Portfolio YEAR TWO

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section one self promotion what am i like? moodboard 5 objects that reflect me

Section two group all walks diversity project. final images group all walks diversity project. images in i-d editorial layout lord whitney workshop bright young things group concept store idea nous vous workshop group zine my diversity now zine

N O I T

C E S E N O

Self promotion DEVELOPMENT

I did a lot of small sketches of business card and logo ideas.

From looking at a wide variety of logos etc on Pinterest, I tried to be adventurous with the design of my logo, and jotting down as many ideas as I could remember.

LOGO

I chose this colour scheme because I feel it reflects my wardrobe and personality well. I love to wear black and white, but I also love soft, neutral colours. Together I feel they make an elegant and sophisticated looking colour palette.

What I like most about my logo is how many different colour combinations you can have so you can keep changing it, including putting patterns or photographs on the inside. I wanted to have a shape around my logo but was eager to steer away from rectangles and circles as they are used by so many people and I wanted something slightly different. I like the minimalism but stylish-ness of my logo.

LOGO IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS & LINK TO ONLINE PORTFOLIO

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CHOSEN BUSINESS CARD DESIGN GRACE COTTER FASHION COMMUNICATOR & PROMOTER

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gmscotter@hotmail.co.uk 07837 994473

I tried to experiment with using a variety of my colour combination logos to show how flexible the design is, seeing it on the stationary makes it look even more polished and crisp which isexactly what I wanted.

I chose to host my online portfolio on Cargo Collective because I love the elegant minimalism of their layouts which I think suits my work and self promotion well. Now I have an online portfolio I am more eager to keep updating it with my most recent work, especially now I am going to be applying for Summer Internships, and having an online portfolio will be a huge asset.

I kept my business card design very neutral and clean cut which I really like and it matches my CV perfectly.

GRACE COTTER FASHION COMMUNICATOR & PROMOTER

EDUCATION

REFERENCES

Nottingham Trent University

Urban Outfitters // Nottingham Christopher James Assitant Store Manager Units 13-15, Victoria Centre, Nottingham, NG1 3QN 01159 243407

Fashion Communcation & Promotion (BA Hons) 2012 - present [Predicted Grade - 2:1]

Milton Keynes College

Merit Foundation Diploma in Art, Design & Media 2011 - 2012

Royal Latin School // Buckingham A* Media Studies B English Literature C Design & Technology 2009 - 2011

Thornton College // Buckingham

8 GCSE’s grades A*- C incl English Language & Maths 2004 - 2009

EMPLOYMENT Urban Outfitters // Nottingham Sales Assistant Nov 2013 - present

MYNT Night Club // Nottingham Cashier Oct 2013 - present

Debenhams // Milton Keynes Sales Advisor Nov 2010 - present

Debenhams // Milton Keynes Daniel Garcia Menswear Manager 38 Midsummer Blvd, Milton Keynes, MK9 3GA 07772 579277

DETAILS BIRTH

13th January 1993

NATIONALITY

British

UNIVERSITY The Coach House Address 62 Tatbot Street Nottingham NG1 5GL HOME 6A Taverner Close Address Old Farm Park Milton Keynes MK7 8PJ

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07837 994473

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gmscotter@hotmail.co.uk

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BASIC CV, PREVIOUS CV & NEW COVER

! ! ! !

Grace M. S. Cotter!

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The Coach House, 62 Talbot Street, Nottingham, NG1 5GL! 07837994473 | gmscotter@hotmail.co.uk!

!

October 11, 2013!

For The Attention of the Recruitment Manager:!

Dear Sir/Madam,!

LETTER

The black CV to the left was my most recent CV before making this new one, because I had created it for applying to Urban Outfitters. I think that it suited the company I was aiming it for, but I wanted this newer one to be more stylish and minimal. To the right however I have used the cover letter I had sent to Urban Outfitters as it was my most formal and progressed then my recent ones sent to PR companies for internships in LFW. Overall I am really pleased with the way my logo and colour scheme look so far, and I do particularly like my CV as shown on the next page.

I am writing to apply for the part-time Sales Associate position advertised on your website within your new store, opening in Nottingham Victoria Centre. !

I have gained 3 years of experience within the Retail Industry through working at Debenhams in Milton Keynes. My role as a Sales Advisor has extensively developed throughout this time. I enjoy engaging with customers, both through conversation and service as I feel I am an enthusiastic and confident person who aims to go above and beyond to help customers. I have learnt a great deal about how to positively and effectively work within a team, especially as I have not only worked in Menswear, but nearly every other department within Debenhams. Therefore, I am able to directly establish good relationships with other members of staff, wherever I am placed. My job at Debenhams has involved a whole range of roles including:!

Working on the tills, fitting room & shop floor!

• Promoting & signing up customers to the Debenhams Mastercard!

• Working collaboratively & positively within a team!

• Attending managers meetings on behalf of my Department Manager, discussing the day's • strategies & takings so far !

Cashing up tills!

• Implementing the brand's standards of cleanliness, working the day's stock & ticketing • merchandise for sales events!

