THE JOURNEY BOOK Book (1/4)

The Journey Book – the following words before you, underpin the foundations for my Final Major Project. I have decided to extend my Brand Me name ‘The Concept of Orange’ to showcase my way of working, my methodology and all my skills to take on any brief, showing you through the lens.

The Journey Book sets the scene of my project, highlighting my story to solidifying my final idea, my key influences, what my final major project actually is, my target consumer, new areas of researching, key themes, plans and final outcomes. As I hone down on all my acquired skills throughout my journey over the past three years, I feel hopeful that I have successfully orchestrated a project that has pushed my creativity.

Bubble-up and trickle-down fashion theories have always stayed with me since my early learning on the course, which meant it felt only natural to incorporate this within my final major project. Colour is so important to me and the way I work which is transpired through my creations. Re-imagining my childhood in a colourful way was something so pinnacle to this project, so I have decided to work on a strategic final major project proposing and projecting two brands into different market levels. This still aims to successfully shine a light on my own personal way of working through being colourful and naive, where there is still an element of darkness to it. Darker times can be so liberating for you, and I have really maximised this concept over the past year…

THE JOURNEY.

1 - 2 BRAND ME RE-CAP 360 CAMPAIGN RE-CAP 5 - 6 7 BRINGING THIS TO BRAND MANAGEMENT INITIAL IDEAS 9 MAGAZINES -----------------------------PERFECT˙ 11 - 20 DAZED POP STYLING 21 - 25

FRUiTS 26 CHILDRENS TV CONTINUED INFLUENCES ELIZAVETA PORODINA 29 - 30 31 - 32 TIM WALKER ROBBIE SPENCER 33 - 34 35 - 36 JUERGEN TELLER SHOWstudio 37 - 38 41 GENERATION - Z THE METAVERSE? 43 - 46 47 - 50 MATTY BOVAN + CASE STUDY OUTSIDERS DIVISION + CASE STUDY 51 - 54 55 - 58 UPDATEED TIME MANANGEMENT PLAN KEY THEMES AND ELEMENTS 59 - 62 64 FINAL MAJOR PROJECT STATEMENT

TEST SHOOTS 67 - 84 STYLING WITH COLOUR STYLING ON BODIES 85 - 90 91 - 92 STYLING SHOOT OUTCOMES POP - UP BOOK IDEA 93 - 96 97 - 98 IN CONVERSATION WITH YEVGENIYA YERETSKAYA INDUSTRY MENTOR: CHRISTOPHER SHANNON 99 - 100 OUTSIDERS DIVISION ---------------------------MOOD BOARD 101 - 120 FINAL SHOOT PROPOSAL

BEHIND THE SCENES POST PRODUCTION FINAL NFTs FINAL BOOK

MATTY BOVAN MOOD BOARD-----------------------------------------------------121 - 140 FINAL SHOOT PROPOSAL POST PRODUCTION INTRODUCING DYSTOPIAN ROSE MAKING THE CAMPAIGN FILM WATCH THE FILM FINAL BOOK COFFEE TABLE BOOK

141 - 142 CONCEPT BOOKS 143 - 144 145 - 146 PLANNING MY EXHIBITION INSTAGRAM 147 - 148 150 SUMMARY REFERENCES 153 - 154 155 - 156 IMAGE REFERENCES

My Brand Me section of my Concept Direction and Development module was liberating for me. I learnt a lot about myself; my strengths, my weaknesses, and people’s opinions on me.

It is firmly noticeable that my childhood has had a considerable impact on me, alongside my later teenage and early adult hood years, my whole life so far essentially. With the loss of my dad just before coming into third year, it still continues to take a toll on me as I deal with my grief in my own way. Although we did not have a loving father-daughter relationship, his persona and his death has had a huge impact on me, my way of thinking and how I interact with people on gaining trust and seeing people for who they really are. I am stronger.

