Mondrian-inspired window!!

Hi all.
Well I was looking around at some interesting and inspiring window displays, and came across this incredible one...

I love the simple, primary colours with the white background and thick, black lines. Such a simple concept but so aesthetically effective. I've always liked creativity that looks effortless and understated and feel Piet Mondrian's creations are just that. The window props are so carefully chosen and placed within it, it is just so eye-catching and different.
It may seem quite normal to some, if you are not aware of Dutch painter 'Piet Mondrian'. In the 1930's to 40's he painted a series of pieces called 'Composition'.
These are a few...

Composition with Yellow, Blue, and Red, 1937-42

Composition II in Red, Blue, and Yellow, 1930

Composition 10, 1939-1942
I've always been a fan of this work and feel it's incredible to be able to incorporate this creativity into window displays. They are well-known and will definitely evoke the thoughts of many passers-by. Hopefully it will encourage them to come in and explore further!!
It would also appear that Mondrian's work has filtered through to mainstream fashion...

This Kara Ross Mondrian-inspired clutch bag is a true creation. That is why it costs £1,675! The price of true artistry maybe?
Or maybe this will appeal...

A Mondrian-inspired dress called 'Mondrian Dress', by Yves Saint Laurent, made in Autumn 1965.
And more recently...

Nike's Mondrian-inspired 'SB Dunk Low's'. Very trendy indeed. I'd wear them for sure.

So, it would appear that creative and inspiring artwork from long ago really does stand the test of time, and the test of fashion. Not only in the garments themselves but in their advertising and promotion, i.e. in the window displays selling the garments. Quite incredible really when you think about it.
I would love to make that sort of impact with what I create.
'Till next time...

L x
✯✯✯

We Love Vintage!

So, as part of this module, we had to choose two vintage pics, well, in my case three, to show off!!
Vintage pictures, and indeed fashion, are so authentic and, even though sometimes quite cringeworthy to look back on, can evoke fond memories and thoughts.

This is one of my favourites...

It's of my Mum in about 1975, on a trip to Land's End. I find it so stylish because she is wearing 70's fashion so effortlessly, and looks fabulous! It makes me realise there really was a different time in my Mum's life, before I was even around, when, like me, she was interested in the current trends and fashions. It helps me understand that my Mum wasn't always my Mum.

Choosing a celebrity vintage photo was a little tricky, there's so many in circulation, but here's what I came up with...


These two pictures really conjure up lots of fond child memories for me. These, if you didn't already know, are of Kylie Minogue, back in 1988. These two outfits are what she wore in her 'Got To Be Certain' video, one of the first music videos I'd ever watched. I was 5 years old at the time. And I remember loving her 'style'!! If you can call it that! Hehe. It was however very on-trend back then, believe it or not! And I've idolised her ever since then. She still looks great now, over 20 years on.


Viva la vintage!!

L x
✯✯✯

Press Release!

Hey all! So with the new a'Tiempo collection and coinciding windows being unveiled soon I felt it was about time we let people know about it!!
I have a press release right here giving information to those who may be interested.
Magazines like:
Glamour
Teen Vogue
Now
Look
Grazia
More
Mizz
i-D
Q
The National Student

And of course all local magazines who would like to showcase the unveiling to people who live locally.
Some television channels, Fashion TV for example, may want to do a small spot on it also.
Here is the press release itself! Have a read, see what you think...


Until next time...
L x
✯✯✯

Mock-Up Window, Phase 2!

Hiii again! So here are the first two window designs FINISHED! I have to do four more before the end of term- they're still in the design and implementation stages...

Window #1:


Window #2:


I have added printed acetate over the picture to give the impression of glass, like in a window. And printed some promotional text on it to inform customers of what's in the window.
Right, now only four more to do... ;)

L x
✯✯✯

Want you to see this!!

So, as I was VM-internet-browsing, look what I came across...!!




Sorry about the size of the pics, this is as big as they get.
This is work by pupils at the 'British Display Society', it's reeaaally good :)
It's a college for students looking for a career in VM, display, point of sale design or exhibition design.

Check out their website here.

And more of the student's work here.


L x
✯✯✯

Visual Merchandising Career Opportunities...

So, I have been looking at other career opportunities Visual Merchandisers have, other than window dressing and window displays with clothing, as I may decide I want to do something different, but still in the realm of design and display...
Visual Merchandisers can also be...

- Freelance display designers

- Design displays for web sites and products promoted and sold on the internet

- A VM Consultant, advising people of what they could display rather than doing it themselves

-Point-of-sale design

- Design at trade-fairs and other promotional events

- Exhibition design

- They can also help design display work at:
Museums
Tourist attractions
Airports
Hotels

Visual Merchandising as a career could then allow you to move into retail merchandising or exhibition and interior design.

L x
✯✯✯

Mock-Up Window, Phase 1!

