Isolated Beauty Design Book

Isolated Beauty Claire Kelly

fluid | flooid noun a substance that has no fixed shape and yields easily to external pressure. adjective (of a substance) able to flow easily: the paint is more fluid than tube watercolors | a fluid medium.

• not settled or stable; likely or able to change: our plans are still fluid.

• smoothly elegant or graceful: her movements were fluid and beautiful to watch.

DERIVATIVES fluidic fluidity fluidly

fluid noun “he stood up in one fluid movement”: smooth, fluent, flowing, effortless, easy, continuous, seamless; graceful, elegant.

Christopher Kane Michael Van Der Ham

Signatures “I love detail, especially some sort of embellishment that can transform a garment instantly. It’s always good to move out of your comfort zone each season, to learn new things and to challenge your senses.”

Trademark Piece: “I wouldn’t want to be known for doing one thing but the girls in the studio think it would have to be the neon collections.”

Pieces are stocked in well known, established stores: Barneys, Jeffrey, Browns, Liberty, Dover Street Market, Harvey Nichols, Net-a-Porter, Joyce, Maria Luisa, Printemps, and Corso Como.

Signatures “I like to mismatch different references in each item of clothing. My autumn/winter 2009 collection is a juxtaposition of elements from different decades in fashion. I made each dress like a 3D collage of clashing colours, textures, weights of fabric and cut.”

Ideal Client: “Someone who’s not afraid to wear something a little more bold.”

Trademark Piece: “Knitwear with chiffon tops and multi-fabricated dresses.”

UK Stockists: Liberty, London Net-a-porter, Online Harvey Nichols, London

Erdem Signatures “Colour, optimism and oddities.”

Ideal Client: “A clever person who probably cares little about seasons.

She has a lot of conviction and marches to her own drum.”

Trademark Piece: “Hopefully pieces that are special and individual.”

UK Stockists: Jane Davidson, Edinburgh Dover Street Market, London Harrods, London A La Mode, London Browns, London Harvey Nichols, London Matches, London and Internationally

International Stockists: Ikram, Chicago, USA Gago, Aix-en-Provence, France Sotris, Greece Van Ravenstein, Netherlands Alter, Shanghai, China Sauce, Dubai Club21, Singapore Steffano Cappiello, Italy Storm, Denmark Beams, Japan Runway, Russia Susan, Burlingame, USA Net-a-porter, Online

Peter Pilotto Signatures Peter Pilotto’s vision of womenswear embraces both new and classic perspectives on elegance. Otherworldly prints combine with soft, sculptural shapes to form the handwriting of the design duo, something which evolves and is explored each season as opposed to being reactionary.

Ideal Client: “She is beyond pure classification of age or style, just like the clothes themselves.”

Their customer is unique in that she is beyond pure classification of age or style, just like the clothes themselves. She is instantly attracted to the clothes and will wear them with her own expression, whether she encounters their designs through a chance discovery or is a loyal follower.

Competitor styles + innovative textiles, use of colour, print designs, innovative modern embellishment, simple silhouettes to showcase textiles.

Placing the brand alongside industry giants, Christopher Kane, Michael Van Der Ham, Peter Pilotto and Erdem set for a high end finish. With a unique approach to textiles, experimenting with technique and application of fabrics. Innovative, illustrative, hands on design to create textile with personality and signature.

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Trademark Piece: “Thought-through print placements.”

The duo work beyond their individual perimeters to create something new, their process being very organic and beyond an integration of the two fields.

Peter Pilotto is sold in 42 countries worldwide and featured at over 200 directional retailers including; Colette in Paris; Harvey Nichols and Dover Street Market in London; Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fith Avenue in New York, Joyce in Hong Kong and China.

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High Street with High end approach The Maje wardrobe, inspired by her determination, blends the classic and the original with a focus on glamorous pieces and sharp details. The Maje spirit is a resolutely feminine silhouette, both simple and bold.

The story of Maje is that of a girl who has always been fascinated by fabrics, embroideries and lace Alexa Chung represents this season’s image for Maje “A liberated, creative, urban and complex-free chic.”

