BRAND ME SUMMER RESEARCH (1/2)

The purpose of this book is to understand my own personal branding, and where I fit as I step into industry. I decided to keep my summer research separate to be able to reflect back to this space and see my progression and what I have learnt. Over the summer we were set the task of answering questions you wouldn’t normally think about for example, ‘what type of flower are you?’, ‘what are your strengths and weaknesses?’ And ‘Are you a positive or negative person?’. Initially I felt lost and didn’t know where to start. I felt I had no understanding of who I was but gradually I discovered that the summer assignment was eye-opening and beneficial in terms of discovering what has moulded me into the person I am today. The goal was to answer the questions as honest as possible to discover a deeper understanding of who I am as a person and what my creative identity looks like.

INTRO DUCTION

Do you consider the impact of what you do and

I’m always careful with what I say and how I portray things, I always think before I speak as I’m quite apprehensive that people could misinterpret what I say. I always want to make a good impression on people and stay true to who I am. I would never want or mean to offend anyone and only want to spread positivity. However often being too conscious of the impact of what you do on other people can hold you back in life. I first hand have realised being too kind and thinking too much about the people around you can only hold you back and make you

lose sight of what it is you want to do and what makes you happy. I have started to think more about how my decisions will impact my own life and perusing what makes me happy and what’s right for me.

When it comes to my work, I often think about how other people will perceive it but over the course, I have learned my best work is when I have fun with it and stop thinking of others’ opinions and just trust in myself and my own ideas. This is the type of mindset I want to have as I enter my final year and just enjoy the work I create.

your digital footprint?

In terms of my digital footprint, I’ve always considered my presence on social media from it being drilled in my mind in School that once you put something online it’s there forever and cannot be taken back and what you say can have a big impact and reach a huge audience without you expecting. I’m aware of the fact what you post online creates a picture in people’s minds on the type of person you are in real life. When I post on social media, I feel apprehensive on who is going to view it, I prefer to keep all my profiles private and am selective to who I allow to follow me. I think it can be a scary place as anyone can be anyone. I think it’s important to act online how you would act in real life.

Throughout my work over the past 2 years, I often push sustainability

I think it’s an important topic and something to consider within the industry, with consumers becoming more conscious of what they buy I think it’s a topic that should be pushed more. I have started to think about what I can do to be more sustainable and started to wear more timeless pieces rather than buying into trends that don’t last more than 3weeks and looking at buying preloved clothing on websites such as Depop and Vinted to reduce my own carbon footprint.

My Favourite work from second year that I took the most risks with

How safe are you as a commu

nicator?

If I was asked this question around January 2022, I would have said I was 100% safe as a communicator and not a risk taker. looking back at my work before this point It’s safe to say I didn’t take as much risks as I should have, I stayed well within my comfort zone and looking back I know I could have pushed my work further. Prior to this after having a conversation with Tracey I recognised I had been too safe with my work and not pushing my ideas further as I was scared if people would understand the work and if it was up to the standards expected. During the styling module at the start of the year was when I started to let my ideas flourish and just have fun with the work and not overthink it. I took more risks, and it paid off I think this is some of my best work and the work I’m most proud off. I do still think I have room for improvement and need to stop thinking but just experimenting with different ideas.

What type of people do you surround yourself with ?

My circle is small. If somone isn’t making me happy or adding any value to my life, I will cut ties with them. I know exactly the type of people I want in my life and that’s honest, positive, caring, and ambitious people. To get to this point of knowing the type of people I want to surround myself with was being around the wrong people during my teenage years. There’s been a few people I classed as friends in my life that made me feel unhappy, made me question myself and simply did not have my best interest. After putting up

with feeling unhappy the best decision I made was to cut these people out and now I’m happier than ever with my small circle of friends. I’ve learnt no one should ever make you doubt yourself or make you feel unhappy, good friends will always be there for you and have your best interest at heart. I like to surround myself with people that will encourage me in life, people whom I can feel inspired by and make me want to do well. I want to be surrounded by people I can be myself around and have a laugh and fun with.