Being an only child was quite a lonely experience, you are left to your own devices, and I would often think too much inside my head.

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It was Important that I was honest throughout, and it is important that I still talk about times that were challenging. It has made me feel better within myself and I am more determined as the negative elements to one’s life, can sometimes liberate them and transform them for the better. This is the case for me. Not many people can understand or put into perspective what I have dealt with and how I work, which is ok. I just have my own ways of doing things, and that’s what contributes to making me the way I am.

I also researched and understood what brands I sit alongside and what that means. I sit alongside the luxury designer market level, and I am a maximalist who loves colour, drama, and bold designs.

The way I see the world is through a creative manner.

To my conclusion I am a synesthete who experiences senses differently. This is where information that stimulates one of your senses, in fact stimulates several of your senses. For me, this is seeing something and feeling a colour (usually a person). I link colours to different emotions, and it is often with peoples aura’s that I feel a different colour. These colours are just in my mind, I can’t see them outside of my body, but I find it interesting when I really sit and think about it.

Investigating this further within my Brand Me overview, I think this may be an underlying factor as to why colour is an important element within my work.

The Concept of Orange became my Brand Me name, as I associated the colour Orange with different qualities that are unique and with my own ways of thinking and doing, it seemed suitable to me.

During this time, I maximised my opportunities in understanding myself, as people never really have the time or want to sit and think about themselves in a deep and meaningful way, like I have done.

Brand Me in conclusion, was an eye-opening and educational time for me and this has informed the way I work and how I aim to move forward.

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I further looked at the brands I sit alongside and proposed ideas for three brands as followed:

My 360-campaign acted as my initial ideas for my final major project. My consumer focussed on Generation-Z and how they understand that brands put profit before people (Langer, 2021). My gap in the market is actually building meaningful relationships with slow integration of ideas rather than over-saturating the consumer with information and concepts that will just go over their heads.

My aim was to bring entertainment and excitement through a dramatic approach fuelled with rich colour and positivity in helping consumers relate with brands on individual levels. This is so they feel a part of what the brand stands for. With the idea of venturing into different market levels to help this, rather than just creating sub-brands or collaborations at a lower cost.

For once, people will come before profit.

Bringing this to brand management has meant my ideas have changed and developed slightly, which will be explained further along in this journey book.

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1. How can Matty Bovan be trickled down to a more middle brand, in conjunction with his conceptual line, to widen his consumer base?

2. How could a streetwear/sports brand such as Nike become conceptual and visionary like Comme des Garçons?

3. How could A-Cold-Wall become conceptual and visionary like Comme des Garçons?

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As I entered the beginning of my Brand Management module, it began to sink in that this was where I would develop my final FMP plans, proposal, developments, and outcome.

Referring back to my 360 Campaign, I approached it with a clear idea of using the bubble-up and trickledown fashion theories. I knew I wanted to incorporate these within my final major project because they play a part of the foundations within my early learning at university.

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Due to my growing interest and appreciation to designer, Matty Bovan, I am certain I will be taking his more visionary and conceptual line, trickling it down to a more middle brand which is even more accessible to our Generation Z cohorts. I knew that I didn’t want to re-invent him as a brand, but simply use him as a placeholder to show the potential to other brands.

My other two proposals from my 360 Campaign just didn’t feel right for me anymore. I think it was important for me to ensure whatever I chose to do; I could bubble it up to a more visionary market because by doing this, I am demonstrating the use of entering two different market levels. In order to find the brand that felt completely right, I conducted a lot of research, examining their brand values and image and what their consumer is. Eventually I discovered one that felt right, and I clicked with straight away, which will be revealed further on.

For my FMP I will be focusing on the idea on bubbling up and trickling down within fashion. I want to use the concept of drama and naivety through the use of colour to transpire my ideas within my final outcome.

Drama was very consistent throughout my childhood and today, for me, it is about ensuring I can maintain a colourful outlook on all situations which differs from my previous black and white outlook on life.