Maje has had great brand success within the UK through enlisting ‘fashion darling’ Alexa Chung to face its campaign.

Alexa captures the brand aesthetic of relaxed, cool. The advertising and commission of her own collection is a great way to show the brands personality through styling and celebrity. By Alexa facing the campaign the UK took note of this French brand.

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An effortless way of dressing.

“What this old thing, I just threw this on” It is easy and laid back, but also luxurious.

The Whistles woman is Loyal to the brand.

Whistles encapsulates an intelligent sense of design with interesting and luxurious pieces. Collections are easy and laid back with an attention to detail and quality.

We always think of women who are creative and intelligent as well as being stylish. That’s quite important – Whistles is an intelligent choice. We’ve been described as ‘the thinking woman’s fashion brand’, and we quite like that.

The Whistles aesthetic to go above and beyond for customers in their store feeds through to the design process close connection between; design, Sales and customer is the success of the brand,

Offering personal touches, with design your own clutch. Whistles have branded themselves as a high end brand within the high street. The research approach carried out by the team, that goes into the deign of collections is of the quality of high fashion brands. Whistles spends time getting to know their customer, what she likes, what she may want, her personality, her styling... Creating a collection perfect for their client without feeling unapproachable by new customers. Whistles feels accessible to the more fashion conscious women.

Whistles involves all aspects of art within the company, The recent DJ set for their first runway show was heavily thought through to encapsulate the brand and the new collection.

“The collection is for Winter, lots of dark blues and greens and some lovely sharp leather pieces. I decided to open with Laura Palmer’s theme to open create a wintery ambience and end with ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ by The Beatles to represent the 60’s-influenced pieces which also have a modern edge as I feel like this track still sounds so modern today. In between that there were fresh, modern tracks like Factory Floor, Solange and Tiga and to represent the freshness of the collection and Girls on Top for femininity.”

The Whistles approach of branding. With a website allowing the customer to see the Whistles world. A page of the Inspiration behind the collections, to how to wear and style the collection, as well as a peak into the life of CEO Jane Shepherdson.

This approach to fashion, feels personal, allowing the client to have a connection with the brand, as if it were a real girlfriend. Building a relationship with the client allows for a regular faithful customer.

Through images of Whistles social events, and broadcasting these on Social media sites, inviting clients to interact with the company.

Whistles new atheistic of merging high quality design and accessibility is inspirational to a new and upcoming brand.

Having a personality along with high fashion led design optimizes a new brands success within a competitive industry.

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It is unique, there’s an insouciance to it, ‘I just threw it together and it worked.’

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Our Woman A true individual and a follower of fashion. Working in the creative industry, her wardrobe demands clothes to show who she is. A wardrobe that can be practical Unconcerned of her age, it is about how she shows her confidence and personality through dress and the way a woman carries herself. Unique in that she is beyond pure classification of age or style.

Ideal Client: A woman who is confident and artistic,. Aware of great creativity with a vision for a detail, much like the clothes she wears with own expression.

What gets you most excited about fashion?

How it makes you feel free, like you can do anything. I put on a great dress and I feel invincible whether I’m in an important meeting or trying to get my daughter to school on time.

What’s your favorite city?

Paris Who are your style icons?

I love all the Yves Saint Laurent French girls like ‘Lulu’ from back in the day. Betty Catroux, Catherine Devenue. Audrey Hepburn in Charade.

Any Hitchhock girl How do you travel around London?

By bike on a work day.

Do you have a daily routine? Morning latte from local coffee house?

Each morning is different, in the studio there is always something new happening. One thing is I always get woken up by my daughter asking me to braid her hair.

Nonchalance, unconcern, indifference, heedlessness, calm, equanimity, composure, ease, airiness; informal cool.

How do you relax at home?

Curled up with a good book and my dog.

What’s your favorite room in the house?

My living room, I love how it can be transformed to fit my life, just like I do my clothes.