MYERSBRIGGS

Result:ISTJlogistician-Introverted,Observant,ThinkingandJudging STRENGTHS

The test said integrity is the heart of the Logistician personality type. Logistician people don’t agree with emotional manipulation, mind games and reassuring lie and prefer managing the reality of situations they encounter with plain and simple honesty. Logisticians work hard and stay focused on their goals, patient and determined. Logisticians are calm and practical; they make rational decisions and consider peoples preferences. The main goal for any Logistician is to be effective in what they are doing and believe this is accomplished best when everyone who is involved know what is going on, being organised is key. It is also said logisticians are a jack of all trades, applying themselves into a Varity of situations they can pick up new information and grasp the details of challenging situations. (Logistician personality, n,d).

Weaknesses

It is said Logisticians are insensitive but not intentionally harsh, they say what needs to be said so only take emotions into consideration so far. They are also said to be stubborn and won’t take new ideas to consideration and is difficult to accept when they are wrong. It is also said they always go by the book and are reluctant to bend the rules. Logisticians also often unreasonably blame themselves; they will often turn away good intentions and helpful ideas. They believe the responsibility for failure is theirs alone to bear (Logistician personality, n,d).

Overall, I don’t quite agree with the majority and don’t think this is a true indicator of who I am. I agree with most of the strengths apart from being calm, I overthink a lot and get stressed out easily, but I guess I try to hide this factor about myself and try to come across as calm. I also don’t think I’m really that stubborn I would say I am open to listen to new ideas and I don’t believe I am an insensitive person I think I probably consider other people’s feelings too much and am the opposite to this.

What my Peers said

I created a pol on instagram, asking my close friends and family if they agreed with the results I got from the Myers briggs test. I have included the results in the image to the right. Most agreed that i was introverted, kind and honest and most disagreeing that I am judging and insensitive.

Childhood

People often say your childhood shapes you into the adult you grow up to be, from your parents’ beliefs, music taste and their morals are a few examples of what influences your personality. When I think back to my childhood, I see nothing but happy memories it makes me feel nostalgic and content. I feel very blessed to have had a childhood like mine it was filled with happiness, I lived carefree, and I often miss the naivety of being a child and believing in fairy tales and anything being possible. I miss being oblivious to the dangers in the world and having very little fears for example in the picture on the left-hand side I am amazed how happy I was to be surrounded by pigeons, I remember this day vividly it is a happy memory on a family holiday where we fed the pigeons and now somewhere down the line, I developed a fear of pigeons, and you would never catch me feeding them now.

Growing up I have lived with my mum, Dad, and older sister in our family home in a small town called Prescot which is on the outskirts of Liverpool. My family have always supported me and are very loving, they’ve always been there to look out for me. During my school years I hated it. I mostly hated sitting in a classroom and learning facts I knew would not be useful in my adult life I would much rather have just taken art or textiles, I loved being creative I have never been

good academically and preferred painting and creating things. Looking back school wasn’t all bad I had a good group of friends whilst we were in school and then after most of us grew apart, some weren’t true friends and I still have two of my best friends from school.

Towards the end of school was when I started to get more anxious and stressed, I started overthinking what I wanted to do and what path to take. During this period of my life I didn’t feel good enough to do a lot of things which makes me feel sad when I think back to this point in my life but im very lucky to have a family that love me and supported me through this period. Throughout my childhood

I have always been shy, I’ve always been scared to say the wrong thing and kept myself to myself a lot. Teachers would often tell me I’m too quiet which I understand they wanted me to do well but often this made me feel insecure and wished I could be different. When choosing what I wanted to do after school I knew I wanted to do something creative, I think being creative makes me feel less anxious, putting ideas together and bringing them to life is something that I find exciting and often forces me out of my comfort zone.

