Gemma Lewis BA Hons Fashion Communication www.issuu.com/GemmaLewis e: gemma.lewis@yahoo.com t: 07738928356
Portfolio Magazine Production Photography & Styling Concept Realisation
Magazine Production Creating an innovative new publication VEX Magazine is a high fashion, multi-sensory, bi-annual publication. Each sense is inspired by the current theme, POWER, captured in a sleek black collectable box Includes; Styling, Photography, Editorial, Typography & Layout
VEX MAGAZINE
Issue One
POWER ‘The Power of imagination makes us Powerful.’ VEX explores every dymension of your senses with multifaceted high impact. Propelling fashion, art and design into new ways of feeling and captured within its own unique collectable box, where high fashion meets high concept, to create instant art to be discovered again and again. Uncover the power of VEX Go beyond the obvious and ignore boundaries. Challenge yourself to feel. Stimulate your mind. Awaken your senses
Styling & Photography by Gemma Lewis Model: Jenny Luard & Jennifer Baker
VEX
Fashion is an illusion. A carefully constructed image of deception. A façade we all take part in, feeding our self-image. We obsess over it so often it has become second nature to us all. Image has become one of the most important aspects of ourselves and one that we spend millions on each year perfecting and embellishing to upgrade our best possible persona. From behind hidden doors we riffle through wardrobes and rummage through make up bags, prepping ourselves for the daily theatrical performance. Decorating our outer masks. But how much of your own image is actually, intrinsically “you”? Has image become an all too powerful illusion on which we base ourselves? Appearances have become the currency of our generation. We desperately acquire to achieve the look that will hail us as the new Kate Moss to only then discard our wardrobes before we’ve even had the chance to remove the tags. There is always a new dress or pair of shoes that I think will give me that instant recognition of “cool”. Hopelessly trying to justify to myself that without them, my life would be incomplete. We reconcile in our minds that our image is worth trading for fashion. But the fashion stakes are high and fraught with risk.
have come to feast with our eyes the same way we have come to consume alcohol, fast food or fast fashion; to excess. We gorge on a diet of illusion. Once upon a time we all indulged in this fantasy world. As children playing dress up was an innocent transformation into a make believe character. Even then we played at illusion as if it were a game. Like make believe, we could imagine ourselves as the person we wished most to be, acting out our alter ego for an imaginary crowd. But as adults we hide behind the façade rather than expressing our identity. We project an alter ego, the character we wish we were. But maybe, we should all learn to embrace our alter ego? Rather than hiding behind the veneer, our masks can empower us to resist the temptation of fading into the crowd. It can become the artful performance that shirks the restraints and insecurities we often reveal through our vulnerable selves. The act is surprisingly addictive. Our alter egos flourish on a diet of compliments so boosting our outer confidence restoring our belief in ourselves. Shallow? Yes. But our own image is so powerful because it is so emotionally charged. It represents to the world what and who we are. We see it every single day, a mirror image often reflecting back at us the hidden angst and insecurities we want to hide. Fashion affords us the distraction we need to inspire a stronger persona. If fashion has a sickness it has multiple personality disorder to extremes. From masculine to feminine, confident and authoritarian to boarderline insanity, the image we project enables us to assemble our own characterisation, ever changing from day to day echoing our mood. Illusion is boundless in its creativity and yet we are held back by insecurities. Dressing alone has the power to influence and persuade. In its hay day, power dressing was the ultimate form of fashion; ugly it may have been but 80’s fashion had the essence we’ve all lost in our image; the ability to empower ourselves through fashion. It is the ultimate ego trip. The illusion might be held together with fabric and stitches, but fashion can give us the platform to express who we really are, or least who we really want to be. So indulge in the illusion of your own self-image.
The ILLUSIONIST
We don’t give a second thought, although we might give a second glance, as we judge outfits of strangers, dismissively condemning anyone based entirely on their appearance. If we like what we see then we are instantly accepted, part of fashion’s elite club. Make a foe-par and you may as well have been draped in garbage such is the powerful cruelty of image. Today we seem to dress more as sheep following the crowed than peacocks attracting attention. The power of the mob overcomes our need for self-expression and individuality, too afraid to raise the stakes. Instead we dress to conform than to make a statement. And it’s obvious why when you begin to look all around you.
