Graduate Fashion Week doo dar

So it's graduate fashion week, exciting times? Maybe, maybe not. 

The week started with Liam's birthday, and I was so excited, more than I was for my own birthday.  I managed to drag him outta bed first thing so he could open his presents. Then we headed off for an adventure. 

Later that evening was the Rochester show, so it was a mad rush to get ready on time. I met Keighley and her entourage on the train where we had champagne and sandwich's. Keighley was so nervous as she was exhibiting her collection, but I knew in my heart she had no reason to be. The queue for the show was huge, and as we finally got in and took our seats the excitement and nerves rose. But as Keighley's collection came out as she held my hand tight, I felt so proud as her collection looked AMAZING! The models looked strong and powerful. They strutted down the catwalk in her metallic armoured clothes as her name shone above them. And not being biased but I feel Miss Hedgecock's collection Exoskeletal was the strongest women's wear collection from Rochester. Though all the students collections deserve a big round of applause and congratulations.  

So the show went well.

The following day Keighley and myself were enrolled to work upon UCA Rochester stand. Not too sure what it entailed we headed to London and to Earls Court 2 planning how we shall get home as the tubes went on strike at 7.00 pm and we were enrolled to work till 7.30, so the C1 bus was the decided route back to Victoria. Once arriving at the stand, I looked upon the tables to see if my work was there. My Visual Marketing Report and my look book was there. I felt a tingle to see them in this environment. But I wondered where my portfolio was. Upon asking several of the UCA tutors and receiving the same responce "Its here I've seen it, if its not out look under the stands". And so I did with Keighley holding the door open I searched under the stands where they kept the students work/collections and everyones bags and coats, which squished the collections they were thrown on top of. But no sign of my portfolio. And so I asked again, where this time I discovered that my collection book as well as my portfolio was supposed to be here at Graduate Fashion Week, exhibited for students and the industry to see. 

But just as my luck goes, my portfolio, which cost a dear amount of money, time and effect in order to show the world what I can do, and my collection book are now lost.

The university staff have no idea where both my portfolio and collection book are, and you have no idea how sick this made me feel when I found out. I almost cried. To be chosen to have my visual work exhibited at such an event is amazing as not everyone gets to show any of their work off, I felt so happy knowing my work could be seen by people and could lead to job or internship. I am by no means less angry now but a lot more calmer. At the time I just wanted to run over to my little books and save them from the ill fated hands of UCA. But I left them there thinking to oneself that at least they are here and can be seen, so it isn't all pooped. 

It was such a disappointing day, and disappointing is the word to describe the UCA Rochester stand. Compared to Epsom and the other stands ours seemed unprofessional and slap dash. Work looked thrown upon the tables, whereas the other universities seemed to have a lot of effort go into it. A lot looked like posh artistic boutiques which was exciting to the eye. I didn't feel excited to look at our stand, or to stand at it and say I am UCA Rochester. I felt it was a waste of time and money, I just wanted to leave for home, and as I was chatting to a friend about how hungry we were and how expensive the canteen place looked, a young lady approached us asking if we wanted a free icecream. I think amy and myself must of snatched her arm off. I had berry smoothy flavor and it was so yummy. After my free yummyness I felt a weeny bit better. I found out that you could get your portfolio's reviewed for free, which made me feel angry as how could I with my lost portfolio. But then I thought to myself, hang on. What about my two little books. So I decided to take them to get reviewed and explain the situation and see what they thought of them.

I was so lucky as they were just finishing for the day but they were kind enough to fit me in. I saw a lady who is a head designer for a River Island team, she was very lovely and professional and really loved my little books. She recommended I contact Denza as they are most knowledgable about the area I wish to go in to. I felt uber chipper that someone liked my work and even to quote 'couldn't find anything to fault it'. My smile was back but returning to the Rochester stand soon faded it. So me and Keighley left before the tube strike happened so we could get safe back to Victoria, where we had a delightful meal and a few glasses of wine juice.

I really hope that my work has just been forgotten at uni and isn't completely lost. Fingers crossed ay?

Well at least things went well for Keighley. I'm so proud of her!

Heres her amazing work.

And theres me at the stand by my work.

Here they are my two little books. They look so cute.