I am fortunate enough to have a good relationship with both my mum and dad, they have both been there for me to support me through all the good and hard times in life. My mum has always been the more protective parent, she worries about me and my sister (Sophie) a lot and just wants the best for us, I think I take after her in that sense of worrying too much but having a caring nature and wanting the best for the people around me. My dad on the other hand is the more patient and laid-back parent, he helped teach me to drive and doesn’t like negativity he tells me worrying isn’t going to fix or change anything. As for my sister we would clash a lot when we were younger, there is a 6-year age gap between us so being at different stages in life meant we just annoyed one another, but what sisters don’t clash from time to time? Growing up and seeing her work hard through university and gain her degree in nursing, encouraged me to want to go to university and start a career path in something I enjoy. Along with my parents, she’s one of my biggest supporters and I know I can always go to her for any advice.

Politically I can’t say I agree completely with my parents views I think being from a different generation and being brought up differently creates a divide there, although we don’t really discuss our political views when we have me and my sister often disagree, I guess different generations see the world differently. Although I do agree with their beliefs, they’re very much the same as mine which is just believing in things like karma and that what you put out into the world you will receive back. My parents brought me up to be kind and respectful to other people. They taught me to be respectful to people no matter what even if they aren’t back, always be the bigger person.

How have your family’s beliefs and views reflected on you?

Are You a Fight Or Flight?

I would say I’m a fighter, but I think I have my moments and wobbles sometimes. I am a determined person if I want something I do try my best to get it and push myself to my limit. Even after failing my driving test two times and maybe throwing a strop, saying I was never going to drive again, I got over myself and was determined to pass the next time, which I did pass third time lucky.

Before starting the course, I said to myself I want to come out with a first which is a goal I have set for myself, proving to be harder said than done. Some modules I have struggled with more than others, but I do believe I have tried my best in everything, if I didn’t do too well in one area, I have made sure I understood what went wrong and took action to improve my work in the next one. Having never really been very good academically and always struggling with schoolwork and exams, I am proud of myself for the work I have created over the last two years and the effort I put in and I will continue to push myself further through 3rd year to improve my work and skill set.

Are You a Positive or Negative Person ?

Throughout my life I have struggled with anxiety and depression, I would often let opportunities pass me by as I thought I wasnt good enough, this made it hard to stay positive and ignore the “what ifs” it was a constant battle with myself. I often overthink most things especially when it comes to my work, I always wonder if my work is on the right path or if it’s good enough which I know holds me back. Over the past few years, I would say I have become more positive than I once was. I have managed to find a way to control my anxiety and turn my overthinking thoughts into positive ones, if I catch

myself thinking negatively, I can find a way to spin it into a positive thought. I also started yoga a few years back which my sister encouraged me to do, this helped me a lot with how I viewed situations and my anxiety, this is part of the reason I took an interest in the law of attraction and just accepting things for how they are and not thinking but just doing. Changing my mindset and pushing myself out of my comfort zone was what led me to apply for university and I’m proud of myself for how far I have come and how much more positive my mindset is now than it once was.

Religious?

Growing up I wouldn’t say my parents are religious but they both come from Christian families. My nan and grandad go to church every weekend and always have, they are strong believers in God. My mum and dad had both me and my sister christened when we were babies however, I’m not actively religious and don’t believe in God. My mum and dad have always said things like everything happens for a reason and what comes around goes around so I have taken the same beliefs and went through life with this in mind. A few years ago, I took an interest into the law of attraction I found learning about this really helped my anxiety and completely changed my mind set for the better. This means you believe that the vibrations or the energy you give out in the world is the energy you receive back. This made me see that being positive towards situations will get you positive results, believing in yourself is what will get you far in life.

Diversity and acceptance?

I believe Everyone has the right to believe in what they want to believe. No one has the right answer when it comes to religion it’s something we will never know the answer to, and I would never try to convince people what they believe is “wrong” and don’t push my beliefs onto other people. I think we should all be treated equally but sadly we are not. I think it’s sad movements such as Black Lives Matter are still necessary today. From things such as skin colour, religion, who we choose to love, disabilities and what gender we are shouldn’t matter in the world, I wish we could all treat each other with the same respect. Everyone is different and I think how boring the world would be if we were all the same.

What Do You Think Your Message Is Now?

