... by Emma Harrington

PORTFOLIO EMMA HARRINGTON AMSTERDAM FASHION INSTITUTE FASHION & BRANDING

ALL ABOUT ME I am a second-year student of the Fashion & Branding course at Amsterdam Fashion Institute. I am an ambitious, dedicated student looking to broaden my knowledge of this industry and to get real-world experience. I am efficient, work well under pressure and can meet deadlines. My interests lie predominantly in writing, graphic design and concept development. I work well with communicating in both informative and creative ways, software such as InDesign and Photoshop and team-work. In this portfolio, I have included school work (pages 1-20), own work (pages 21-49) and inspiration (pages 50-60)

Second Year YEAR 2 PRODUCTS

BRAND CONCEPT CREATION From a previous project tasked with brand personification, as a pair

we worked on creating a new brand concept. Ours embraces â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;New Masculinityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the form of an emotionally intelligent linegerie brand. I worked on writing and graphic design.

CREATIVE BRIEF I then had to write a creative brief for our brand concept.

EDITORIAL CAMPAIGN Using the creative brief, I worked with a classmate to create a

magazine. We each wrote our own article and combined forces to create the magazine from start to finish, from organising a photoshoot, making a layout, hand-drawing details, printing and binding it, to presenting it on the day.

Sunday morning, a time stripped of performance, responsibilities or expectations. Blurry eyes peek out from under the duvet. Legs stretch away last nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s slumber. Hands run through hair thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been flattened by a pillow. Sun spills in the window.

EDITORIAL A/W 2019 COLLECTION Excerpt from collection photoshoot

Every element of the red light district is extreme. The windows that frame the bare-chested sex workers behind them, the garish scarlet lighting that illuminates those very windows, the fragrant air, a nauseating blend of weed smoke, spilt beer and, let’s be honest, piss left behind in questionable puddles, all feed into this. It stands to reason that the behaviour of those who visit these streets couldn’t be any less outrageous.

I trailed behind these groups of men and watched how the dynamic of the group worked before approaching them. With each group, it differed. The first group that caught my eye, who were from various parts of England and in their midtwenties, were quite reserved and looked a little unsure of themselves in this setting. Whereas later, a slightly older group from Wales were truly merry and dressed in the loudest, tackiest shirts emblazoned with cats, flowers, hot dogs. But somethings that united all the groups on their “holibobs” were the woozy legs and foggy eyes that they dragged around and the lack of desire to do anything but sit with pints in an all-consuming smoke cloud.

“ I’m not me when I’m high.”

After assessing the groups, it was time to actually speak to ‘lads’, and from this, a clear pattern began to emerge. It seems despite the setting of streets that are symbolically free from censorship and restriction, the men in these groups are still restrained by the expectations of their peers, and in general, what is to be expected of a man going on holidays to Amsterdam with his “mates”.

I had to word my questions to ease them into the conversation while also scratching at the surface of their true feelings. I started with “where are you from?” This was met with gruff mumbles from some like the group perched on the edge of the canal smoking who I barely caught were from London, and the group from all over England, who I stopped as they were making their way down the street after exiting a coffee shop. Others were more exuberant, like the group who hollered, in an endearing accent, “Northern Irelannnd” and broke into Irish when they found out that I’m from the Republic and the group who loudly declared they were from Wales.

In order to get them speaking more freely, I asked “what have ye been doing while on this holiday?” Two of the groups of English lads had limited itineraries “we’re just spending our time smoking”, “ we went to the Heineken factory and smoked weed in a Café a couple of minutes ago, then we were curious about the girls behind the windows. Not to do anything with them. Just to look.” The Welsh group tried to spice up their time here, “we walked miles, played rugby, drank, smoked, hardly slept” -- points at his friend-- “he punched a prossy, sorry a sex worker”, another interjects “and we fucked a lot of birds”. The Northern Irish group had branched out a little, “we rented bikes, went to the zoo, we want to go on a canal tour and we took shrooms a few hours ago”. In an attempt to dig deeper but avoid them clamming up, I asked “if you were here on holiday with your family or partner would you act differently?”. This was met with nods from almost all of the lads. The group from all over England were open with the difference in how they would approach such a holiday. One who had been quiet up until now piped up saying “I wouldn’t smoke. My girlfriend wouldn’t like me when I’m high. I’m not me when I’m high.” Another who was more open and talkative throughout admitted “if I was here with my girlfriend or even alone, I wouldn’t just wander around and spend all my time in coffee shops. I would actually visit other tourist spots.” The Northern Irish group agreed > and were able to get to the root of the difference in their behaviour, one saying “within a typical guy format, there’s a mix of peer pressure added into it.” One of the Welsh lads told me, “I would not have smoked. Would have slept a lot more. Wouldn’t have played rugby.