With my keen and growing interest in researching stylists such as Robbie Spencer and creative directors such as Grace Coddington I have realised that these are areas that I would find exciting to venture into when I leave university. Much like many other noteworthy creatives, they individually add their own personal touches to the project whilst also ensuring the wants and needs of the designers story is still at the forefront of the outcome.

Storytelling is so important to me and my work, where it can also provide substance to what you are creating.

Stories without words is what I frequently refer back to, which means that everything I use or suggest must have a reason.

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As mentioned previously, my aim is to trickle-down and bubble-up a brand, using them as a placeholder to demonstrate the possibilities of venturing into different market levels, with the hopes of widening their consumer base, providing for the needs of Generation-Z and making them feel valued.

I love collecting fashion magazines, especially very visual ones, so an idea that was surfaced early one was the notion of putting my brands into magazines that don’t necessarily feature them as often. For example, could Matty Bovan be placed in Dazed Magazine or Tatler. I explored these magazines in my sketchbook further.

I would like to incorporate filmed media within my final major project as I have used this within previous projects, therefore I know I have the capabilities of creating something visual through film to support my ideas and be a part of my final outcome.

The following areas of research are ones that have helped me develop my mental vision of my FMP, where I have begun to visually plan and create my outcomes in response.

I have always had a love for fashion magazines, and as I have begun to find my own style and ways of working, it is more visually stimulating and conceptual ones that I like the best, for example, Perfect˙ and Pop Magazine are my favourite and I will also collect the likes of Dazed and Wonderland, alongside Vogue. I admire the layout of different magazines, and how they approach the design of each page.

Referring back to the early idea surrounding placing brands within different magazines, this is where one of the concepts for one of my final outcomes to be in came about. A coffee table book, primarily inspired by Perfect˙ Magazine as a host for my FMP. Researching my magazine influences was important because it helped me gain further information about them, how they work and who buys them.

Perfect˙ is a relatively new magazine that I have invested in within the last few months.

‘In a period when fashion, media and advertising industries are undergoing seismic changes, Perfect˙ reflects the times.’ (theperfectmagazine.com | About, n.d.). Perfect˙ creates content for, and with the biggest brands in the industry, alongside new and emerging talent.

They acknowledge the importance of the digital world and their aim to is to allow individuals to experience their content through any media channel, whilst also working with the best hand-printers for maximum effect.

My favourite elements about Perfect˙ is that each issue is a huge coffee table book. With hundreds of pages to flick through, each page tells a different story. The paper used within these pages, change, and alter as you go through which adds to the luxuriousness of the magazine. It’s definitely where I gained my inspiration from when creating my own coffee table book as a location to celebrate my work and my creative journey from my final year at university which I will address further on in my journey book.

The average cost of Perfect˙ is roughly £45 which seems expensive, however when you have the final issue in your hands, you can understand. This is an investment, and the first three issues have started my collection of these treasurable books There are pages within pages and interactive elements such as a record player, floppy disc type material, which allows you to play music whilst reading the magazine. As someone myself who wants to cherish tangible materials through printed magazines, Perfect˙ can provide for me and this is something important as I believe not all imagery is as effective digitally.

FIGURE 1: Kate NV photographed by Filatova (2021) for Perfect˙ Issue Zero

FIGURE 2: Perfect˙Issue 1 from boutiquemags.com

FIGURE 4: Perfect˙Issue 0 Hsien Ching from boutiquemags,com

FIGURE 3: Perfect˙Issue 2, Cindy Huang from boutiquemags.com

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FIGURE 7: Dazed front cover, Vivienne Sassen (2018)

FIGURE 5: Billie Eilish for Dazed, photograhed by Harmony Korine from dazeddigital.com

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FIGURE 6. Harry Styles for Dazed, photographed by Rafael Pavarotti Styling Ibrahim Kamara (2021) from dazeddigital.com

Dazed magazine was my very first ‘fashion magazine’, yes, I collected the odd Vogue cover to begin with, but Dazed provided me with a lot of creative influences and ideas for fashion imagery.

