2
PO RTFOLIO
Fashion Communication Pauline Lischke 1
2
R E S E A RC H Index
Brief
Concept
Primary Research
Secondary Research
6 Brief
10 Stillleben
14 Semester Two
30 Home Studio 34 Editing 36 Layout 38 Target Publication 40 Issue One - Six 120 Covid-19
3
4
1 Brief
6 Brief
5
Manifesto 01.05.2021 BECAUSE fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world BECAUSE consumers are still mostly unaware of the fashion industries impact on the environmental issues, as well as their role within it BECAUSE the lengthy and standardly toxic production pro-cess of garments is often at odds with the lifecycle of the finis-hed product BECAUSE the society becoming more circular, less wasteful, can make strides when it comes to reducing the fashion indus-try’s environmental impact BECAUSE pre-used products lower the impact on the environ-ment by not creating waste and the avoidance of production BECAUSE pre- used garment’s imperfections can expose so-mething beautiful BECAUSE memories are part of pre-used garments and it’s our responsibility to preserve this heritage BECAUSE emotional attachment gives garments a degree of value which is often lost when consumers think of clothing as disposable BECAUSE the use of pre-used garments is innovative BECAUSE style needs to be considered a sustainable and measured approach to garment production and consumption
6
Brief Juxtaposition. When I was growing up, we had what we called the memories box. A tremendous wooden chest packed full of childhood paraphernalia and family mementos dating back to long before I was born. I used to love spending hours rummaging in its depths as a child, inexorably drawn toward the strange items of clothing, each one telling its own story: black knee-high boots with a huge platform heel from my aunt, hats in all sorts of shapes and colours, my grandma‘s lace-trimmed wedding dress. These keepsakes allowed me to create versions of myself from another reality. While dressing up, I lived a thousand lives in these clothes and these clothes lived a thousand lives through me. I loved them as much if not even more as their previous owner, and in return, they gave me back so much joy.
Since my publication is a narrative told by my younger self, living a thousand lives in these clothes, my portfolio is a change in perspective. Hence, I will tell the story from the clothes‘ perspective, living a thousand lives through me. The garments will be presented in Stillleben, which symbolize their afterlife and, consequently, circular fashion by connecting their past purpose with the narrative‘s repurpose context.
7
8
2 Concept
10 Stillleben
9
Photographed by Irving Penn, Shoe and glove 1947 10
The afterlife of clothes.
Stillleben
Stillleben includes all kinds of human-made or natural objects, cut flowers, fruits, vegetables, fish, game, wine and so on. This can be a celebration of material pleasures such as food and wine, or often a warning of the ephemerality of these pleasures and of the brevity of human life. Memento mori is a Latin phrase meaning ‚remember you must die‘. A basic memento mori painting would be a portrait with a skull but other symbols commonly found are hourglasses or clocks, extinguished or guttering candles, fruit, and flowers. Closely related to the memento mori picture is the vanitas Stillleben. In addition to the symbols of mortality, these may include other symbols such as musical instruments, wine and books to remind us explicitly of the vanity (in the sense of worthlessness) of worldly pleasures and goods. The term originally comes from the opening lines of the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible: ‚Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.‘ The vanitas and memento mori picture became popular in the seventeenth century, in a religious age when almost everyone believed that life on earth was merely a preparation for an afterlife. However, modern artists have continued to enhance and modernise the genre during the last 100 years. By using all kind of artistic media, they have tackled the Stillleben in an incredibly inventive way, utilising the historical pedigree of the genre to mine all its symbolical, allegorical and formal qualities. The elegant and poignant artworks of photographers like Sebastian Lager, Zoe Ghertner and Chris Rhodes are recent examples for this. Hence the genre is still very relevant to portrait the currently most pressing concerns of our world. My photography work will take over the formal- aesthetic elements of the genre and combine it with the contextual implications of the modern Stillleben. I will apply the vanitas motifs of the transience of life and the upcoming afterlife to the topic of circular fashion. The useful life of a beloved garment does not necessarily end. Once an item of clothing has become tired, it should be repaired, recycled or redesigned, then- rather than being binned- rented, swapped or sold at second-hand. The new context of the textile offers the possibility of an afterlife which can be repetitive and is, in consequence, the essence of circular fashion. 11
12
3 Primary Research
14 Semester Two
13
Photographed by Viviane Sassen
Semester Two 14
The afterlife of clothes.