BEHIND THE STEREOTYPES Excerpt from article

BRAND PERSONIFICATION I was given a board with information, stories, memories, likes and

dislikes of a perosn and using the values that I derived from it came up with a brand concept. Links to MeBoard: When I looked at the board I was given what stood out to me was both the reoccuring themes of empathy, compassion and being loving towards others contrasted sharply by constant correlations with weight and unhappiness in herself, having a bad body image and being overly self-critical. There was also an overriding desire for freedom. Specific details that made the board truely portray the person behind it was the memory of her being ‘sunshine on a grey day’ and the warmth in the images such as ones from her home making meals for others and the colours of garments worn in Pakistan. From my conclusions I began experimenting with how to portray these facets of her personality till I landed on this one. My brand identity... Revolves around being warm, radiant, soft, gentle. The focus is about caring for yourself and others. It’s not focused on bold and loud empowerment, it’s about how self-care makes women strong. It recognises that someone who quietly loves every part of their body is just as strong as someone who shouts about it. It’s not about pampering or about putting on a face mask for fifteen minutes once a week and expecting that to fix all your problems. It’s about being mindful of your body and brains needs and about fundamentally changing the mindset of those who have lost sight of their worth. This brand doesn’t ignore the bad stuff, it tackles the issues. And about accepting that it takes time to shift how you think about yourself. This brand wants to be the helping hand on this journey while normalising having diverstiy within campaigns, products and brand imagery, not just as a once off publicity stunt pushing inclusivity while it’s trendy. Therefore my brand’s vision is ‘Self-Care will Free You’ and it’s mission is ‘Creating a safe space without restrictions for self-critical beings’. With the core values of Warmth, Tenderness and Empathy. Therefore I also gave it a working of Still Dancing at the End of the Day because being able to stand in front of a mirror ready for a shower while dancing with your reflection after a long day of being confronted by negativity is powerful. Something I feel really encompasses my concept is the brand personification I created: She’s the woman who after undressing, overcomes the urge to step on the scale and hold her thighs and tummy. Instead, she embraces her body in a warm jumper and heads to the kitchen to make some blueberry pancakes and tea. She’s the friend who listens to you vent about the self-doubt you’ve been feeling recently and uses her personal past experience of lacking in self-worth to offer invaluable advice to help you in any way she can then gives you a loving hug. She’s the stranger you see emanating a ray of sunshine despite the dreary weather with a faint smile on her lips and a slight shimmy in her hips as she walks along the street plugged into an uplifting indie playlist. She recognises that darkness exists and decides to shine anyway. I’d like to finish with a quote by author Mari Andrew ‘live in the dawn, with knowledge of the night, wth hope for the morning’.

RETAIL ENVIRONMENT As a group we had to develop an idea into a relevant retail concept

and design for a brand store that is appropriate to both the brand and its target group. Using Photoshop, InDesign and VectorWorks we designed a 3D presentation of the retail environment, graphic design elements, collection and visual merchandising that communicates its concept.

RETAIL ENVIRONMENT Continuation 7

TARGET GROUP VISUALISED The aim of this project was to employ several different methods of

target group analysis and to communicate the identity of the target group in a clear and unambiguous way in the form of a hand-made living room which was photographed.

THE RESEARCH THAT LED US TO THE FINAL PRODUCT The bijlmer started with a number of minorities living in the same space. There was a lack of jobs. Because of this, the people of the bijlmer tried to make a life for themselves by creating their own jobs. This gave them a strong sense of community which lead them to buy locally and keep money circulating in their own economy. They solved their own problems and made themselves self-sufficient in a way. We believe it would develop even further in the future. This lead us to the proof that our brand, that uses home-grown material with a connection to nature, serves a purpose and will survive in the future so we developed the following concept.

BRANDCONCEPT PURPOSE, VALUES, DNA Evirit came from the words ‘evolving’ and ‘spirit’. Evirit believes in a world that revolves around the spiritual path guiding humans back to nature. In a world so technologically driven, that divides humans and nature, Evirit sees the poetic truth, that humans are not above nature but part of nature as two entities melt into one. This is how it once started, how it should be, how it will always have to be. Providing garments that are made with care and with the mentality to create alongside nature, sustainability and local craftsmanship are preserved and provided to the future tribe that is longing for the knowledge of where and who is making the products they use.