Doing overnight shifts to get department ready for 'Model Store' event in which • Managers visit from all over the country to see what a 'Model' store should look like!

Implementing new Visual Merchandising displays & floor plans which change every 6-8 weeks!

• Overseeing the department when Senior Members of Staff are unavailable!

• Staying up-to-date with current products & trends, making customers aware of them & bringing • them to the front of customers' sight lines!

!

I am currently studying Fashion Communication & Promotion at Nottingham Trent University. I feel a great deal of my current learning directly links to how I work in my job. This is because I have broadened and deepened my knowledge of Visual Merchandising, Marketing Strategies, Product Launches and ways of gratify customers by understanding consumers in a more insightful manner. I also chose to focus my project last year around Urban Outfitters as I am passionate about the brand and it's innovative & sustainable Visual Merchandising. From this I have learnt a huge amount about the brand and it's target consumers, as well as the brand's ethos and unique visual signature. Most of our course projects revolve around group work, which has furthered my communication and team work skills.

!

My Future Aspirations include: !

Applying to become a Deputy Head Fresher Rep next year!

• Applying to become a member of the Snow-sports Society Committee at University!

• Progressing to a Senior Sales Associate !

• After University, applying to gain a place on an Urban Outfitters Marketing & E-Commerce • Internship !

! ! !

I hope you will consider me for your Sales Associate role and I look forward to hearing from you soon, !

Yours Sincerely,!

Grace M. S. Cotter

NEW VISUAL CV. LEAFLET STYLE LAYOUT I had done a CV in this leaflet style before and I had alot of people compliement me on the design because they liked to see a CV not just on an A4 page. I find the leaflet style also makes it easier for me to section off things like education, work, contact details, as well as it being easier on the eye because the content is more spaced out and compacted. My previous CV had never gone into detail at all about my jobs or course so I am really pleased I was able to fit that information on without it looking too wordy. I feel someone can then read more about me and my experience from that than any of my previous CVs. A skills based CV has definitely suited me best because I feel I have had alot of experience fom lots of places within some specific areas of fashion which might have previousl been over looked as I could not go into detail about them.

BIRTH

13th January 1993

NATIONALITY British UNIVERSITY The Coach House Address 62 Tatbot Street Nottingham NG1 5GL HOME Address

6A Taverner Close Old Farm Park Milton Keynes MK7 8PJ

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07837 994473

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gmscotter@hotmail.co.uk

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Grace Maria Sofia Cotter

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/gracemariasofia

REFERENCES Urban Outfitters // Nottingham Christopher James Assitant Store Manager Units 13-15, Victoria Centre, Nottingham, NG1 3QN 01159 243407

Debenhams // Milton Keynes Daniel Garcia Menswear Manager 38 Midsummer Blvd, Milton Keynes, MK9 3GA 07772 579277

GRACE COTTER FASHION COMMUNICATOR & PROMOTER

At present, I am a student at Nottingham Trent University studying Fashion Communication & Promotion. I am in my 2nd year & enjoying the course immensely. Whilst I have always been interested in fashion and retail, the course has broadened my knowledge, creativity and perspective of the industry. I have received positive feedback and good grades on my work so far. My intention is to pursue a career in marketing and e-commerce, but I will eagerly explore other options on the career path.

I regard myself as versatile, adaptable and motivated and this can be evidenced by my maintaining three part-time jobs whilst I am studying. This also demonstrates my capability at multi-tasking and time management. On a personal level I am keen to gain a wide range of experience within the fashion communication business.

EDUCATION Nottingham Trent University Fashion Communcation & Promotion (BA Hons) 2012 - present [Predicted Grade - 2:1] During my time on this course I have undertaken live briefs, illustrated reports and a variety of other creative projects. All of which have explored everything from Fashion Media, Visual Merchandising and PR, to Trend Forecasting, Perfume Conceptualisation and Ecommerce Development.

Consistently working on group projects has meant I am well prepared for working closely in a team and adapting to working with different personalities. This was helped by taking part in tests such as ‘MyersBriggs’ and ‘Johari Window’. These tests were useful in increasing my awareness of my own personality traits and that of others, and how we work. Thus learning how I can work effectively & comfortably alongside those who work differently to myself.

This course has enabled me to apply my passion for communicating fashion and lifestyle messages in a commercially-aware way; visually, verbally and written. My breadth of knowledge has broadened across print & online media, learning to use it to communicate and captivate a growing, modern community of digital natives.

Milton Keynes College

Merit Foundation Diploma in Art, Design & Media 2011 - 2012

Royal Latin School // Buckingham A* Media Studies B English Literature C Design & Technology 2009 - 2011

Thornton College // Buckingham

8 GCSE’s grades A*- C incl English Language & Maths 2004 - 2009

EMPLOYMENT Urban Outfitters // Nottingham Sales Assistant Nov 2013 - present I had the opportunity to assist the team in preparing the new store for it’s launch in November. Working for Urban Outfitters has given me a unique insight into the company, whose culture I too have bought into for years. Assisting in the store’s visual merchandsing has boosted my understanding of how merchandsing is used to entice customers.

