I feel like I am home… back into the swing of things very quickly!!! Today was the first day back of the year and the first day of second year fashion design.
Workshop was from 9am to 6pm… I can’t believe how much I have achieved!!! Creating variations of bodice darts was just the start of the day before moving on to drafting and pattern making a dress for our first technical assessment.
I am so glad to be back though… I AM ON TOP OF THE WORLD!
Year 1, Semester 1 at the Whitehouse Institute of Design… Our brief for this semester was to design and make a skirt using 100% cotton fabrics and channeling a Fall/Winter aesthetic.
At Whitehouse, the design process is truly treated like it would be in INDUSTRY.
After many sketches and alterations… the images pictured to the right show my final design. I had to propose variations to my teacher before these final illustrations (both technical and styled) could be submitted to the Head of Design for signing off.
After the design was approved I then had to begin making toiles* of my skirt… My workshop and design teachers were unsure of the success of making my skirt as it was both reversible and incorporated one continuous zipper wrapping around the skirt and curves. The zipper that I required was so long that I had to get it custom made.
*practice calico version of garment to see if it will actually work
My final skirt was a success with the zipper comfortably sliding around the curves and I was very happy with the end result. However, if I was to make the skirt again, I would shorten the zipper length by 1-2cm and stretch onto the fabric so that it sat completely flat when on the body.
Designer, Alexander Wang targets an aesthetic that I believe is perfect for what I was aiming for with this skirt and styling, with his ‘MODEL OFF DUTY’ motto. My garment encapsulates the essence of the up and coming urban grunge trend. The main fabric is a combination of a bold orange colour juxtaposing against the strong black which encourages one to achieve the edgy street wear grunge look. My complete styled body captures the urban style of pairing higher end garments with lower end items to create trendy distinctive and unique looks.
Trend Inspiration (as featured in portfolio)
At the end of the semester, I had to present my skirt, fully styled, to a panel of judges. This involved organising a model, hair, make-up, other clothing, shoes and accessories to complement my design. Thank you to Miranda Fish for modeling and Victoria University students for the hair and make-up.
After my panel I then did a mini/semi-professional photo shoot with my model in an alleyway to complement the urban grunge aesthetic I had created with my skirt and styling.
Photos by Megan Rose
Model: Miranda Fish
2014 was certainly a big year! Not only did both my siblings get married, but I moved to the mainland and went to study a Bachelor of Design at the Whitehouse Institute of Design’s Melbourne campus.
My darling mother, Belinda, caught the Spirit of Tasmania over with me to start my new adventures… and my fashion world began. This year has involved many highs and lows, and been a very big learning experience!
Studying fashion isn’t as simple as some would think… my course is very intensive with over 30 hours face to face a week, although I love it so much, I am there for many more extra! Despite the huge commitment and as hard as it was to move away from my family and life in Tasmania, relocating to Melbourne was the best thing I have ever done… I could not imagine myself anywhere else!
I have already learnt so much invaluable information and so many techniques from studying at the Whitehouse after just one year. I was incredibly honoured to receive the award for ‘First Year Fashion Student of the Year’ at the end-of-year runway showcase… I am just so excited to get back and start the second year!
I can’t wait to share what I have designed and created over the past year here on my blog, so keep posted!
I’m Back Y’all!
I have been off studying for a year at the Whitehouse Institute of Design and I am getting my life together finally… Megan Rose is back to share my fashion, studies and inspiration, so keep watching this space to keep up to date!
I have almost finished this final year of school and my project is coming to an end. I have my presentation exam for my Student Directed Inquiry in just a couple of days.
I started out this year just researching Paris Fashion Week and other major fashion shows across the globe.
I then had the amazing opportunity to go to the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Week.
Now I have had my own turn on the runway, experiencing both the preparation and the backstage components of a fashion show.
Summary…
I have used the internet for my Student Directed Inquiry, not just for promotion of my own business, but to research into the world of fashion. I have been able to source free advice on pattern making; business; designers; and fashion events. This has allowed me to extend my knowledge of creating and construction of garments, whilst giving me skills to take on board in my future.
I enjoyed the challenge of making garments from start to finish independently this year. It makes me proud to wear something that I have made myself, for myself.