What’s playing on your iPod this week?

Aluna George, Haim, Fleetwood Mac, Frank Ocean Do you plan your outfits or throw on whatever’s to hand?

I’m not organised enough to plan outfits really and I dress how I’m feeling at the time.

A clever styling tip.

I’m a huge fan of draping my jackets around my shoulders rather than putting them on. Makes a tired coat feel like a brand new cape

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Home, decoration and surroundings.

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Culture, places and interests.

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Mixing is her art Through experimenting with different designers. She shows an electric mix.

Ranging from high end boutique brands to more accessible wear.

It’s straight to Celine and The Row for classic pieces.

Chloe and Miu Miu keep her on trend and adding interest with print and texture from designers Christopher Kane, Erdem whilst its high street perfection from Whistles and Cos for her basics.

It’s all about injecting an air of effortlessness to even the most considered looks to create a coquettish style. An effortless way of dressing.

“What this old thing, I just threw this on” It is unique, there’s an insouciance to it, ‘I just threw it together and it worked.’

It is easy and laid back, but also luxurious.

“I am not part of the ‘throw-away’ fashion generation. I have a respect for quality. I like things that get better as they age” C. Roitfeld

She makes it a point to repeat outfits ‘That’s what you do in real life.’

Style, adornment and image.

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Elena Perminova encaptures the kind of confidence appropiate for the brand.

From hot-off-the-catwalk Louis Vuitton, to bold Mary Katrantzou prints, via a neat and bright Giambattista Valli trouser suit, sleek leather trousers paired with a shrunken trench, and a Bussi Meek ensemble that’s not for the faint-hearted.

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The entanglement of threads inspired my approach to drawing, the dramatic lines in Hunt’s ‘The Lady of Shalott’ circulating the figure with a great sense of movement. Using mark making as an approach to drawing to capture the movement and the encircling of the painting.

Drawing curvaceous lines, reminiscent in both Pre Raphaelite work and Klimt imagery.

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In light of Pre-Raphaelite attention to detail and following the mood of the poem, I lead-off to draw and illustrate my reactions.

The paintings are rather expressive and personal to relate to the subject. I wanted to get across the feel of encirclement in my drawings. The isolation and entrappment of the Lady of Shalott.

Inspiring to encage in Hunt’s “imaginative power’ and “supernatural atmosphere” way of illustrating.

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“She left the web,

she left the loom;

She made three

paces thro’ the

room,”

To illustrate the poems fluidity, I chose tools which allowed for free movement. Ink and water is a soft approach to drawing and creates the feel I wish to convey. The variety of detail one can produce using inks is extensive.

The range from dark circles, panning out to lighter detail aspects is enchanting.

The relationship between the process and the inspiration “The Lady of Shallot” is very fitting.

When drawing the way the ink starts off as trapped inside the water bubble, then begins to spread.

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From winding clearly the river

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Beautiful, sublime and truly fabulous mixing of labour-intensive and intricately embellished metal on silk dresses was mixed with velvet applique and abstract patterns of flecks, spots, florals and ornamented textures.

Large Scale Drawings By drawing on a large scale, I was able to express the movement of the poem. Through extensive movements of the paintbrush, and using full arm length to draw, I produced personal images which reflect the fluidity of the poem. Drawing with inks and controlling how the inks flow on water. Illustrating with water on the pages, I created circles to add inks to, mark making within the water to produce a organic feel to the pattern.

The advantage of drawing large scale is to produce a variety of detail within the designs. Previous small ink drawing allow for less detail as the water is more confined, restricting the ink to move freely around the space and produce interesting line.

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Colour development Mint lovat Bower blue Translucent green Salmon pink Cider green

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Creating movement To en capture the fluidity that is so inspiring within the Pre-Raphaelite art I began to experiment with how I could take my drawings from being static on paper to coming to life, creating more atmosphere.

Pre-Raphaelite where en captured with photography, trying to create the same precise detail its captures in their paintings. A new process that evolved in their time of creating, Pre- Raphaelite artists were both inspired and slightly afraid of this new technical advance.

