty, fragrance, home and leisure at Selfridges, who observed plenty of contrast-sleeve shirts, checkered scarves, striped blazers and bleached denim among the fashion flock. Walker-Smith notes that Van Noten’s clothes, while of-the-moment and distinctive, transcend age and seasons. “It’s very individual to who wears it,” Walker-Smith says. What’s more, “the fit is brilliant and it’s not hugely expensive.”

“The way he puts things together—tailored with casual—is totally on point,” adds Wooster. “Nuance is everything. Nobody understands this better than Dries. As a designers’ designer, he has an incredible eye for color, fabric and proportion.”

“In men’s wear, it’s a lot about details,” explains Van Noten, an earnest sort who is more apt to proffer a jar of homemade jam than a designer bauble as a gift to important editors. “The shoulder width, for example—it’s not centimeters, it’s millimeters.…By changing the point of the collar on a shirt, the message is different.”

Van Noten himself is the perfect billboard for his style. On this day, he’s wearing gleaming, heavy-soled shoes the color of caramel; loose-fitting khakis with utility details in a shade between fatigue green and tobacco, and layered sweaters in black and navy, finished off with a small tartan scarf loosely wound so that the fringe spills out artfully. “I feel a bit naked without a scarf,” he says about his signature fashion flourish. “Also, living in Belgium, it’s cold—you sometimes need a scarf.”

That sense of practicality and decorum is part of the fashion ethos in Belgium, where designers never forget that their first job is to make good garments. “I always do the things I like to do,” Van Noten says. “It’s really what I feel, whatever’s going to be right for the moment.”

There was an undercurrent of military style in Van Noten’s fall collection, in the colors, the tailoring of his greatcoats and the comportment his clothes conveyed. “Just putting the collar up can be something protective, but it can also be something proud, something quite present,” he says.

Within the fashion industry, Van Noten is well known to have a green thumb, and indeed he pours lots of energy into his garden. Yet he’s just as willing to shed those gardening clothes for a tuxedo, as the rituals of formalwear put the wearer in a certain mood. “That’s something which I always enjoy: looking for the right pair of cuff links,” he says, a smile coming over his face. “OK, maybe nobody is going to notice, but it’s just for yourself.”

The most fascinating thing besides getting to know Dries a little, was the fact that he has become this famous and successful without logos or advertising. The reading did not addressed that, which is odd considering the whole module was about branding. I think this concept is MAJOR. It really inspires me that in such a sell out world he has risen to fame without lowering himself to the standards of the sales industry. 

RE: fine art h2t!

In last week's discussion Kimetha wrote:

Issey Miyake

This designer presented a collection filled with "angles". After sending the paper prototypes down the runway, he followed fabric. Even though the fabric clothing followed the same cut, angles and shapes made by the  paper, he used Escher-like prints to "fool the eye".

I just wanted to point out how this young female Brazilian Living in Italy is using such a similar design element in her shoes as this more seasoned male Japanese clothing designer. I just thought that was noteworthy.

In reference to: Hats... posted by Kimetha King

There are a couple of places I usually expect to see hats in the U.S. One place is at horse-related events (Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and polo), the other, is at church (for me), especially on Easter. My mother doesn't wear hats like she used to, however, every now and then, she'll put one on. I even learned millinery from a friend who worked in her family's hat-making business. I do find that the hats worn for highly visible events in England are very unique. It's interesting that the two of the three hat wearers at the royal wedding who received "low marks" for their hat choices were the the Queen's grandchildren (Andrew and Fergie's daughters). I live in CO, and cowboy hats are a big thing here.

Betsey Johnson goes pink with Kentucky Derby hats for breast cancer awareness

 

 

May 5, 2011 |  8:00 am

The extravagant hats worn at the royal wedding were without a doubt a sight to see, but every year women at the Kentucky Derby create a fashion spectacle in hat creations that are beyond royal-worthy. Is there a more appropriate way to accessorize your eye-popping pastel skirt suit, floral print dress or potent mint julep than with a Saturn-sized brim hat? Not in Louisville.
Designer Betsey Johnson is known for her flirty, bold dresses and a flair for the dramatic in her designs, so when Chambord liquor asked the feisty platinum blond to participate in some Ketucky Derby festivities, it was a perfect match.
Johnson, who will attend her first Kentucky Derby on Saturday, teamed up with the liquor brand to design Derby-style hats for its Pink Your Drink program that benefits breast cancer charities.
She designed three hats for the event, including a Barbie hat, rose hat and a spider hat. The Barbie hat, inspired by her grandkids, features a small Barbie figurine and her larger than life tulle dress made from the skirt of her pink, poufy Tallulah dress.
Her rose hat features pink roses, Johnson’s signature flower. The silky petals spill over and under the brim of the hat, fastend with an enormous pink bow.  “It is the ultimate southern belle romantic hat, and I just threw in the pink wig to bring it over the top,” said Johnson.
Johnson’s spider hat was inspired by the big pink roses on Park Avenue in New York City “that have ladybugs and spiders on them right now.” The rose was made of the flowers that Johnson used in the finale of her fall 2011 fashion show.
If you’re attending the Derby this year you can bid on the Barbie hat at a charity brunch with Johnson in Louisville to benefit the Gilda’s Club. The rose hat is being auctioned on BiddingforGood.com until Saturday and the spider design will be available through a contest on Chambord’s Facebook page. All auction proceeds will benefit the National Breast Cancer Coalition.
-- Jenn Harris

  Sabrina :

I have to admit I am not a big fan of the hats worn at the royal wedding, but I do love the hats you have posted here by Betsey Johnson. They are over the top, but not surprising because that is typical Betsey. They show her whimsical style and personality. What a wonderful way to raise money for breast cancer.

 me:

I'm glad Kimetha mentioned the Derby because I'd posted about this event when it was still to come for a discussion topic in my mixed media class about appropriation in art. Matel is one of the most notorious (alongside Disney of course) for serving lawsuits when their images are appropriated,often suing even when the law is on the side of the artist, hoping to tie the likely not rich artist up in courst until they settle, and then they keep the threat there so people tend not to use Barbie and other Matel characters. Anyway at that time only the Barbie hat picture had been released so I was glad to be reminded to look up the event after the fact for full coverage!! It's so interesting when even the most seemingly unrelated classes can have ties.

fine art h2t!

I was just introduced to the shoe designer, Andreia Chaves. Her designs are totally insane, and look like she's the creative love child of Alexander McQueen and Buckminster Fuller.







Then in a wake of the royal wedding everyone is buzzing about the Philip Treacy hats.

I first was introduced to his genius when he was on Project Runway last season.


(on the left)
So I'm thinking in regard to this melodrama on heads and toes, there is a trend currently where clothing is being downplayed to make space for accessories to really set the mood of an outfit. This is nothing new. I think the pendulum has swung back and forth many times over the course of fashion history. But I can feel it in my design process. I feel more inclined to want to keep the clothes simple and make quirky accessories that define the look. It's inappropriate for this class but I think it's and interesting observation for myself, considering I'm not much for wearing many accessories. But I love vintage church hats! I'm excited because now that virtually everyone has been exposed to the Treacy hats, the trickle-down will gain velocity, and big, bold hats will be everywhere! We'll be able to by Treacy-esque knock offs at Claire's before you know it! (I hope!!)

skins

Jamie, this reminds me of your collection because it gives an impression of a boxer.

I like how it's androgynous from afar yet really soft and girly up close.