Dazed is a printed magazine, but also lives and breathes in the digital world, social media and showcases talent across more than one title. These include Nowness, AnOther and Dazed Beauty, which I regularly interact with posts on social media, rather than purchasing printed copies.

‘THIS IS GENERATION FOREVER – A SET OF VALUES THAT TRANSCEND AGE GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS, A WORLDVIEW THAT WILL OUTLAST ALL OF US.’ (About | Dazed Media, n.d.). They are the location for new talent, culture, gender, youth, and the creatives of tomorrow whilst also leveraging a platform for the bigger names in the industry through brands and celebrities.

Pop is a British fashion magazine that was co-founded in 2000 by Ashley Heath and editor Katie Grand. I refer to Pop for a lot of my visual inspiration as it is the perfect host for contemporary culture and communication. The bi-annual magazine showcases months of hard work and engaging text to keep you amused until the next issue comes out which is what I love about it, there is just so much. The pages have a glossy finish to them, and it allows the colours to quite literally

POP out of the page.

I always go to my Pop magazines for images to use within my collages and even digital edits as I am guaranteed a vast collection of imagery that I won’t have to use anything more than once. Images are what draws me in and Pop in undoubtedly capable of doing that to anyone.

FIGURE 11: Pop magazine image by Elizaveta Porodina, 2021 from Pop 46 S/S22

FIGURE 9: Bella Hadid for Pop, photographed by Carlijn Jacobs (AW21) from fashionfav.com

FIGURE 10: Bella Hadid for Pop 2018, photographed by Charlotte Wales from fashiongonerogue.com FIGURE 8: Daria Werbrowy for Pop 2016 from designscene.net photographed by Juergen Teller

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FIGURE 13: @fruits_magazine_archive from dazeddigital.com

FIGURE 12: Fruits Number 6 photographed by Shoichi Aoki from i-d.vice.com

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FIGURE 14: Fruits Number 13 photographed by Shiochi Aoki from tokyo-fashion.tumblr.com

FRUiTS in its time was a very specific magazine which focused on the diverse style of subcultures in Harajuku. Shiochi Aoki’s main interest was the emergence of Decora, which was a style inspired by cartoons in the 1980s, layers of bright and colourful accessories, hair pins and frills, all contributing to a very innocent appearance (Vu, 2020). The magazine ran from 1997 through to 2017, where Aoki said that there were no more cool kids to photograph. Another main reason to stopping the publication was due to the rise in fast fashion. He says the Harajuku style scene has become oversaturated with mainstream, mass produced trends. This reinforced the evidence on how damaging fast fashion is to unique styling and the hard work of higher, more luxury brands.

Japanese fashion has had a significant impact on the world of fashion, from the likes of Rei Kawakubo’s Comme des Garçons, challenging and deconstructing the norms surrounding women’s beauty, through to Shiochi Aoki’s FRUiTS Magazine which captured the uniqueness of Japanese street style.

For me, the Decora style is colourful and naive, it is playful and the layering by clashing colours and patterns is something that I really like to look at. It is shown that Western culture has relied on and has been influenced by Japanese culture and design, so to not acknowledge where some of our inspiration has originated from, would not be fair.

STYLING EARLY ON...

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Alongside my early research and pinning down my final idea, I attended a styling workshop held by Tony Green. In all honesty, styling being very imperative to the world of fashion, communicating ideas and telling stories, never really excited me. It wasn’t until I had my own ideas, that I could transpire my thoughts using physical materials. The workshop was all about creating unusual shapes on the body and for me, this worked well with my ideas surrounding drama and naivety.