Images are inescapable. From billboards, to advertisements on television and magazines, images have come to dominate our every waking moment. They constantly invade our lives whether we like what they represent or not, influencing our perceptions about brands, products and even people. Their agenda is blatantly manipulative cunningly disguised by Emma Watson draped in the latest Burberry Trench or Scarlet Johansen languidly caressing a bottle of Dolce and Gabbana perfume. What was once simple persuasion has become the fashion propaganda of our time and we hunger to consume image after image of beautifully airbrushed image. We
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By Gemma Lewis
Styling & Photography
Styling & Photography by Gemma Lewis Make Up by Illamasqua Model: Jenny Luard
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Styling & Photography by Gemma Lewis Hair & Make-Up by Fern Freeman Model: Jenny Luard
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Styling & Photography by Gemma Lewis Model: Jennifer Baker
Whipped Up
Photographic Shoot inspired by the traditional British label, Barbour for Final Major Project Styling & Photography by Gemma Lewis Make-Up by Fern Freeman Models: Katie McCornish & Rory Johnson
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Fashion
SHOW
The Next Generation in Retail Design
Concept Realisation & Promotion Final year major project. Repositioning the Barbour brand for a younger target market using innovative experiential retail design.
The Face of Barbour is Changing...
Barbour has long been established as one of Britain’s iconic brands, synonymous with quality, herit-
age and the quintessential traditional, country lifestyle. Today the brand is no longer exclusive to those with country houses but has developed a cult following amongst the young and celebrities alike. Worn more as a statement piece than functional waterproof, Barbour’s wax jackets have become a fashion trend in their own right and universally loved for function as well as their design. However, the brand itself has had very little transformation despite its growing appeal amongst younger markets. Barbour is yet to open it’s own Flagship store with very few stand alone stores across the UK; the brand’s main availability being that of retail outlets and department store concessions. Both the brand’s stand alone stores and retail concessions have little in the way of visual merchandising, lacking any real communication between consumer and product.
Barbour’s branded experience… By creating a strong retail environment Barbour can differentiate itself as a forward thinking brand that reflects Barbour’s initiative to target new markets through innovation and dynamic change, whilst retaining what epitomizes the brand; that of heritage, quality and tradition. The first Barbour Flagship Store will embody a whole concept; a visual map of Barbour’s retail landscape demonstrating the brand’s journey from traditional country brand to inner city lifestyle trend. Inspired by the very landscape in which Barbour was born, the lines of the store will mirror the physical contours of the North East Landscape. The store design will provide a dynamic, modern space in which to shop Barbour’s entire collections all under one roof. Equally as important, this will be Barbour’s first opportunity to communicate across all ages and demographics in one physical space, creating an environment that enables customers of any age and style to express their own personal Barbour style, whilst providing an entertaining retail environment. The store will connect with customers on a personal level by inviting them to actively participate in its design. With the installation of multi-media touch screen; customers will literally change the landscape of the store through their own personal interaction with the space. The very building itself will come to life…
Ground Floor Theatre meets the retail experience. On entering the Barbour store, the viewer is met with a multi-sensory experience. More art installation than instore display, Barbour’s retail landscape will be a multi dimensional store experience.Living surfaces bring the floor to life, giving the impression of walking on water. Large fibre glass installations mirror this movement as subtle spot lights glint off their surface, providing the back drop from the which the merchandise suspends. Music plays quietly in the background as the smell of lush foliage fills the space from the living ceiling above.
Changing Rooms
The importance of Customer Experience Every aspect of the store’s layout is designed to maximise customer experience. From entering the Barbour store and throughout, brings new elements to the experience. Following on from the Ground Floor are the customer Changing Rooms.
First Floor
Experiential design Living surface floors continue upstairs, but take on a different appearance. Here accessories take precedent; seating areas are available for customers to try merchandise. Large inspirational visuals of Barbour’s new advertising campaign adorn the limestone walls.
Basement
Bringing the Outdoor Experience Indoors Walking down the smooth spiral staircase, into the basement, the customer is transported to an outdoor world. The ceiling is transformed into a rolling dusky sunset sky, reflecting on the marble flooring. Again merchandise suspends from flowing contour installations that span across the basement’s limestone walls.
Look books will promote Barbour’s new campaign; Barbour...The Next Generation.
Repositioning the Brand
Look Books & Advertising Promotional materials, with strong images will play a vital role in repositioning Barbour in the minds of a younger customer.
Gemma Lewis BA Hons Fashion Communication www.issuu.com/GemmaLewis e: Gemma.Lewis@yahoo.com t: 07738928356