BELIEFS AND RITUALS Evirit was able to connect the tribe, music genre and the possible future demands of the Bijlmer tribe and developed the following belief and ritual (our vision) –

BRAND CREATION This was a two week project where as a group we

From a bleak past, a bright future can emerge. This inspired us to follow a way of life (our mission) -

came up with a brand concept, visualised it in a brand Through evolving, celebration and self-reliance we reach our full potential. book, three-piece collection, collection book, video, photoshoot, flag and stand. I worked on concept, text, pitching, the stand and logo.

JEANS BRAND REPORT I carried out a market analysis using relevant, contemporary sources. I had to make links between brands and market segments on the basis of research results.

YEAR 1 PRODUCTS

INSPIRATION BOOK Collecting, researching and analysing texts, images and

materials to create a book filled with inspiration. My theme was consciousness; being aware and responsive to oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surroundings.

STYLE RESEARCH Research into the styles of a typical Amsterdam

neighbourhood, both historical and contemporary. From that we made a translation into a style concept for WGSN

STYLE RESEARCH Continuation

PROTOTYPE Creating the first sample of a garment before it would go into production, learning about working on the body, fabric characteristics, technical documentation, cost price calculation and production feasibility.

PITCH The tribe and vision/mission were formulated and visualised for a innovative, trend based fashion brand. The idea was to convince the listeners of your concept through a wellstructured pitch using the boards to support your thoughts.

Self-Confidence is Powerful

Strength Self-Love

Positivity Empowerment

l a r t en

s e u l Va

Self-love is at the core of the brand because it is the first step towards being a happier person with a healthier perception of themselves and their life. The definition of self-love literally is regard for one’s own well-being and happiness.

e v Lo

f l Se

t n e

m r we

o p Em

Especially at the age of my tribe (12-14 year olds), learning self-love will have such a lasting effect on how they live their lives. Loving yourself means you are more able to see your value, meaning you know how you deserve to be treated in relationships (platonic and romantic) and know what you deserve to get from life, thus being a more strong and independent person. It does not mean being selfish and conceited but you need to love yourself before you can fully understand the good and bad outside influences in your life that need to be dealt with.

Empowerment is so important because it is the fire in the belly of the people that cause change in the world. It is what starts all good rebellions towards a better future. It is the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s rights. Young girls have a right to feel good about themselves and their bodies. They have a right to not be pressured by society into feeling like they are not good enough if they don’t look a certain way. They have a right to be empowered young women with their own thoughts and opinions.

Positivity breeds positivity. If this brand can spread messages of positivity that can lead to the members of the tribe who see it being more positive, this will, therefore, fulfil the mission of the brand.

i s Po

y t i tiv

It is not about being blindly happy and ignoring all bad things. It is about putting a positive spin on negative things or creating constructive solutions to problems you face rather than giving up. This ties in with empowerment in the sense that it takes positivity to hope for a better future for yourself and empowerment to create it.

BRAND BOOK A book was created that consistently formulated and

visualised your concept for your own new fashion brand. Further research is done into the tribe, graphic design elements and values of the brand.

Logo

Óga is the name I chose for this brand. It comes from the Irish word for young.

I decided to create a brand with an Irish name as it reflects my heritage which I think adds to the personality of the brand and as it is a relatively unknown language to people outside the country it makes the name distinctive to people who haven’t heard the language before. This word reflects the tribe’s age range but also the overall vibe and atmosphere of the brand, one of a youthful freedom.

ÓGA

This is a simple logo that is versatile and can easily be restyled to suit different developments within the brand. The one shown to the left is a pared down representation of the three letters of the word ‘óga’. It has the ability to be bold and colourful or minimal and sleek. For the basic representation of the brand’s name, the equally minimal font - Oswald, in extra light, is used.

This is how the logo is divided into the different letters.

BRAND BOOK Continuation

ÓGA

As seen here it can easily be remade into different styles depending on what it will be used for - i.e. clothing tags, advertisements, posters, etc. On the opposite page, it’s shown in it’s most minimal form, but on this page it shows experimentation with colours from the colour palette and making it more ‘3D’, adding an outline or using a clipping mask to use a print on the logo itself to show possibilities for future development.

SCENARIO This project focused on researching interesting

Scenario 1

A Connected Planet

future developments and drawing conclusions relevant to your fasion brand. It had to be futuristic but plausible.

