London Calling Diary

LONDON CALLING 21 JULY - 8 AUGUST 2014

Fashion and Design Experience Courses

This quote perfectly fit the in depth mean organized in London, a mix of onsite visi companies together with museums and ex research methods, a workshop and Englis experience through putting together Domu atmosphere with the p

The only source of knowledge is experience.

Albert Einstein

ning of the courses Domus Academy has its to museums, professional studios and exhibitions, lectures on fashion and design sh course as well. A very intense 3 weeks us Academy methodology and the London protagonist’s insights.

DAY 1

EXCITEMENT!

July the 21st, the courses start, we are guests of the posh site of the University of Law, just 5 minutes walk from a dormitory in the cool Shoreditch area.

A mix and match of the City professional atmosphere and the creative crazy side of East London.

WEEK 1

ENGLISH AND ALL NEW INFORMATION!

The starting of the first week is more centered upon the English course driven by the amazing Marco Baschiera, English born and Cambridge alumni, director of our Language Centre, terror and love of our students, with the assistance for the online side of Harriet Carnevale, a sweet English born of Italian origins able to support students in the computer room.

An in depth experience into English language knowledge that sees students divided in two groups according to their level.

While going on with such an intensive English course students are starting to be exposed to the real London design domain. Just on the second day design students are going to RON ARAD STUDIO and guess what?

Ron Arad himself is giving them a lesson through the design of his studio about what design means today, from industrial design to architecture to media in a very relaxed and easy approach as the real great protagonists of design can create.

DAV ID E

The amazing course leader Angelica Longo, architect and interior designer London based is having fun with her students!

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While the design students started having such an experience followed by classes on design in London and investigation upon new lifestyles trend and spaces, fashion students were busy with the theory on Design Method and the anatomy of design trends and innovation together with insights on Made in Britain and British style thanks to the expertise of an international lecturer London PhD, Alexander Aidan.

A very intensive week to prepare all students for more to come and with a lot of area investigation to be accomplished during the following very busy weekend!

WEEK 2

AN INVESTIGATION ON FUTURE DESIGN IN LONDON – TIME + SPACE = DESIGN London Calling Design Experience Course (07/21/2014-08/8/2014) Project Leader: Angelica Longo AN INVESTIGATION ON FUTURE DESIGN IN LONDON – TIME + SPACE = DESIGN

Introduction Project Leader: Angelica Longo London is the right site for research between past and future.

The project is open to research and discover the key-word of the TIME and driving tensions within the Introduction city. TIME changes events, people, space, objects. To acknowledge the fast and dramatic changes that are occurring in London it is necessary to build links between both the existing and future communities of London is the right site for research between past and future.

London.

The project is open to research and discover the key-word of the TIME and driving tensions within the A narrative design approach will be taken, to discover stories, create stories and fold stories onto space. city. TIME changes events, people, space, objects. To acknowledge the fast and dramatic changes that are occurring inand London Methodology Briefit is necessary to build links between both the existing and future communities of London.

A narrativeare design approach be care taken,intobuilding discover stories space.in Students invited to take will great a stories, detailedcreate picturestories of theand richfold history of onto the place

order to produce meaningful and coherent proposal for the future. It will be key to plan some interviews Methodology andvisitors, Brief students and local workers with a particular focus on memories and peopleʼs to local residents, hopes and wishes for the future.

Students are invited to take great care in building a detailed picture of the rich history of the place in Students could involve people in this design field, taking pictures of them, of the place, detailing the order to produce meaningful and coherent proposal for the future. It will be key to plan some interviews surroundings that are special to them, recording sounds around, and recognizing the psychological to local residents, visitors, students and local workers with a particular focus on memories and peopleʼs importance sound plays in both individual and collective memories of a physical space. Itʼs also hopes and wishes for the future. important to explore how to establish connections between the community groups and newer residents, Students could involve people in this design field, taking pictures of them, of the place, detailing the and also commuters passing through the area in transit. surroundings that are special to them, recording sounds around, and recognizing the psychological Students are also invited to gather specific information about: FOOD/DRINK, SHOPPING, importance sound plays in both individual and collective memories of a physical space. Itʼs also PERFORMANCE, CULTURES. This could allow them to develop specific solution for each field. important to explore how to establish connections between the community groups and newer residents, and also commuters passing through the area in transit.