On top of the usual Sales Assistant’s responsibilites, I keep up with current trends and the store’s best sellers to upsell further products to customers. Working for such a fast growing, successful company has informed me on how such stores work to attract their highly fashion conscious customers.

MYNT Night Club // Nottingham Cashier Oct 2013 - present

Debenhams // Milton Keynes Sales Advisor Nov 2010 - present

WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF Visual Merchandising I have been involved in visual merchandising within Urban Outfitters & Debenhams. I did a University set project focussed on the comparison between the way in which Urban Outfitters and Ralph Lauren merchandise their stores to attract their target consumers.

Another project involved creating a proposed window display inspired by the artist, Piet Mondrian. I also attended a visual merchandising workshop run by ‘Visual Brand Matters’. All of which have given me creative and hands on experience of fashion merchandising.

Trend Forecasting I attended a guest lecture from Sally Denton, Managing Director at ‘The Trend Boutique’, the trend forecasting agency. I have also attended two trend conferences organised by her company: ‘LS:N Global Trend Briefing 2013’ & ‘Online Vs Offline 2013’. All of which included in depth trend forecasts, and guest lectures from influencial individuals such as Antony Waller & Richard Danks from Portas Agency. I have, from this, learnt some valuable information on the direction of what we will be consuming, and how.

Concept & Brand Development Multiple course projects have involved briefs relating to creating a brand from scratch, to build a connection between product, brand and consumer. We have brainstormed multiple concepts, ranging from a new type of tea to a luxury perfume to be sold in Selfridges. Learning the theory and fundamental structure needed to create a dynamic & lasting brand, has further informed my knowledge of how a brand is developed in industry.

What am i like ? moodboard What am i like...?

I decided to reference alot of my instagram photographs and look at them differetly to usual, and see what you can tell about me from my photographers.

These include my love for buying new shoes, my love of makeup, and how I now have a draw full of it. I am cosiest when in bed with my teddy. All these pesonal things I found I referenced alot within my Instagram so im sure others feel they would know me quite well based on my instagram photographs.

5 objects that reflect me

moving manifesto

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I ran out of time when it came to making my moving image so I have embedded my previous practice run of chosen moving manifesto but I want to actual create it properly when I have the time in the reading weeks.

SECTION TWO

group all walks diversity project. final images These were our final images from our Diversity Photoshoot which we decided to focus on how symmetry of te face is said to be more beautiful, but as we have shown, that is not always the case. It was due to people having surgery to make their faces more symmetric that we wanted to disprove this myth.

Our hair was a way of catching poeples attention but also to emphasise the symmetry of our faces, adding to the sense of surrealism we wanted to create. This was down to the fact that its almost unnatural to have a perfectly symmetric face, so we wanted to emphaise that these images are as unrealistic as the ones we see of women in magazines who have been photoshopped to ‘perfection’.

The magazine, i-D, worked well with our concept because they are not afraid to put surreal and bizarre images on their front covers, such as crazy hair styles like ours. Also the magazines revolves around Identity which links well due to the fact that having an unsymetic face is what gives us all our unique qualities. They make up our identity.

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Grace Cotter Photographed by Her Group

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Brian Liu Photographed by Her Group

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Anna Lewis Photographed by Her Group

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Aimee Joughin Photographed by Her Group

lord whitney workshop

I thoroughly enjoyed this workshop because although I have never been much into 3D design work, it was fun doing something outside of my comfort zone and I really like our groups idea of the human sized light bulb.

bright young things group concept store idea

Our designer was Millinary designer Keely Hunter whose hats were very edgy, fashion forward with alot of geometric shapes and reflected light and colour. Therefore we wanted our store to have a very geormetrics slotted togetehr feel, with the walls being made up of sections of plastics with some being cupboards inside. We also liked the idea of having the hats hag down from the ceiling because her style is very unique and we wanted to reflect that in the store by doing someone no where else does with their hats, which are usually sat on tables or mannequin heads.

nous vous workshop group zine The Nous Vous workshop was probably my faviourte activity this year so far. I have always enjoyed beign hands on after my Art Foundation so It was good to see how I could put that to practical use and still work in graphics on the computer by scanning them in. Theres something nice about looking at work which you know is hand drawn because I feel our world if full of computer generated graphics that we now appreacite the artistry behind that which has been created or drawn by hand.

As a group we each close a line or two of the lyrics and intepretted them individually which worked well because those who chose the same lyric interpretted it so differently visually.

Mine was related to the light reflected off the city’s surfaced which I interpretted as quite collage-y with built up buildings covered in glass as now our building all over the world are becoming bigger and bigger reflecting away the light that should be falling onto us.

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my diversity now zine For my zine I wanted to focus on how digital and social media, plastic surgery and the sexualisation of women, has all in some way affected to want to change our bodies. And if we could just customise ourselves to the point of walking up to a vending machine and buying new eyes, would we ever be happy with how we look? or just continue in a visious circle of self loathing and addiction to surgery.

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