There appears to be a significant retail shift in the last few years from in-store shopping to online shopping. Australians spent $24.3 billion purchasing items online between March 2012 and March 2013. The top purchases online include items such as travel; entertainment and leisure; electronics; fashion; and food and beverages.
For me as a young designer, launching a business online has offered me amazing opportunities. Not only can I see the fashion runways at my fingertips and get inspiration for new designs, but I can market myself online using social media platforms and sell to a growing market of online consumers.
I want to thank you all for your support and involvement for me over this year… I hope you have enjoyed!
I am going to take a social media break for a little while, but watch this space for more to come in the future.
I am so excited about this weekend, as I am heading to Melbourne to watch the National Finals of the Australian APEX Teenage Fashion Awards. It will held at the Whitehouse Institute of Design where I plan on studying next year. It is an amazing facility, that has held these awards multiple times and is also the venue where Project Runway is held.
I personally did not make it to this stage this year; however I wanted to go and support those who did and get to experience the show from the perspective of a spectator.
Last year’s Nationals were also held at the Whitehouse in Melbourne. The whole experience is completely eye opening to see what everyone has created and what has inspired them. The quality of the work and the ideas produced are truly inspiring to me.
Here are some pictures from last year’s National Finals.
Henry Roth was one of the judges and he watched the whole show via skype.
Myself on the catwalk with my ‘Innocence’ dress
Some others…
Technology has significantly changed our world.
With 82.3% of Australia’s population online as of 2012, and 67% of this group regularly using social media platforms, it amazed me whilst doing my research to find that only 27% of small businesses have a social media presence according to the Yellow Social Media Report, June 2012. Only 15% of this group are connecting with customers or fans via business pages on Facebook.
For businesses, a social media presence builds community, creates an easy way to get your message out instantly, encourages loyalty, and it makes your name rank higher in an online Google search. It costs nothing, but time.
An online presence for businesses is a powerful marketing and communicating tool globally, 24/7. It is cost efficient and almost a requirement to be successful in this modern era.
I wondered how important it is for businesses to have an online presence.
My brother gave a seminar to 150 Business partners and CEOs in Melbourne recently, recommending that they become engaged with potential clients through social media platforms. Current statistics are showing that there is up to a $1 million advantage in earnings to those who are using social media successfully, than those who are not.
Social Media platforms are created by and owned by someone else. Therefore it is very important to have my own website and links back to my website from Facebook and Pinterest.
Branding a business isn’t just about a name; it’s about creating an essence of who you are and promoting that publicly.
In fashion the logo becomes the brand and as I am using my name, Megan Rose, I wanted it to be bold but not overly detailed. I wanted the design to be contemporary and simple, whilst at the same time, not to be over powering.
In the future, if I design menswear, I would need to look at redesigning my label to suit this clientele.
This is the beginning of my ‘Megan Rose’ journey and I am seriously thinking about making this my business and label in the future.
I am interested in attracting a female audience and believe that my label should reflect this.To create my feminine design I did market research to see what other designers have used (shapes, colours, fonts, sizes).
I was enticed to contemporary fonts; clean, black lines; acute angles; but wanted to include a sense of softness hence the pink and the hearts.
The hearts are a 1:1 ratio of width to height, with a bright pink accent.
The font is century gothic, all in capital letters.
Next year I plan on continuing my studies in the world of fashion at the Whitehouse Institute of Design. I have an interview at the Melbourne campus at the end of November with which I hope all goes well and they accept me to complete a Bachelor of Design, majoring in Fashion Design.
The ‘Whitehouse’ is a private art and design college which is notorious as one of the leading Design Institutes in Australia.
The establishment is celebrating it’s 25th anniversary this year after being founded in 1988 by the one and only, Leanne Whitehouse.
The warehouse like display and work area on the first floor of the Melbourne campus is one of the most amazing spaces I have ever entered. When I walked in I could not help but think of all the opportunities that would be offered to me in this space if I was to be accepted.
The urban dictionary defines Pinterest as a social networking site that allows you to figuratively ‘pin’ pictures of your likes and interests in a simple organised fashion. It is a pin board style, photo sharing website.
The number of daily users of Pinterest has increased by 145% in the last 18 months. It has generated more referral traffic to websites than YouTube, Google+ and Linked In combined.
Style and fashion is the third most popular category on Pinterest.
My Pinterest Page: http://www.pinterest.com/meganrosesdi/