Capable of capturing great nuance of visual detail, photography transcribed what the eye fleetingly saw in nature into permanent two-dimensional images”.

(Waggoner, 2010)

Photography’s ability to quickly and accurately translate the natural world challenged Pre- Raphaelite brotherhood painters to develop alternative versions of reality.

“They [Pre-Raphaelites] started to look at the modern world with eyes opened with photography”.

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“The key aspect of Millais’ realism, so revelatory to Ruskin, was learned from a camera” Barringer

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“Photography educated the Pre Raphaelites to look closer” Barringer

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Marbling

Inspired by the movement and in able to capture the encircling lines reminiscent of Hunt’s images and the illustrations for ‘The Lady of Shalott’. I explored the traditional craft of marbling. Working with the water, with practice, exploration and mastering the technique I was able to control the ink and water, working the two together in a partnership, complimenting each other in the line they create.

Early marbled papers date back to 12th century Japan at least, where the method was kept a secret. Gradually over the next 400 years the secret spread to Turkey and from there, to Europe. Many of the patterns have Turkish and French names such as Get Gel and Nonpareil.

The process started by exploring the unfamiliar technique, working with the recommended tools and inks, approaching and applying the traditional instructions and method.

Once understood the basic process I experimented with a new way of working the marbling.

Testing different fabrics, experimenting with a variety of dye mediums.

In order for desired fabrics to work they were first treated with Allum to allow the dyes to fix to the fabrics, This process consisted of: Soaking the fabric in a bath of 2 Teaspoon of Allum and leaving to soak for 2 hours.

Allowing to dry with the fabric not touching itself, or the fix will not work.

Through test I was able to find the best fabric in which the Allum held to, therefore resulting in the best colour.

By way of experimentation and testing, I carried out tests with a multitude of dye Mediums.

Marbling with the recommended Marble inks such as Peblo Marble dyes, Deka Marble, which are intermixable dyes, also consist of a Deka Marble extender, which can be added to Deka Marble paints to achieve lighter shades with out making colours transparent. Allowing a wider range of tones within the colour palette.

Jacquard Lumiere, Dyes which contain a pearlized tone, perfect to capture the Pre-Raphaelite mood I required for the deigns. Such dye only works on certain fabrics, tests where carried out. Dependent on diluting the dye, with a certain amount of dye in ratio to water.

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Through experimentation, I found that the Deka Marble and Pebeo paints remain permanent on fabric once heat set with an iron. Making them washable and appropriate for fashion garments. For other types of paints and dyes the fabric needed to be treated with Alum to help make a permanent bond with the surface fibres and paint. This was carried out in the following method: Fill a bucket with 5 liters of warm water and add approximately. 3 tablespoons of Alum to each litre of water. Stir thoroughly till the alum is dissolved.

Place the fabric in the alum bath. The fabric should move freely and soak for 15 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Thinner fabrics need less time than thicker ones.

This was tested and through results found that the Silk, Chiffon and Silk Cotton required 18 minutes to be fully exposed to the Allum.

Remove the fabric from the bucket, gently squeezing the excess solution into the bucket.

Hang the fabric on a line to drip-dry carefully so that no part touches itself (where fabric touches itself, the Alum is concentrated and can cause a weak or pale print).

Due to the nature of the fabric, results shown that when the fabric touched, the dye did not adhere to the fabric at all, leaving a gap in the pattern.

After the fabric has dried, use a dry iron to remove wrinkles.

Through test and mistakes, I found that if water was applied with the steam and water drops from the iron, the water removed the Alum and created a blotchy print..

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With practice and exploration I was able to control the water and ink relationship, creating a range of pattern for Print. Playing with the amount of ink applied allowed for variation of scale. The application of ink whether poured, dropped with a pipet, or flicked and splattered, resulted in varied samples.

Marbling known for its uncertainty and unpredictable results, became a technique which could be manipulated, able to create the results I desired.

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Willows whiten, aspens shiver.