Environment Saved

Out Of Sync

Technology Disconnects

Running From Reality

A Connected Planet

Technology Connects

Staying Alive

Environment Destroyed

The world of 2035 is a world where the news isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t showing daily reminders of how the environment is deteriorating but instead showing the results of members of society banding together to help create a blooming world, whether that be through their work in science and technology or just a heightened awareness and a donation to the cause. This is a world where interactive technology connects people across the globe with one another and also connects those in one room who previously did not understand each other. It is a brighter world than the world of decades gone past and with continued work and awareness, it is only set to get brighter. Working Together: People are living longer than before. This is not just in the developed world where reduced natural disasters reduced deaths and governments working together to lead this change has led to less war between countries but also in the third world where many villages are now fitted with Diag Screens. This is where an ill or injured person can scan their body and then the scan is sent to a doctor working in the developed world for diagnosis. (Casserly, 2017) From then the patient can wait for the twice-weekly medicine drop by drone. This means more treated patients in villages that are not usually visited by trained medical practitioners. Collectively, this has led to the world population increasing to 8.8 billion. (Anon., 2018) People work together in a more harmonious society. This mainly began when virtual reality was introduced into workplaces, schools and prisons, as well as other places, as empathy invoking technology. It connects people in ways no other technology has to date. (Alsever, 2018) It is used to see through the eyes of another person. So, in cases of office or school bullying, this is the perfect tool to show the bully the effect they have on the victim. It is also shown to people to prompt them to be more helpful, for example by showing them the world through the eyes of an elderly person, a colourblind person or a person with other disabilities. It enables people to fully understand the struggles and difficulties that others go through on a daily basis. This empathetic use of virtual reality is also used by charities and research foundations. They play regularly changing ads during normal usage that place the viewer in the lives of people in third world countries or in the lives of past generations in places affected by their mistreatment of the environment for a minute or two. It has upped charitable donations as these moments are now fully immersive and people truly want to keep the environment as repaired and stable as it is now.

PHOTOSHOOT We created visuals based on our own brands. We

took the images, organised the clothing and props and edited the images.

OWN ARTWORK

COLLAGES

Sources https://i-d.vice.com/ en_us/article/bjqj83/ rodarte-fall-winter-19hollywood https://www.ignant. com/2019/02/01/amonumental-concreteloop-in-porto-symbolizes-the-passing-oftime/ https://synapticstimuli. com/Automatic-Earth

She sits precariously atop a wilting flower, willing the world to open their eyes to the wonders that still exist. The wish lights a fire in her belly which she begins to see in the form of embers that flit before her eyes as she loses time to the night sky... 24

Sources https://www.buamai.com/image/63246-siri-kaur http://adultartclub.tumblr.com/ post/180830759460/artpornmagazine-terje-abusdal-artporn https://synapticstimuli.com/The-shiftsand-transmutations-we-see-happening-inour-world-are-also https://i-d.vice.com/en_us/article/kzkaqy/ celebrate-the-faces-frills-and-fun-of-molly-goddards-technicolour-tulle-filled-world https://backdropoutlet.com/products/ printed-purple-and-pink-galaxy-sky-backdrop-6837?variant=44537239694

Sources http://theleoisallinthemind.tumblr.com/ post/182161013625/lisalilly https://synapticstimuli.com/An-abstractbut-perceptible-thing-that-originatesfrom-a-source https://i-d.vice.com/en_us/article/7xykpb/ asais-magical-designs-breathe-new-lifeinto-london-fashion-week

Sources https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/42857/1/cottweiler-aw19-allegri-pitti-uomo https://www.buamai.com/image/64370-alone-together-on-behance https://butdoesitfloat.com/

FASHION DRAWINGS

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS

DRAWINGS/PAINTINGS

INSPIRATION

Christoph Niemann: He is the creator of Abstract Sunday. He is an illustrator/artist who makes something witty, creative and unexpected from everyday objects. His mind that is open to creative oppurtunities at any moment is what is most interesting to me.

Insley & Nash: They provide screen-printing for designers who want to try interesting textile techniques. Everything tends to feel lowkey and hand-done. (Female is dressed in J.W. Anderson. Male is dressed in Joseph Turvey) The somewhat old fashioned technique being opened to new people who just want to experiment is something I find admireable.

Paula Scher: A graphic designer who also has an interest in painting and cartography. She discovered her love of font in college, now she has worked for many companies, always aiming to tell a story with her choices of image and typography. Her aim is what I aspire to also and her detail-orientated mind is what I strive to have.

MiHi: MiHiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (sleepwear and gift company) clothing tags and general brand identity reference art works and are reflective of the labelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand-crafted aesthetic. This close connection between execution of brand identity and its values is what I find most intriguing about this brand.