15
16
17
Photographed by Peter Langer
18
Photographed by Tim Walker
19
20
Photographed by Harley Weir
21
22
23
24
25
Published by Juxtapoz Magazine
26
27
28
4 Secondary Research
30 Home Studio
34 Editing
36 Layout
38 Target Publication
40 Issue One - Six
29
Photographed by Harley Weir 30
Home Studio Photography Setup. The flexibility and the controlled environment that home studio photography provides are the most significant benefits. The perfect lighting, for example, can be challenging to find outdoors. However, I can create the ideal atmosphere by utilising adjustable lighting techniques for my photoshoots when I move inside. Additionally, I aim to present my Stillleben with the least amount of distractions. A plain background is the best way to do this, but it can be hard to find outside. In my home studio, though, I can use a single-coloured background, which draws intention to the photographed subjects and further creates a uniform picture and consistent style throughout my portfolio. 31
32
Home photography set up by me 33
Editing Stillleben photography editing. Photographer Harley Weir highly inspired my editing. Her images are often carefully composed with a highly attuned sense of colour and composition. I also applied this colour scheme to my photography by reworking my pictures in lightroom. Additionally, I added a little bit of grain to give my images a feel of nostalgia and analogue photography. To edit the overlapping of my background paper out, I used the Clone Stamp Tool in Photoshop, which samples pixels from the surrounding areas to correct blemishes and imperfections.
Harley Weir Ceramics, Photographed by Harley Weir 34
Process Original photogrpahy
Edited photogrpahy
35
Layout For my portfolio layout, I used a lot of white space. Sometimes, having a page with many elements can be too overwhelming for the viewer. Using white space evenly and placing the pictures structured made the content easily scannable and significantly improved the legibility. 36
Layout design portfolio.
37
Traget Publication It‘s Nice That. It’s Nice That believes passionately that creative inspiration is for everyone. By championing the most exciting and engaging work online, in print and through their events programmes, the platform wants to open this world to the broadest possible audience. Their archive showcases the work of thousands of talented photographers, working across fashion, documentary, fine art and everything in between. The vast collection of projects and ideas delves into various disciplines, including Stillleben, which makes their platform the perfect fit for my photography work. 38
Photographed by Rebecca Storm, Plublished by It‘s Nice That
39
Issue One Theme: Jurassic Park The Leo fur hat and scarf presented in the Stillleben are initially from my grandma. When I was about eight years old, I went up into my grandma‘s attic and found an extensive collection of hats in all shapes and sizes. I took them right down to my grandma and asked her about it. She said, „These are the hats I was wearing when I was younger and still going out and dancing all night. Each one tells its own story.“ She showed me pictures of her friends and herself at their local bar in the 50s and 60s. To this day, I‘m still impressed by the variety of hats and dresses these women were wearing. They looked marvellous, drinking cocktails, dancing and smoking cigarettes. As an 8-year-old girl, I did see
40
more in these hats than just an item of clothing. I dressed up as the Queen‘s Guard, wearing a round black feather hat, or trained animals as a circus director, with a red floppy hat. The one I decided to photograph reminded me of wild animals, probably because of the Leo fur. Since I was interested in dinosaurs and a big fan of Jurassic Park, it seemed apparent to combine them with dinosaurs figures I played with when I was a child. I looked at styles from previously mentioned stylists and contemporary fashion looks inspired by Stillleben before displaying the hat, drinks and the dinosaurs on the floor. Afterwards, I started to combine them in different Stillleben options until I found the final look.
41
Photographed by Irving Penn 42
43
Painted by Unknown
44
Photographed by Irving Penn
45
Photographed by Marcin Kempski
46
Photographed by Ibai Salazar
Photographed by Paolo Roversi
47
Test Images Photography with natural lighting before deciding to use studio light.
48
49
50
51
52
53
Final Images Theme: Jurassic Park
54
55
56
57
58
59
Issue Two The bird brooch presented in the Stillleben is initially from my grandma. When I was about six years old, she gifted it to me because I kept asking her to borrow it when dressing up. I guess I loved the colours and the rhinestones. Almost 20 years later, the colour has faded, and some of the rhinestones came off, but it is still one of my favourite pieces of jewellery. I will forever associate my grandma with this brooch. She is one of the most fashionable persons I know and loves bright clothing and accessories. Her unique feature is wearing the same red lipstick and perfume every day. I think I have never seen her without these details. In my Stillleben, I‘m combining the idea of an easter hunt with my grandma‘s fashion features. The easter hunt represents a typical event in a child‘s life and goes well together with a chicken, more specifically a bird, hatching out of an egg. However, the lipstick and perfume portray my grandma and how she was wearing the brooch initially. I looked at styles from previously mentioned stylists, and contemporary fashion looks inspired by Stillleben before displaying the brooch, the lipstick, perfume and the ‚easter decoration‘ on the floor. Afterwards, I started to combine them in different Stillleben options until I found the final look. 60
Theme: Easter Hunt
61
Photographed by Tim Walker
62
Painted by Unknown Peter Langer
63
64
Photographed by Tim Walker
65
Final Images Theme: Easter Hunt
66
67
68
69
70
71
Issue Three
The leather gloves presented in the Stillleben are initially from my great-grandma. My mother inherited them when she passed away. It can hardly be a coincidence that my mom got 72
Theme: No speed limit
them because she is the only one who has as small hands as my great-grandma in our family. Moreover taught my greatgrandma, my mom to play the piano and flute. Their loving relationship is connected through their hands, which is why these gloves mean a lot to my mom. My great-grandma was a pianist and played the piano in an orchestra and at her parent‘s pub during night time. That‘s where she also got to know my great-grandpa. He was a violinist and played in one of Germanys most famous orchestras. After the orchestra‘s performances, they used to go to the pub of my great-grandma‘s parents to enjoy their after-work beer. To impress and gain my great-grandma‘s attention, my greatgrandpa always brought her a bouquet of flowers. Even after they were married, he continued buying her flowers every week and never stopped until the day of his last performance. Therefore, the flowers, the musical notes, and the flute stand for my great-grandma and her relationship with my mum. However, the Carrera slot-car track represents a child‘s first thought and implements the idea of a race car glove. I looked at styles from previously mentioned stylists and contemporary fashion looks inspired by Stillleben before displaying the musical elements, flowers, and the Carrera slot-car track on the floor. Afterwards, I started to combine them in different Stillleben options until I found the final look.