Since I live with anxiety I’m constantly thinking about the future, I’m thinking about all aspects of what could happen, and as I have taken steps to improve my anxiety, I’ve learnt to start thinking about the positives that can happen in the future. I’m always working and thinking about how I can impress the future version of myself, I want to look back and be proud I was strong enough to take the risk. Sometimes you just have to throw yourself in the deep end and what my seem like a small step for others can often be a big step for myself. A good example of this was when I applied for university the thought of moving out terrified me so many what if’s and scared I would make no friends, I learnt how to rationalise these thoughts and listened only to the positive experiences other people had when they lived in universities Halls and now looking back even though my first year wasn’t the best (no doubt covid didn’t help) but I’m so glad I moved out its taught me a lot about myself mostly surprised I can cook without burning the kitchen down, its gave me independence and improved my confidence and also making the best friends in my second year. I think the key to being happy and successful is taking things in your own stride and not comparing your life to others. I always encourage other people that they can do anything if they put their mind to it. So my message is to work towards impressing your future self and only them.

What Flower are you?

Not being a flower person and having no knowledge whats so ever about flowers, to answer this question I had to research different types of flowers and their spiritual meaning. Through my research I felt the Iris flower best represented me, I learnt they can bloom in different colours being purple, lavender, white, yellow, orange, pink and blue .

I felt most drawn to this flower due to the fact it has such a variety of different colours and represents the creative side to my personality. In the majority of my work throughout the course the colours of the iris are the colours I’m most drawn to and tend to include in my work. I also researched further and discovered the Iris flower is the February birth flower which was the month I was born, and conveys the message of faith and hope. (Just Fun facts, 2016). I often find I say “whats meant to be will be” and holding on to hope that good things will come in time, conveying that same message of faith and hope.

How would you want the world to see you when you step? outside into the industry?

As I enter industry, I want the world to see me as someone that radiates positivity, kindness and patience and someone that loves to empower other people and inspire them to be the best they can be. I love to give people advise when they need it and know that I will always listen to any problems and will be there to reassure them and give them honesty. I hope the industry sees the empathic approach to problem solving I take in my work and will be able to see how much progress I have made over the past three years.

What colour are you?

To answer this, I took a variety of different quizzes to figure out what colour my personality is, each one said differently, and I didn’t agree with any of them which ranged from blue and orange and even white and grey. I decided to do some research and work out for myself what colour I perceive myself to be. With the help of my peer assessment, I was finally able to conclude that I am purple. I am an introverted person and enjoy being by myself and value individuality. I can be sensitive at times but compassionate and will always been there to support my friends. When I think of purple, I think it gives off a creative aura and being the colour purple means you are the visionary spirit who creates and innovates. Whilst reflecting on my colour and learning more about the colour Purple I realised my birthstone is also purple being Amethyst, this means I find “sincerity and peace of mind, Freedom from passion and from care”.

12 FASHION IMAGES I LOVE.

The common denominatorI have found each image captures a contemporary and commercial style. They give off a sense of delicacy and reflect on my introvereted personality. When viewing each image, I felt they expressed femininity and captured women’s raw natural beauty within a luxurious lifestyle. I believe these images portray my introveretd personality but also portray the luxury, playful and commercial side of my creative identity.

OBSCURE

ETHREAL

ELECTRIC

PLAYFUL

STRUCTURE

CREATIVE

Strengths-

Open minded- I would consider myself to be open minded as I’m willing to consider ideas and opinions that are new to my own, especially with my work I am open to suggestions and will happily give them a try even if it wasn’t part of my original plan. I also respect others’ beliefs and can put differences aside.

Creative – I have always been more creative than I have been academic. I find it therapeutic coming up with new ideas and letting them flow, even with my work I go straight to creating collages and content and push the writing off to one side.

Introvert – I think often people see this as a bad thing, but I find there are strengths to being introverted for example, I’m a good listener, I’m often the person friends or colleagues come to with a problem, and they know I will listen. I’m observant, I will notice things others may miss as they process out loud and I’m content with my own company as much as I enjoy working in a team setting, I am happy to be on my own with my own thoughts.