Life is Good: https://zeeblu.com/12-truly-inspiring-company-vision-and-mission-statement-examples/ The Life is Good brand is about more than spreading optimism — although, with uplifting T-shirt slogans like “Seas the Day” and “Forecast: Mostly Sunny,” it’s hard not to crack a smile. There are a ton of T-shirt companies in the world, but Life is Good’s mission sets itself apart with a mission statement goes beyond fun clothing: to spread the power of optimism. “We see it when we believe it. Each one of us has a choice: to focus our energy on obstacles or opportunities. To fixate on our problems or focus on solutions. We can harp on what’s wrong with the world (see most news media), or we can cultivate what’s right with the world. What we focus on grows. That’s why the Life is Good community shares one simple, unifying mission: to spread the power of optimism. Optimism is not irrational cheerfulness or “blind” positivity. It’s a pragmatic strategy for approaching life. Optimism empowers us to explore the world with open arms and an eye toward solutions, progress, and growth. It also makes life a hell of a lot more fun.” I tend to have a positive disposition also so this brand’s value and message link very closely to my own beliefs.

Polly Wales: With a background and training in the UK, Polly Wales took her business idea to Los Angeles and created a beautiful creative space. Working with a team of artisans and highly skilled jewellers, Polly Wales creates ethical hand crafted fine jewellery ranges. Each piece of jewellery is handcrafted in-house using only sustainable materials and every piece of material is used without any waste. Polly Wales uses ethical gemstones and, the best part, 18 carat recycled gold. Walesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; innovative methods of craftsmanship is what inspires me.

Patagonia: Founder, Yvon Chouinard says: “Patagonia’s image is a human voice. It expresses the joy of people who love the world, who are passionate about their beliefs, and who want to influence the future.” Clearly, the future Patagonia wants to influence is one with plenty of room for nature, for climbing and for surfing. For their own benefit - as the people who work for Patagonia are all outdoor enthusiasts and beyond. Patagonia’s marketing does not just feature the products, but is centered around the deep appreciation for nature and the commitment to help solve the environmental crisis. In 2011, at the height of the shopping season, Patagonia ran its iconic “don’t buy this jacket” ad campaign to raise awareness of how consumerism had gone overboard, urging people to think twice about buying new clothes and the impact this has on the environment. And while the header of the ad may suggest otherwise, taking such a strong stand grew their business tremendously. This risky advertising strategy and undeniable strength and belief in their own core values is what I think makes Patagonia such a strong brand identity.

People Tree: People Tree is a fair trade apparel company which was founded in 1991 by Safia Minney in Tokyo. A pioneer in ethical and environmentally sustainable fashion, People Tree is an alternative to fast fashion and have partnered with fair trade producers, garment workers, artisans and farmers to develop their ethical eco ranges. They use organic and sustainable materials and support rural communities and artisans by using their traditional skills to create the People Tree product They are a brand that need to be commended to really making a stand against human exploitation and pollution. They always strive to pioneer sustainable methods of production to minimise environmental impact. Choosing to use recycled and natural products, to ship by sea as much as possible and to weave fabrics by hand, People Tree always consider ways to reduce their impact on global warming and pollution. Their ultimately fair and transparent brand system is what draws me most to this brand.

The Daily Splice: https://stagprovisions.com/blogs/dispatches/78582211-the-daily-splice “To me, collage is the place where contemporary illustration meets sculpture, but it’s my perfectionist tendencies that lead people to assume my work is created digitally”. At first glance, the light-handed composition feels like it could be an isolated fragment pulled from the work of Sonny Kay - albeit with fewer psychedelics involved. Looking closer there is a clear sense of restraint and intent that make up the body of work known as The Daily Splice. Put simply, Adam Hale takes images out of context and splices them together. As a regular commuter living and working in London, Hale is bombarded with free magazines and literature distributed at stations and transport hubs on a daily basis. While seen as a source of distraction to some -- or not noticed at all by others -- Hale recognizes the high quality printed material as the ideal source material for his collage work. “There’s an immediacy to the work in which current topics, trends and affairs are given new context, turning something disposable into something of permanence.” Once again, this open-minded method of creating is what inspires me, being aware of creative possibilites at every turn of a page.

Julien Tabet Julien Tabet is a 21-year-old digital artist from France. He challenges reality as we know it and creates surreal situations using Photoshop. He shows the process that led him to the final piece of work using time-lapse videos on youtube and his Instagram stories for each of his creations. He says imagining the improbable fascinates him: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love to surprise people. I feel that I can offer something fresh to their lives and break them out of their boring routine, by offering another perspective.â&#x20AC;?