I found the session eye-opening, and I learnt a lot. It allowed me to see my creativity within layering and creating different silhouettes and shapes on the body. Having Matty Bovan in my mind, I reminded myself that he uses layering to build up his stories and clashes patterns. I then applied this to my own work, using a range of different materials such as bed sheets, fleece blankets, shirts, tights and more. The red Dr Martens were my dad’s from the 80’s and I feel this helps tie my image together. Acting as clown shoes, it adds character to my final images that I developed digitally from the styling session.

I began styling on a mannequin, which then moved quickly onto a real body. I wanted to see how it moved and what it would look like compared to a static mannequin. I shot loads of images, all from different angles and then imported a few of my favourites into Photoshop, where I began editing. I ended up editing them to look very childlike, almost circus looking.

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DIGITAL

OUTCOMES

FIGURE 15: Worzel Gummidge and Aunt Sally, 1970s, ITV/REX/ Shutterstock from dailymail.co.uk

Within my personal way of working, it has been apparent that colour has had played a huge role within my work. Alongside this, some of my creations in my third year at university have had a childlike appearance to them.

Moving on from the styling session, when editing these up I wanted them to have a child-like feel to them which would later inform my ideas surrounding naivety and drama. Research conducted after my editing involved the likes of looking at children’s TV. Worzel Gummidge was a children’s sitcom from the 70’s which is about a scarecrow that comes to life. Aunt Sally is another character within the show that portrays a doll-like character. I like to include these doll-like appearances and lean more towards naive poses within fashion because it helps to tell a story more creatively in my mind. Worzel Gummidge is not produced anymore; however, I can certainly reference it in that children’s TV and naivety can be picked up within the fashion community in transpiring a youthful and playful narrative.

Brand Me collage - Children’s TV shows I liked

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Within my work, I like to focus on colour and the positivity displayed within these, however the more I analyse my creations, I can always notice a darker side. I know this is my emotions coming through and being transferred into my images, which I like.

Elizaveta Porodina is someone I have referenced before. The Moscow-based photographer has an essence of dark romanticism within her work, where she experiments with melancholic symbolism, the ambiguous and explores time and space through visually transcending us through different emotions (artpil.com/ elizaveta-porodina/, n.d.).

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I have a lot of admiration for Porodina’s photography because to me, they look like pieces of artwork, rather than photography. I can feel the movement within the photographs, despite them being static images. Her layering of the subject adds dimension, where much her these hazy, dream-like pictures are achieved through playing and experimenting with light.

My aim has always been to try and emulate some of her approaches within my work, so for my final major project, I will be attempting to add a hazy, dreamy aesthetic to some of my final images.

All imagery for collage sourced from: https://www.instagram.com/elizavetaporodina/ Digital collage by Heleena Houston

All imagery for collage sourced from: https://www.timwalkerphotography.com Digital collage by Heleena Houston

Tim Walker: the British fashion photographer has been a pioneer within the creative fashion industry, who has very distinctive approaches to his pieces.

I have continued to reference Walker within all of my projects across my time at university as he has had a huge influence on me when creating my own imagery. Especially as I have conducted more photoshoots this year due to our emergence from the pandemic and social-distancing measures, I have been able to consider my subject and model more, thinking about angles and how in post-production editing, the images can be developed.

Tim Walker has a specific methodology in creating his work. He has contributed to many magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, W, Love, AnOther Man and i-D etc. He has held many exhibitions; Wonderful Things at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London being the most innovative and emotional exhibition I have ever visited at the venue. The V&A is one of my favourite London museums and luckily, hosting Tim Walker’s creations allowed me to immerse myself into fashion photography in a physical way, from set design to simple portraiture shots, I felt as if I was in the picture. He has a massive love and admiration for the fantasy world, which is shown through his storytelling skills, Alice in Wonderland being my favourite of all shoots.

His manipulation with colour and proportion are the main elements I take away from Walker’s approach, and in the future, I hope I can create imagery where emotions are felt by the onlookers and not just the creator.