Weakness–

Indecisive - One thing I always say about myself is that I’m indecisive which is the first weakness of mine that came to mind. I spend too much time looking at all the different angles on a situation or idea, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but this is something that I’m aware of about myself and what I’m actively improving on.

Self-critical- I do often doubt myself and my work. Lots of people in my life always tell me I’m too hard on myself, I often overthink if the work I’m creating is good enough and wonder what other people will think, which holds me back. I care what people think as I want to do well, and make sure I’m always at my best. I have always lacked confidence in myself but have noticed my confidence improving recently since I have taken more risks and pushed myself out of my comfort zone.

Procrastinator- as much as I hate to admit but I do often put things off, I say “I will start that tomorrow” way too often. I focus on the easier activities within my work when I should be prioritising the important task, a habit I really need to get out of as I enter 3rd year. But I guess it gives me more time to think about ideas so isn’t all bad.

If you was a fashion brand what fashion brand would you be and why ?

My first thoughts surrounding this question were the brands H&M and Zara, since these are the brands, I go to shop. Whilst H&M try to be sustainable, which is something I value they both sit in the fast fashion Market sector which I felt isn’t the right fit for me even though I shop fast fashion, they didn’t represent who I am as a person and who I am as a communicator. My preferred market is Luxury Lifestyle. After researching brands within this sector of the market I instantly fell in love with Miu Miu, I felt their brand most represents who I am as a communicator. Miu Miu capture a commercial feel within in their brand, which I often portray in my own work. When researching the brand, I particularly felt drawn to the femininity and romantic tones they use giving off a sense of female empowerment.

Miu Miu is the little sister brand of Prada, born from the unconventional spirit of Miuccia Prada. Miu Miu target a younger consumer with their contemporary and playful aesthetic. Miu Miu expresses femininity by creating raw elegance conveyed by portraying women’s natural beauty to a contemporary society. Muiccia launched the brand Miu Miu in 1993 to showcase her playful and extroverted side to her personality, juxtaposing against the minimalist foundations that make up Prada. Unlike Prada, Miu Miu target the younger generation with their innovative and playful designs. (Lafuente,2021)

Prada sophisticated considered; is much more

Miuccia

is very sophisticated and considered; Miu Miu more naive." Miuccia Prada

After looking back at my work and after consideration I decided I sit at the luxury lifestyle market, based off the fact my work is often commercialised and I often push for sustainability. The luxury lifestyle market consists of high-end / premium brands with high pricing items. Luxury brands want to connect with their consumers on an emotional level they sell items using top quality materials so their product lasts and so consumers have an experience surrounding the product and not just a one-off purchase. Luxury lifestyle brands are transparent with their consumers, they are also more focused on their consumers needs and wants. They have a renewed sense of purpose to ensure they are communicating their ethics and sustainability efforts in order to appeal the new, luxury lifestyle consumer. (luxury lifestyle marketing, n,d).

“Where once it was all about status, logos and exclusivity, luxury brands are now actors in social conversations, driven by a renewed sense of purpose and responsibility.” – Claudia D’Arpizio. (Beauloye,2022).

I believe I sit in the Luxury lifestyle market as I believe it’s important for brands to be transparent with their consumers, I also value brands that want to connect to their consumers on an emotional level. Over the past Two years in each module, I have taken an interest in sustainability, I think its important for brands to communicate their sustainability efforts and always push to be better. I value when brands are honest and don’t greenwash what they are doing sustainably. With my personal shopping habbits I don’t tend to buy into trends, I prefer to look for pieces that I love, and I know will become a staple piece in my wardrobe.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FASHION PUBLICATION, WHY?

My favourite fashion publication is Wonderland. Before my styling module in second year, I knew nothing about Wonderland magazine however since researching the publication and collecting copies of it, I felt drawn to it. I love the images inside the magazine they resonate with my style of work. I love how they’re about inspiring their readers rather than dictating them. The Publication intend to represent the positive and they playful elements of the fashion industry and intend to create a space people aspire to be. Wonderland is a luxury magazine and feature advertising from luxury and couture brands such as Chanel, Cartier, Prada and Miu Miu. I love the colours in the magazine And how eye-catching it is, it’s full of creative and colourful editorial images that I feel inspired by.