The sunbeam showers break and quiver

In the stream that runneth ever

In order to gain a new perspective of the marbled fabric, The fabrics where up scaled using a photocopier in order to display the prints on a large scale. The pattern releases a new life, and has a different feel when up close as opposed to small intricate lines.

By the island in the river

Flowing down to Camelot.

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For 2013 and as part of the LCF School of Design & Technology Art & Science theme the Creative Director of the School of Design & Technology invites you to propose designs for exciting and Innovate explorations of the natural world that carry a contemporary message / statement.

Answering this project brief led me to an exciting possible pathway for my project. Working for a client , RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Developing ideas from the printed textile samples I produced, working with the idea of entanglement and use of lines to create pattern and detail. Inspired

by William Holman Hunt’s painting ‘The Lady of Shalott, I am half sick of shadows,’ illustrated from Tennyson’s poem.

The nature aspect in Pre- Raphaelite art inspired the floral designs. Researching into flowers featured in the poem and paintings, i.e. The Blue Passion flower and The Blue Bower and the symbolic Lily portrayed throughout Pre- Raphaelite art. The Lily symbolising Purity, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Ecc Ancilla Domini, 1850.

Using collage as a technique to produce the floral images, through cut-out following the lines naturally created in the marbling technique.

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‘Nature itself is not to be too closely copied�

Reyonalds

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With this observation in mind, I explored new means of presenting the idea of flora.

Inspired by the marbling technique, and use of natural organic movement the inks create, typical to that of flowers.

Using collage as a way of approaching the design in a variant way, combining ink drawings with marble collage.

Through following the natural line created when marbling. I cut shapes which felt unrefined, composing images of Pre Raphealite inspired flowers, such as the Lily, and Passion Flower.

Composition is of high importance in these illustrations, as the working of each shape and line together is what creates the floral imagery. The layout was well considered and thought of when cutting the line.

Following the organic line of the marble print, inspired me to create greater illustrative pattern when working with the traditional technique on fabric.

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“Every movement has its genesis, as every flower its seed; the seed of the flower of Pre-Raphael it ism was photography” Scott

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Working with Dye-Na-Flow Dyes To create movement within the printed textiles I experimented with Dye-na-flow dyes.

Through applying the dye in a abstract way, using techniques I experimented with in mark making, I was able to create the movement and detail combination desired.

Mixing the intermix able dyes from primary colour to the colours appropriate for the colour palette, I test different colour matches.

When applied the dyes ‘flow’ into each other and create different layers of coloured tones on the fabric.

An approach I explored is the way the spirit is applied onto the fabric, through spraying the spirit, the colours merge together in a natural way, swirling and circulating with one another.

When the spirit is dropped using a pipet onto the fabric, only certain parts of the design combine together, to create a natural pattern within the deign. Creating a range of spacing between the hues.

Wet Fabric Lay on Plastic sheet Paint on dye using Dye-na-flow dyes Apply Methylated Spirit, Allow to dry

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And moving thro’ a mirror clear

The character of the free-flowing dye , Dye-na-flow resulted in a highly appropriate method for the

That hangs before her all the year, Shadows of the world appear.

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samples. Dye-na flow dyes with their fluid character, follow the feel of the project. Created using various tecniques to create detail of differnet scale. Capturing the movement applied throughout, the prints are a development of the inital ink drawings. The bleed and path in which the dye creates once painted is delicate and running.

A range of tools where used from a pipet, spray bottle to ‘flicking’ the dye to create a range of pattern and natural movement. With an expressive personal approach of dying the organic and fluidity of the design is apparent through the print.

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Approaching the print in a different manner than I have undergone before, experimenting with different medias To produce new, mysterious stamps of design..

Concerned of the generic effect marbling technique can produce, from fabric samples I produced using marbling process I began to explore how I could make the designs more unique. , As well as assessing and exploring the traditional process of ink in water, I took to photography to explore new means of design.

The main influence being nature’s effect on the Pre Raphaelite Brotherhood.