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I think my favourite styling shot that Robbie Spencer has styled is Craig Green’s AW 22 collection photographed by Paul Phung (Robbie Spencer on Instagram, n.d.). Craig Greens collection highlighted the postpandemic approach to dressing again – Green said “It was always about feeling things again: experiencing things in reality and touching things, for comfort but also for suffocation” (Christian Madsen, 2022). For me it conveys a sensation of overwhelming feelings. Within the photographic shot that Spencer has shared, it is more emotional and effective than that of a catwalk image. The tone of the image has dark and light areas, where the pandemic can represent these dark times, then we have an abundance of feelings and emotions that should be a positive thing to feel again, however many of us are finding it hard to comprehend after having changed out lifestyles and this can be very suffocating. Even the models stance; one arm is hiding, perhaps signifying the reluctant approach of feeling exposed to everything again.

Having referenced Robbie Spencer in my 360 Campaign, it felt only natural to incorporate him into my journey book, due to the interests I have developed in styling. As discussed earlier, the styling session that I attended in January, hosted by illustrator Tony Green was a really eye-opening day for me. It encouraged me to create a series of styling with colour, where I further created a TikTok video which highlighted the process and outcomes.

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Robbie spencer has created some of the most ‘striking’ editorial imagery (Suleman, 2013). He has regularly styled for Craig Green, Dazed magazine, Another magazine, Jo Malone, Simone Rocha, and more magazines. His influence on styling is very specific; coming from an artistic background allows a tangible narrative to be shown through final images and films.

Spencer meticulously executes and maximises a space compared to just focusing on the clothing.

In previous interviews and in my research, I have been able to understand and appreciate the roles and responsibilities that a stylist must embody, such as methods of communication. A stylist plays a major role in storytelling and communicating ideas to other members of a team. Mood boards should be created to allow narratives to be understood by all people working on the same project. As I will be the stylist within my final major project shoots, I have created mood-boards for make-up and physical poses for my models to re-enact/ work with when the time comes.

FIGURE 16: Goy Lod Khali for Reedition magazine styled by Robbie Spencer, photographed by Tom Johnson, 2021 from Instagram

FIGURE 17: Goy Lod Khali for Reedition magazine styled by Robbie Spencer shot by Tom Johnson, 2021, from Instagram

FIGURE 18: For Re-edition magazine, styled by Robbie Spencer, photographed

by Tom Johnson, 2021, from Instagram

FIGURE 21: Vivienne Westwood photographed by Juergen Teller, 2016 from mutualart.com

FIGURE 19: ‘Cerith, Suffolk’ photographed by Juergen Teller 2016, from lehmannmaoupin.com FIGURE 20: Kate Moss ‘Red Kate’, London, 1998, photographed

by Juergen Teller from deutscheboersephotographyfoundation.org

FIGURE 22: ‘Men and Women, No. 13, Memphis/ William Eggleston listening to Tchaikovsky’ photographed by Juergen Teller, 2010, from lehmannmaupin.com

Juergen Teller navigated his way within the fashion industry through new British culture, magazines, particularly i-D and The Face which is where his work could be located.

In the past, he has shot campaigns for Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Céline, and Vivienne Westwood.

His work has been memorable and his approach to presentations of his photographic series is unique.

Recently, Teller has created a collection of editorial imagery, naming it Donkey Man and Other Stories, Volume 1 published by Rozolli. It acts as a presentation of the past thirty years of his own outcomes (Nowill, 2021).

As I am a maximalist, I love to fill a page and leave no negative space, however researching more into Juergen Teller and his contributions to fashion imagery has been critical for me as it has allowed me to see that images can sometimes work better on their own with more negative space. Having lots of white space around an image can in fact be beneficial as you are able to focus more on the subject. I can still be a maximalist but present some images more independently.