WHAT I’VE LEARNT SO FAR...

Reflecting on my brand me, summer homework. I have learnt what has shaped me into the person today and what my own personal branding entails. I enjoyed reflecting on my childhood by going through old family photos and the adventures that have moulded me into who I am today. I have discovered two sides to my personality, the first being my introverted and controlled personality, this side of me is minimal and would sit in an organised and collected environment within the industry. However, my creative identity is extreme, bold, and maximalist, I see this side to me sitting in a chaotic and fast-paced part in the industry. I discovered my market Level and what brand I would be. I have learnt that going forward i need to take more risks and enjoy the work i create. i have also discovered I need to become more organised with time management in order to be the best I can be with my work. As I move forward with my 360 campaign, I want to find the medium element of my personality and find an aesthetic. I have chosen to create a second research book which will reflect more of my personal identity as well as creative, Which will continue on from my brand me book.

REFRENCES

Beauloyde, E. (2022, Nov 11). The future of luxury. Luxe digital. Retrieved from. https://luxe.digital/business/digital-luxury-trends/luxury-future-trends/

Lafuente, C. (2021, Apr 16). The untold truths of Miu Miu. The List. Retrieved from. https://www.thelist.com/382520/the-untold-truth-of-miu-miu/

Luxury lifestyle marketing. (n, d). Ceek. retrieved from. https://ceek.co.uk/marketing-insights/luxury-lifestyle-marketing/

Strengths and weakness. (n, d). 16 personalities. retrieved from. https://www.16personalities.com/istj-strengths-and-weaknesses

Wonderland magazine anaylsis. (n, d). Fashion publication. retrieved from. https:// fashionpublication.wordpress.com/2016/04/26/wonderland-magazine-analysis/

IMAGE REFRENCES

Fig 1. Wook Mok, J. (2022). Miu Miu editorials. [photograph]. Miu Miu. https://www. facebook.com/MiuMiu/photos/a.172684162847361/5274969159285477/?type=3

Fig 2. Lebon, T. (2022). Hailey Bieber in Miu Miu. [Photograph]. Miu Miu . https:// www.miumiu.com/gb/en/miumiu-club/campaigns/ss22-campaign.html

Fig 3. Whelan, E. (2020). Prada’s S/S 20 collection. [photograph]. Another. https:// www.anothermag.com/fashion-beauty/12280/prada-ss-20-another-magazine-eddie-whelan-katie-shillingford-miuccia-prada

Fig 4. Walker T. (2017). Aubrey’s Shadow. [photograph]. Tim Walker studio. https:// www.timwalkerstudio.com

Fig 5. Sean and Seng. (2022). Viktor & Rolf fragrances. [photograph]. Wonderland Magazine. https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2022/07/11/victor-and-rolf-goodfortune/

Fig 6. Robinson, J. (2021). Sydney Sweeney. [photograph]. Wonderland magazine. https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2021/09/10/sydney-sweeney-autumn-21-issue/

Fig 7. McDonell, A. (2021). Johnny Sequoyah for wonderland magazine [photograph]. Alex Mcdonell. http://alexmcdonell.com/projects-1

Fig 8. Maisonsoksi. (n, d). Maisonsoksi collection. [photograph]. https://maisonsoksi.com/product/tights/

Fig 9. Wamsley, A. (n, d). Chloe editorial. [photograph]. Workingnotworking. https://workingnotworking.com/projects/185630-chloe-an-editorial-fashion-film-photo-story

Fig 10. Levinson, P. (2022). Intersellar. [photograph]. Wonderland Magazine. https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2022/03/24/interstellar-fashion-editorial/

Fig 11. Mitchell, T. (n, d). raw edges. [photograph]. Tyler Mitchell. https://www. tylermitchell.co/photography

Fig 12. Gorunway. (2019). Iris Van Herpen. [photograph]. Vogue. https://www. vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2019-couture/iris-van-herpen/slideshow/collection#7

All other imagery is my own including edited secondary sources.