Well as this external project requires I fashion a mock-up VM window display, I get to it, designing it with my new Autumn/Winter 2010/2011 trend 'a'Tiempo' in mind. I am focusing this theme toward well-known young fashion brand, Bershka. I am an avid lover of their attire myself, so felt it was only natural to gravitate towards them and their style.
Here are the two separate windows I have designed:


If they were for real, I would put them both together like this, to make a kind of 'mammoth' tornado!! Like this:

These incorporate all the separate bits and pieces I've been doing up to now. I just have to incorporate some A3 acetate over these pics to act as a kind of glass window, and add black lettering in order to be more informative to customers. Which pic do you prefer? Let me know...

L x
✯✯✯

More 'a'Tiempo' pictures...

Hi all! Again.
I am going to do (at some point) another two window displays, demonstrating my new Autumn/Winter 2010/2011 trend a'Tiempo.
I already have the pic:

But obviously need something new for the two new windows. Something just as dynamic and of a similar scale and proportion. So I've been looking around, and found these...





What one's your favourite?? Let me know :)

L x
✯✯✯

Oi, sis... Fancy being made into a mannequin??

Well, as my sister is my model for my mock-up VM window, she had to be adjusted slightly. As much as she'd like to, she doesn't quite have the perfect proportions of a model or mannequin (hey, who does?!!) so I had to Photoshop her slightly. Sorry sis.
The pics previously are her normally, and the following ones are how I changed her!!




She may not have the exact proportions of a proper model or mannequin in these pics, but they show the basic stretching and slimness that mannequins and models seem to have. Hope you all like!!

L x
✯✯✯

Photo Shoot!!

Hi again all,
Well what a busy few days it's been for me! Enjoyed every moment though...
So, I commissioned my sister to help me in the making of my mock-up window display, as a human mannequin! We took quite a few photos but these were the ones I liked the most, purely because of the lighting and their natural ambience:



I have to cut her completely out so there is no background detail atall. I shall do that tomorrow, along with the physically putting together of the mock-up window.

I have already got my favourite a'Tiempo-related pic blown up onto A3 size board, to use as a window backdrop:

Love this picture, it's so energetic and depicts the feel of a'Tiempo perfectly.

Until tomorrow...!!

L x
✯✯✯

3D Installations, Part 2!

As promised, these are the last two trend themes that I have set out as 3D installations.
I am very pleased with them. With the 'Dark Poetry' one I just could not decide which two to have out of this final 3 so I had to keep them all!

Dark Poetry, A/W 2010/2011

This makes me feel all oldy-worldy when I look at it! I wanted to keep it quite dark as it's 'Dark' Poetry and I feel it adds an element of mystery to the theme, which I believe would be a characteristic of the customer this trend will appeal to- mysterious.

a'Tiempo, A/W 2010/2011

I think my favourite picture of the two is the one on the right. I played with the light direction more than anything else on this one, which I think is lovely in the second picture, although they both have different qualities that I like.

Doing 3D installations is hard! Quite exhaustive in fact! It takes a lot of forward planning and visual judgement. I could really have done with a better camera, I think the main thing through this experimentation is that I learn the importance of the visual aesthetic. Which I believe I have!

Oh, one more thing, I have work experience with the specialised VM team in Debenhams, starting 11th April. I'm so happy it has been arranged, and with such a well-known, established company. I shall keep you posted on the progress I make within that also.
Until next time...

L x
✯✯✯

3D Installations, Part 1!

Wow, so regarding these trends, I found I was doing a LOT of 2D work to portray them, so thought it's time I worked in a more 3D way, after all, that is what visual merchandising is all about.
So I arranged to get two A1 size boards, and created a couple 3D installations for each trend. I had to carefully consider what objects and details went where, and also the placing of the lighting. I had four trend 3D installations to do... These are the first two...

Body Performance, A/W 2010/2011

This installation was the hardest I found so far. Maybe because it was my first?? Hmmm, well, I don't know if the photos do it justice, the installation in real life looked better. But hey, never mind, I'll learn from it.
The second one was...

Rustic Roots, A/W 2010/2011

This one is my favourite so far!! I love how the light falls on the vintage handbag. Nice. And I felt I had a bit more experience from the first installation to play a little with this one. It's quite hard to make a 3D artistic piece from nothing! But I think for my first tries they're not bad atall.

Like I said, these are the first two, I have two more to do... they are coming tomorrow so don't worry!! They are 'Dark Poetry', and my own fashion trend for Autumn/Winter 2010/2011, a'Tiempo. Now that WILL be interesting to style up in a 3D way. If you want a visual snippet of all of the trends featured in this post, look at the post dated Sunday 28th February, entitled 'Creativity Flows!' for great pics of all four!! It's the post before this one, and click on the pics themselves for up-close details and info.
Well, until next time, namely tomorrow...

L x
✯✯✯