Objectives and output Students are also invited to gather specific information about: FOOD/DRINK, SHOPPING, PERFORMANCE, CULTURES. could allow to develop specific solution each field.

The idea of the workshop is toThis investigate the them relationship between people andfor places, gestures and

actions that animate these contexts.

Objectives output The design and process aims to see if itʼs possible to slow down, decrease the speed. Maybe, using creativity, itʼs possible to produce relaxation in order to create ʻdomesticityʼ in a public place that is The idea of the workshop is to investigate the relationship between people and places, gestures and depersonalized and depersonalizing. Itʼs important also to understand how to achieve ʻdomesticityʼ, actions that animate these contexts. through what types of cultural steps and develop the project ideas.

The design process aims to see if itʼs possible to slow down, decrease the speed. Maybe, using creativity, itʼs possible to produce relaxation in order to create ʻdomesticityʼ in a public place that is The result of this workshop could be represented through a collage, or a video representing the concept depersonalized and depersonalizing. Itʼs important also to understand how to achieve ʻdomesticityʼ, to develop any of the following categories of the design field: product design, mixed sound, movie or through what types of cultural steps and develop the project ideas. space.

The result of this workshop could be represented through a collage, or a video representing the concept to develop any of the following categories of the design field: product design, mixed sound, movie or space.

Project Development WEEK 2

Project Development Monday/July 28 [10.00-13.00] Workshop Launch • • •

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A AND THE RE

London Calling Design Experience Course (07/21/2014-08/8/2014)

Introduction to workshop Presentation of main themes Students will be set a brief as a preparation for the first workshop session.

WEEK 3 Monday/Aug 4 [10.00-13.00] Workshop session 1 Research Research development on macro trends in order to build a coherent concept mirroring the userʼs future approach.

Tuesday/Aug 5 [10.00-13.00] Workshop session 2 Brainstorming session Ideas captured as notes, paper tracer, images from magazines, jpeg printouts and inspirational collages are used to build a more formalized visualization of the concept Wednesday/Aug 6 [10.00-13.00] Workshop session 3 Concept / immersion stage Development of the concept ideas identified.

Thursday/Aug 7 [10.00-13.00] Workshop session 4 The project development Concepts are shared amongst participants and finalization of final presentation.

Friday/Aug 8 [10.00-13.00] Workshop session 4 Final Presentation and discussion Each student will have 5 minutes to present to all the class the result of his/her investigation and the concept developed. Presentation can be on paper, or digital.

London Calling Fashion Experience Course (07/21/2014-08/8/2014)

IN! WORK BEG Yes, the second week is very demanding; both courses have the kick-off of the workshop on monday morning!

FASHION “IDE-ATION” WORKSHOP Project Leader: Alexander Jerome Aidan Introduction London being a multicentric reality for fashion and creativity and a multi cultural hub, it represents one of the ideal platform to analyse, understand and develop future trends. Visits to current exhibitions, encounters with relevant professionals of the industry in different domains, the guidance of an expert project leader strictly linked to international fashion industry are the elements that will support you in the development of the project.

Methodology and Brief Students are invited to live in first person the London reality in order to apply the information provided by the course leader and to develop an independent thinking approach through a methodology developed step by step in workshop hours.

The investigation on site will be very relevant in order to fully understand the actual system and to further develop visionary solutions. Students will be exposed to a number of workshop/revisions of this process which will further their undertsanding of the system.

Objectives and output The main purpose of this workshop is to support students in creating an international approach to the fashion industry starting from the management part to define new creative approaches. The investigation drive and the method applied will take students to a further aknowledgement of their field and will support them in building a stronger approach to future projects.

Analysis of macro-trends, on site research and project development will support the building of a concept development to be appllied into the current industry.

Project Development

Week 1 Friday/July 25 [14.30.00-17.30] Workshop Launch • Introduction to London Retail Mapping • Introduction to workshop • Search for main trend themes • Choosing brands for the workshop • Revision and application of some branding concepts to the brand in preperation for the workshop

Week 3 Monday/Aug 4 [09.00-13.00] Workshop session 1 The Inspiration stage Students will work in groups in order to determine the correct aesthetics, or to create designs that perfectly mirrors the trends the consumers are currently influenced by.