My Final Collection

Three whole years of work, stress and tears for less than two minutes on the catwalk. One did think to myself if it was all really worth it? Yes, but maybe not for the reasons that originally spurred me to come to uni. 

So now its all over. But the story is still yet untold. The story of my final collection. I must admit I became tired of repeating my concept at every review, to all the tutors and friends and students that would dare ask what my collection was about.

In the end I would simply say ..........

Periods. 

And yes it was. The confusement and shock upon peoples was genius! And is something I'll never forget. But why they were so upheaved by it I just dont know.

My final collection is titled Dripping in Daisies and Rolling in Roses.

It is a tale about A girls first period. Consoled in confusion, these adolescents are stuck between being torn into womanhood yet their childhood still has a firm hold of them. The contradiction of innocence and naivety clashes with feminine sexuality trying to burst through. Subtlety is key, creating a delicate collection, with a coy flirtatious and playful essence with an awkward nature as the girls are out growing their old self and re-growing into something new.

Cropped hemlines ending slightly above and below the crotch reveal dainty panties underneath reflecting the essence of outgrowing your clothes and self. Cups seamlessly run throughout the range indicating the development of the breasts, either bursting through the garments or lying flat waiting for puberty to hit. The heart became a defining feature of the collection, and is more than just a decorative feature, as it is symbolic towards periods and puberty. The curves of the heart encase the breasts which are an ultimately feminine attribute, and the point of the heart directs the attention towards the crotch where the period happens. Children's nightwear and lingerie are strong influences due to their closeness to the body. Nudes are the colour pallet representing the body and innocence, with splashes of crimson red symbolising blood and life. The delicate floral print is not as beautiful as it may seem to appear as the flowers are in fact menstruating female genitalia. This metaphoric notion portrays women hiding behind a mask of femininity that conceals a darker element.

The collection is very concept driven and I was adamant to stay ultimately faithful to it. It didnt bother me whether I created clothes that were going to be in an up and coming trend or if my colour scheme and jazz was 'so last season' or even if people thought my collection was crap, which I'm sure people did, I really couldnt give a craps tentacle. My collection is a story and strives to tackle a subject society forced into taboo. Not to become the latest fad where horrid famous people would wear it, then be popularized in all those horrid magazines, "how to dress like a horrid celebrity" then before you know it a watered down version of your design is in Primark.

No thanks sailor.

But enough of my rants.

Heres the catwalk shots of my collection at the UCA Fashion show at the Dockyards, Chatham, Kent, 06/05/2009

I absolutely adore the two blonde models! The girlie wearing outfit four is only 16 and totally encaptured the essence of my collection. Her face is amazing! And the girlie wearing outfit six is beautiful! She looks like a swan, she was so graceful. It really pays to have professional models. They can totally make your clothes shine.

The photo shoot for the collection was located at Hellingly, an abandoned mental asylum. I would like to thank to Lacey Jane Clements for her photography skills and Victoria Jolly for her modeling skills and patience. 

Outfit one.

Outfit two.

Outfit three.

Outfit four.

Outfit five.

Outfit six.

Clare Heart is here and now live

Hello, bonjour and good day.. And welcome to my blog thingy.

Oohhh boy, a lot has happened this past year and now it is all coming to an end.

I have finished university now so I am no longer classed as a student oh no.

I am now classed as unemployed and God does it feel pooey!

But wow the immense feeling of joy of having a stress free life. Well, for the time being.

Planplans are in the mix but for now I'm very much enjoying relaxing with the curly one.

We have been on some adventures since finishing uni for summer. Including an awesome trip to Broadstairs seaside, awesome ice cream's from Rochester, and venturing to Rochester's Sweep's and Dickens festivals. 

The latest adventure was a surprise present for Liam's 21st birthday, where I surprised him with a trip on a steam boat along the river Medway accompanied with a jazz jamboree. 

It was lovely though very cold, and was very funny as we were the youngest kittens there as the boat was full of pensioners. Though they were very sweet and adorable dancing to the jazz tunes and drinking their hot chocolates. And tomorrow brings more adventures, which shall be unravelled within another blog another day. So for now I shall stop boring you and say toodle pip as it is due time for PIMS O'CLOCK. 

To check out photo's from mine and Liam's adventures click here