Through research of the paintings and nature’s inspiring organic ways, the images I created resembled that of the Pre Raphaelite work as well as the later inspired Klimt in his works ‘Quiet Pond in the Park at the Schloss Kammer’ and ‘Island in Lake Atter’ Highly influenced by artists and painting, textile work embodies a painted nature, with the use of watercolour, inks and water to begin the design process, the photographs continue this organic approach, achieved with the, what can be modern and crisp technology.

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He flashed into the crystal mirror, “Tirra lirra,� by the river Sang Sir Lancelot.

Sample Fluidity

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Photographs of printed fabric samples enhance the atmosphere. Through creativity with the lens, capturing the movement of the camera to enhance the samples with fluidity. These images could be reproduced to create designs for digital print. The blurred imagery is reminiscent of the water painted in the Pre- Raphaelite paintings. The water Lilies that inspire the design from the poem and are apparent in Milais’ painting Ophelia.

A gleaming shape she floated by

She saw the water-lilly bloom

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Variant Shutter Speed Using photography as a means of design rather than documenting. Playing with the shutter speed created a variety of images possible for digital print. Taking in consideration the placement of colour and light for the photography, the images presented colour combinations in muted tones and hues.

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Embroidery Techniques

A pearl garland winds her head To create depth to the printed samples sewn embroidery techniques and beading were applied to the fabric.

In relation to the decorative work of Klimt and the ‘Art for Arts Sake� Pre- Raphaelitte aesthetic, the prints become lifted.

Working along the natural line of the marbled fabric, allows for a natural organic approach to beading.

The colours chosen highlight the print underneath, through the choice of colours in the same tones, the embroidery adds as apposed to distract from the narrative of the print.

By applique technique, sewing metallic circles in various sizes, fashions a decorative surface appropriate for either an all over design or placement design. Using silk velvet for the same technique created a heavy feel to the fabric, when worked with lighter fabrics the design becomes softer.

The undirected application of beading, shows

The gemmy bridle glitter’d free, Like to some branch of stars we see Hung in the golden Galaxy.

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personality, through not having a conformed pattern to the colour, the embroidery work does not overpower the design, instead enhancing the circle and various shapes that are created on the print in a natural movement from the inks and water.

Spiral Weave technique of beading creates a twisted, entangled motion to the lone of bead. Following the line created from the marble print to magnify the detail drawn, Satin stitch thread embroidery produces a filling technique for embroidery, creating stand out designs of circles and organic shapes.

She leaneth on a velvet bed, Full royally apparelled, The Lady of Shalott.

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Progression from research of nature in design, with Klimt’s images “Flowing Water’ along with the water in Milais “Ophelia’ led to turning to the pattern of water for further inspiration. The aerial views of water pathways is reminiscent of the lines in Klimt’s work.

The proportions created naturally is inspiring and lends itself well to the design of composition within textile design.

The natural pattern created within the ripples of the water bear a resemblance to the amount of detail within a Pre-Raphaelite painting.

Once developing Textile samples, I found the fabrics began to resemble that of aerial views of Rivers and Oceans. Due to the Marbling process, the dye moving on water to form pattern, it was only nature to progress research to that of the movement of water. To gain further inspiration from natural forms, I delved into the imagery and was further inspired by the movements of water.

Pattern in the Sea

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And sometimes thro’ the mirror blue

With the aid of computer manipulation to enable me to focus on certain aspects of the design, the line once panned in on becomes highly abstract. The less detailed image allows for nearer focus on shape. This could be interesting to play for proportion on the body. A mix of highly detailed sections of the garment grading to larger sections as the print travels down the body.

Digital prints were designed from the fabric samples, taking sections of print and incresing the scale, playing with proprtion and reapeat.

A variety of placemnet and reapeat prints will allow for an assorted collection, mirror repeats reflecting the mirror of The Lady of Shallot. Interplaying with one another, complimenting each print through use of colour.

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Out flew the web and floated wide; The mirror cracked from side to side; “The curse is come upon me,� cried The Lady of Shalott.

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