Tuesday/Aug 5 [09.00-13.00] Workshop session 2 The translation stage This is where the discussed ideas captured as notes, paper tears, images from magazines, jpeg printouts, annotated scrimblrd, and inspirational collages are used to construct a more formalized picture of potential products being considered.

Students will be doing this for pre-selected fashion brand. We will be using a particular technique called “ trend funnel”.

Wednesday/Aug 6 [09.00-13.00] Workshop session 3 The immersion stage At this stage, the students will be working with the concept ideas identified through the trend funnel and once more pushing down trhough a new series of zones, known as “Opportunity Cartogram”, in order to develop more coherent and articulate product concepts.

Thursday/Aug 7 [09.00-13.00] Workshop session 4 The development stage At this juncture all concepts are presented to the participating students by each student. Because of the number of the ideas presented, the students will be asked to rank the top five short term ideas they most favour and the five long-term ideas most likely to appeal to consumers.

Friday/Aug 8 [10.00-13.00] Workshop session 4 Final Presentation and discussion Each student will have 5 minutes to present to all the class the result of his/her investigation and the concept developed. Presentation can be on paper, or digital.

The afternoon being busy with the English courses (both in class and online), mornings have been very concentrated on more visits, lectures and research work, both on field and theoretical. Design has investigated Luxury interiors while Fashion has gone deeper in the analysis of British fashion designers.

On Tuesday the 29th design students have worn theiur snickers to be guided in amazing top scene places by their course leader: ZIFERBLAT CAFE’, MAYOR OF SCAREDY CAT TOWN, SKETCH RESTAURANT, DIRTY MARTINI amongst others.Everything was about both architecture and new business models and lifestyles expressed by the Genius Loci of the Place.

PAOLA

PREMAL

On the 30th both courses share an intensive morning visiting the most relevant museums that London offers; we start very early to get from the dormitory to get to the Serpentine Gallery!

Emily

The visit started wih the exhibition of Marina Abramovic “The Artist is present” and The Artist was actually present greetings all students joining the venue, (sorry no pictures of it everybody was too emotional!), than we moved to the Serpentine pavilion that this year has been realized by the Chilean architect and artist Smiljan Radic’.

GIULIA

Right after visiting the other galleries we move to SAATCHI GALLERY to be delighted by a number of contemporary art exhibitions particularly insipiring! Painting, photography, sculptures all about social and political issues from a global point of view.

O D R A C RIC

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ALICE

Ones ended the visit a light lunch and the two groups divide; while Fashion students are going to V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum) to see the exhibition Wedding Dresses 1775–2014, Design students are visiting the Design Museum and Tate Modern Gallery.

F IL IP P O

The day after, while design students were hving a class on luxury interiors, fashion students had an amazing experience visiting the avant guarde store LAYERS in Bond Street area and having the chance of a talk from Keven Mc. Dermott the owner and buyer and e reputed international fashion trend setter met during a fashin Jury in Georgia last spring.

On the same evening David Tronzano from WOWCRACY joined the University to show the studentsa his commerce website dedicated to fashion start –ups based in London and had a very easy and useful conversation with fashion students.

On Friday August the 1st all students went to visit the amazing NOT JUST A LABEL headquarters. Stefan Siegel is a very available guy despite the global success of his brand and of his business model and we thought that such a visit and encounter would have been very interesting for all creative students, fashion obviously to understand that how the selection of designers works but also, for all to see an example of the creation of a new job and path, the idea of not being stocked in the contemporary situation but to investigate and to offer visions for the future.

The space was cozy and we also met a former student of the master of fashion management that is resident in London and that I introduced to Stefan.

Stefan explanation and speech was inspiring and the location of his headquarters is peculiar (not far from the dormitory and just aside a very interesting street, an open air art gallery where Bansky started to create his statements.

But the visits of the day were not over! We all walked down to join the BARBICAN where two exciting exhibitions were waiting for us: Digital Revolution. An immersive exhibition of art, design, film, music and video games and The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk.

Both interesting and important to understand ans stimulate creative thinking in different domains but with a common thread, the underlining of the visionary approach so much needed in these days!