73
Photographed by Unknown
74
Photographed by Alejandra James
Photographed by Unknown
75
Final Images Theme: No speed limit.
76
77
78
79
80
81
Issue Four Theme: At the desk. The Tissot watch is probably one of my dad‘s most valuable items, not because it‘s a Tissot and more than 200 years old rather because it‘s the only heirloom that he possesses from his grandpa, who also got this watch from his grandpa. My great-grandpa owned a textile company producing children‘s shirts and blouses and therefore worked a lot. He was a very business-driven person and spent most of his time in the office. The watch accompanied him for his whole life in almost every customer meeting or inspection of textiles. That‘s the reason why I‘m combining the context of office accessories with my memory of an old cassette recorder and children‘s cassettes. While listening to them, I used to draw pictures and do handicrafts. These two worlds work visually very well together, and both activities took place at a desk. I looked at styles from previously mentioned stylists, and contemporary fashion looks inspired by Stillleben before displaying the watch, the cassette recorder, and office accessories on the floor. Afterwards, I started to combine them in different Stillleben options until I found the final look.
82
83
84
Photographed by Unknown
Photographed by Unknown
85
Photographed by Omar Sosa
86
Photographed by Charles Negre
Photographed by Unknown
87
Final Images Theme: At the desk.
88
89
90
91
92
93
Issue Five Theme: Summer in Italy My mum got the sunglasses featured in my Still life 24 years ago in Italy. The first family summer vacation after I was born. Before she found this unique pair out of natural mother-ofpearl, we had to comb through every shop in Verona. My mum remembers the hot weather, the fantastic ice cream, and the Italian way of living, la dolce vita, while telling me this story. It‘s her favourite pair of sunglasses until today because it reminds her of this past vacation and many lovely memories. My photography is the interpretation of this vacation. The sunglasses and the cocktail glass represent the parental version. On the other hand, the ice cream and sand moulds symbolise the child version. I looked at styles from previously mentioned stylists and contemporary fashion looks inspired by Stillleben before displaying the sunglasses, Cocktail glasses, and sand moulds on the floor. Afterwards, I started to combine them in different Stillleben options until I found the final look.
94
95
96
Photographed by Philip Karlberg, Styled by Mattias Nyhlin
97
98
Photographed by Maciek Miloch
Photographed by Stephanie Gonot 99
Final Images Theme: Summer in Italy
100
101
102
103
104
105
Issue Five Issue Six One of my grandma‘s biggest passions are Operas. She loves everything about it. Getting ready for the night, having fancy dinner at a restaurant before the performance, the music and the cosy little nightcap at the end. The black clutch bag decorated with rhinestones is her faithful companion during all these elegant evenings. Her mother gifted the bag to my grandmother in the 50s when it was her first time going to the Opera. Since then, the clutch and my grandma have seen hundreds of performances together. My Stillleben is a reenactment of these extravagant nights merged with the glittery princess world of a child. A little girl or boy playing with Princess- Barbies is the perfect comparison to a night at the Opera. I looked at styles from previously mentioned stylists and contemporary fashion looks inspired by Stillleben before displaying the clutch, opera glasses and Barbie on the floor. Afterwards, I started to combine them in different Stillleben options until I found the final look. 106
Theme: A night at the Opera
107
Photographed by Irving Penn
108
109
Photographed by Yasuhiro Wakabayashi
Photographed by Aleksandra Modrzejewska
110
111
Photographed by Bethany Grace 112
113
Final Images Theme: A night at the Opera
114
115
116
117
118
119
Covid-19 Lockdown photography. In response to lockdown due to the COVID-19 emergency, I created a series of Stillleben using pre-used fashion items, clothing and objects around my home to build my portfolio. Their abstract forms play with balance and are intriguing in their composition. During my final year of university, which was only held online and during a lockdown, I have been exploring my work and what it means to create during this time with limited resources. This project is representative of my daily lockdown routine; nothing was created outside of my home. Through these restrictions, I was able to protect myself, as well as others around me. Art projects like my portfolio are an engaging reminder that creativity can emerge through anything.
120
BY PAULINE LIS CH KE