Commercial Portfolio E19CP Esmeralda Llaca Heriot - Watt University Year 3 BA Fashion
UNDERLYING TRUTH
“We speak of concrete and not abstract painting because nothing is more concrete, more real than a line, a colour, a surface�. Theo Van Doesburg
Design strategy
Autumn Winter 2017 collection took inspiration from a painting by Theo Van Doesburg entitled Counter-Composition VI. The artist used a diagonal grid to create a dynamic tension between the composition and the rectangular shape of the canvas. Every shape is nothing but the result of the struggle of opposite forces in space, the tension between multiple points. Tension between two points produces straight lines. The sum of infinite straight lines give birth to every shape we know. This collection is therefore a research on the underlying truth of design. The Underlying Truth’s collection aims a young daring and confident woman who seeks to spend money in an exclusive and contemporary piece of garment. There are two main conceits in this AW17’s silhouette: oversize and delicate sporty pieces that will create a unique urban collection. This season’s colour palette is based on grey colour. Grey is the colour of knowledge and wisdom and it transmits authority. A monochrome palette therefore it is key to this collection which plays through different hues, from volcano to smoky grey. Delicate and exquisite fabrics such as silk organza or sandstone will be fused with cotton and knit, giving this collection more of structural feeling.
Customer profile
Name: Julie Sarinana Age: 29 Lives: London Occupation: Fashion Journalist Income: £35,000 Studies: BA (HONS) Fashion Journalism Julie is a dynamic, strong and confident woman who enjoys working as a fashion journalist for a major fashion magazine. She sees fashion everywhere, in a piece of art, in a photography, in nature… She has a very creative mind and she tries to feed it by reading, watching documentaries or going to different types of exhibitions. She also loves travelling around the world where she gets inspiration for her magazine’s articles. She likes to mix casual/urban style with some luxury elements. Her favourite stores are Zara, Mango, Topshop or Alexander Wang among many others. She also has an obsession with vintage stores and loves going to flea markets such as Portobello Market where she always finds something to buy specially at One of a Kind a vintage shop with an incredible selection of vintage from Chanel to Galliano.
Urbane Adventurous Dynamic Relentless Visionary
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Design development
Diversity project: All Walks Beyond the Catwalk
Design strategy
The mood behind Ambiguity’s A/W 17 collection is to make you wonder: is it a male or a female? That is what this collection aims to do, playing with ambiguity. Much has been said and written about androgyny, it is certainly not a new topic but it is anyway to me as a fashion designer. Imagine for a moment this scene: there is this couple, a male and a female embracing and kissing, nothing unusual till someone tells you the ‘man’ is really a woman an vice versa. Nothing is what it seems, your eyes can deceive you, do not trust them. This collection is for anyone who dares to be bold and who does not care about gender stereotypes. Shapes and silhouettes evolve from fitted to oversize, from voluminous to cropped garments producing a harmonious whole. This season’s collection plays with the sobriety and gracefulness of grey colour. A wide range of hues are present in this collection: volcano, smoky, charcoal or steel, all of them became fused creating a beautiful colour palette. Fabrics have been chosen carefully in order to give Ambiguity an urban aesthetic. Hence, materials such as neoprene, silk organza or space mesh are fundamental aspects of this collection.
He - She
Customer profile
Name: Erika Deyn Age: 30 Lives: London Occupation: Fashion editor Income: ÂŁ50,000 Studies: BA (HONS) Fashion design Erika is a daring and relentless woman who is not afraid to express herself by the way she dresses. She works as a fashion editor for a major fashion magazine. She likes to play her androgynous side by wearing genderless clothing. She is very committed to her job and loves to raise awareness for controversial topics such as the ones related to gender, she believes there are still many taboos in fashion that need to be removed. She loves to travel, so every time her demanding job allows it, she takes time off to visit inspiring cities such as Paris, Berlin or New York. Her favourite fashion brands are All Saints, Zadig & Voltaire, Zara or Dover Street Market.