The interactive exhibition on digital revolution involved the students quite a lot!

The JP Gaultier exhibition was outstanding, melting digital technologies, real pieces from he archives, videos and press it was able to explain easily the genius of one amongst the most important inventor of fashion as we know it today!

WEEK 3 Two weeks were running very quickly with all these activities and the English intensive course every afternoon, than work to be developed and the London nightlife!

We join the third and last week, a little bit tired but excited at the same time the workshop activity in oclass goes on pretty intensively.

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INSPIRATION, IMMERSION, TRANSLATION, DEVELOPMENT, RESEARCH, BRAINSTORMING, CONCEPT, PROJECT, mornings are full of key words and work in progress and afternoon are busy with English both in class and assisted online, still new opportunities are there to exploit for our students and we are not going to miss them; On Tuesday the 5th students of the Design Coirse are taken to another ride to the GEFFRYE MUSEUM and to the SOANE MUSEUM

M A RTA

G I U L IA

But the ride continues with a tour at ONE HYDE PARK

KA R I N A

At 6.00 p.m. another amazing surprise is waiting for us! A guided visit at the Temple! The studio of NORMAN FOSTER! Yes a demanding afternoon but we cannot miss it!

Yeas an incredible experience a guided tour provided by one of the partners, Ms. Sylos Labini.

Not an everyday opportunity for young designers!

Same day but different experience for the fashion students, we talk a lot about the epitome of British fashion DNA, how can we miss a visit to the headquarters of one amongst the most relevant designers of such a field?

Of Course the visit is planned to Sir Paul Smith Headquarters!

The delightful Roz Morrison and Richar Maver guided us in an insight tour of all departments: design, product management and store interiors where all responsible gave us lectures on the everyday organization of the work, an incredible insight! We also have the chance to visit the studio of Paul Smith , an incredible mix and match of creative, ironic inspiration!

PAUL’S OFFICE

M ATT I A

C LA U D IA THE COLLECTIONS

SHOWROOM

An insight and a view of the next collection to show in September is also available but no pictures sorry!

The day is not over, not far from Sir Smith Headquarters there is something more to see, so we run to Somerset House to visit RETURN OF THE RUDEBOY, a stilish exhibition “curated by prolific photographer and filmmaker for music’s most wanted Dean Chalkley and fashion-industry favourite creative director Harris Elliott, which showcases a sartorial subculture through a series of portraits, installations and set pieces. Over the course of the past year the duo has photographed over 60 sharply dressed individuals from across the UK, all of whom embody the essence of what it is to be a Rudeboy (or Rudie) in the 21st century, to document the life, style and attitude of this growing urban group.

The curated collection of images shows the subjects presenting their pure and singular sartorial swagger in locations linked to the Rudeboy lifestyle, whether it be on the streets of Shoreditch or Savile Row.”

The last week is running and projects need to be ready by the 8 the last day when students have the English test and an the presentation of all projects.

We decided to leave the morening for the English test and the afternoon for an overall presentation of both fashion and Design projects and the result are amazing! Running around all day , melting depth courses on design and englis, having a social life, the students are able to showcase very interesting ideas, analysis and solutions even in a such a small amount of time also thanks to the teaching team that is dedicated and part of a real big team!

We start with Fashion Team presenting the researches on trend funnel and their proposals on walls in form of wallpapers so that all colleagues can see and then go in depth looking at their workbooks

FASHION TEAM We start with Fashion Team presenting the researches on trend funnel and their proposals on walls in form of wallpapers so that all colleagues can see and then go in depth looking at their workbooks

Both classes are involved in discussion on both areas in the real spirit of interdisciplinarity and creative exchange, transforming a presentation session in another occasion of discussion upon visions for the future.

DESIGN TEAM The Design students are presenting their projects through workbooks and videos and the same process takes place!

The presentations are ended and now oit is time to award diplomas for all courses, Marco Baschiera start the running order for his courses:

We then go on with Fashion and Design students!

But right after such emotions a final toast in our reserved room at the University is needed!

Yes we called it EXPERIENCE and definitely it was for us (the team) and for the students, an amazing journey into a different culture, creativity, arts, design, beauty and in depth hard work!

Thank you all the students that so enthusiastically participated to create such a beautiful memory!