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Agender in Fashion
Design development
H E R I T A G E
Back To My Roots
Design Statement SS16 Back To My Roots
Named ‘Back to my roots’, this collection looked to Sevilla, my mother’s birthplace for inspiration. Each province in Andalusia has its own regional costume, being the flamenco dress the most popular one. The gypsy or flamenco dress is an important part of Andalusia’s cultural identity. Therefore, this collection is a nod to my “raices andaluzas” (Andalusian’s roots). The flamenco dress is much more than a traditional costume; it contains an enchanting fusion of might and beauty. It will be my source of inspiration for this season’s collection. The endless layers of ruffles and the fringed shawl are key elements of this majestic dress. I will be experimenting with different fabric manipulation techniques in order to create an interesting texture and silhouette. Fabrics such as soft faux leather, crepe and power mesh will give both volume and a delicate touch to my garments. The combination of these fabrics create a unique silhouette of easy delicacy. The color palette is made up of just one color, the always captivating and elegant black. This season’s collection is for a strong and confident woman who perfectly combines her feminine side with her nonconformist attitude.
Customer profile
Angela is a fashion journalist who writes for a major fashion magazine. She has a very busy lifestyle but she really enjoys her job and she is very committed to it. She needs to be up to date with all the trends, catwalks and exhibitions as part of her job is writing about fashion events. When she is not travelling for work, she loves spending time with her husband, a data architect who works in the finance industry. They both love going to the movies, Angela is a classic movie lover, and at least once a year they go to Paris where they like to walk the city and eat in their favourite area, Le Marie. Angela loves reading, she has an amazing library at home but uses Kindle edition to store the books she reads as she spends a lot of time in train’s stations and airports. Angela likes fashion trends but is not addicted to them, on the contrary, she has a very unique style and a peculiar way of putting garments together. She loves buying clothes in vintage shops. For instance, every time she goes to Paris she pays a visit to Le Marche aux Puces, a must-see to any vintage lover.
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Back to my Roots
Make it Better
T I M E L E S S
ICONIC
Design statement
This AW16 collection is inspired by a timeless garment piece: the denim jacket. Originally made for its durability and comfort, it soon became a valuable wardrobe staple. This iconic jacket is much more than a fashion garment. Worn by artists, movie stars such as James Dean, Steve McQueen or Marilyn Monroe, rock stars, punks and bikers, it became a symbol of rebellion, anti-establishment and freedom. Over the years, the denim jacket has experimented drastic changes, being reinvented and customised by some of the most creative fashion designers. Like them, I was inspired by this versatile item, being my aim to design a collection based on some of the denim jacket’s characteristic details such as the topstitch. Exaggerated A-line culottes alongside with oversized and volume shapes will form this collection’s silhouette. Neoprene and scuba fabrics will add the perfect structure and body to the garments. Sand hues are combined with navy blues, making an interesting yet powerful colour palette contrast. This season’s collection is for a confident and relentless woman. She manages to combine her feminine side with a nonconformist attitude.
Customer profile
Julie is a freelance fashion stylist and as such part of her role is to be engaged in all aspects of culture. Travelling plays also a vital role in her job, where she travels influences her style. She loves her job as she works with celebrities and musicians. She has worked in London and New York for numerous brands such as Rag & Bone and some of her clients include The New Yorker, Time Out magazine or Q magazine. She currently works as a consultant at Marc Jacobs. She likes to listen to hard rock and jazz music, being Arthur’s Tavern one of her favorite jazz club to go to when she stays in New York. She also loves movies: classics, cults or modern. it doesn’t matter which, she is into all of them. Travelling back and forth from New York to London has helped her to be open to different working environments and are also two main source of inspiration to her.
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S I L O U E T T E
N E O P R E N E
SCUBA
O V E R S I Z E
DETAILS
T O P S T I T C H E S
R E B E L A T T I T U D E
FREEDOM REVOLUTION
E X P R E S S Y O U R S E L F
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