Emotion is imperative to Teller’s work, and he believes that going digital and the growth of Instagram has damaged the uniqueness of fashion images. For Teller, he would much rather celebrate magazines over social media. I can understand his reasonings for this as Instagram can contribute to the oversaturation of imagery, where fashion could or has become an everyday sight, rather than a luxury opportunity visualising it through a fashion magazine. I utilise Instagram as a place for my imagery and nearly every designer has a presence on Instagram, however I will still be creating a physical outcome such as a coffee table book as a compilation and celebration of all the imagery I have created. He supports tangible outcomes, I want to embody this, alongside giving digital natives the opportunity to see this online as well because digital is more accessible.

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“ FIGURE 23: Nick Knight photographed by Britt Lloyd from nickknight.com

We’ve accepted that the way to represent clothes is by static image. I went over that again and again in my mind, and I thought ‘Well, this can’t be true to the designer’s vision ... that’s something that’s given rise to fashion film, and it’s very much a feeling that it’s a better way of showing fashion.

- NICK KNIGHT

FIGURE 24: Screenshot from SHOWstudio.com, 2022

”

Nick Knight, founder, and director of SHOWstudio started the platform as a means of pushing the boundaries with digital fashion communication. I am a frequent visitor to their website as it has helped me with inspiration, interviews, and general understandings of specific narratives etc. As I have ventured into the digital sphere majorly within my work, it has helped formed stories that show the importance of digital communication. I am very much an analogue and digital creator, where I will aim to combine the two in most situations.

SHOWstudio has been a leading innovator when it comes to fashion film and moving imagery. When creating my fashion film on ‘An Identity Crisis’ in my second year, I referenced SHOWstudio as a place of research and appreciation that a platform such as this exists. For example, SHOWstudio encouraged me to use facial filters in my video as a way to distort the subject.

SHOWstudio highlights the importance of collaboration with both designers and models such as Comme des Garçons and Kate Moss (About SHOWstudio, n.d.). Knight is a forward thinking individual who understands the importance in expressing yourself (Johnson-Wheeler, 2020) stating that he’d ‘much rather, as a society we look towards the future’.

He also suggests ‘creating the vision that we can all aspire to’ which I resonate with, mainly through storytelling in a way that people can experience through the lens of The Concept of Orange. Knight himself, supports and encourages the future as he knows that the generations to come will be the creators and are going to change the world.

FIGURE 25: SHOWstudio Instagram page from @showstudio

Fashion image making and the way we access these means of imagery is changing and developing constantly and SHOWstudio is a great location to source new and existing, forward-thinking innovators.

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Within all my projects at university, I have focused on Generation-Z as a consumer, further using them in my 360 Campaign book, suggesting they will be my consumer base for my final major project. This has not changed.

Something important to me, is that 9 in 10 Gen-Zs see themselves as a creative (Voxburner, 2020). I know I am a creative and destine to be in the creative industry, and a lot of the people I surround myself with, would say the same about themselves too.

As an industry that has been slammed by Conservatives where people in creative sectors have been encouraged to get ‘real jobs’ - An article written by (Ashley, 2022) on why the Tory’s have always hated creativity is due to them consistently prioritising money over everything. This has impacted artistic subjects within educational scenes as departments face cuts, however the reason for why the Arts cannot contribute to British culture, is because the government are the ones tearing apart the resources to successfully do this.

To me, the creative paths I have followed is what has made me happy and unique to other people. I wanted to push the boundaries within my own family and endure a creative path that was right for me, instead of doing something else just so I can ‘get a good job at the end of it’. Gen-Zs are the ones pushing the boundaries, they have a louder voice and won’t be told what to do. The creative industry can offer escapism and keep a nation joyful, generate and influence new creative individuals and also ‘creates pathways for subversion, for political understanding and solidarity’(Ashley, 2022).

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By 2035, Gen-Z are set to make up over 40% of global personal luxury goods, which means they will be trend setters, and leading the way within this sector. They have a real concern for people and planet before profit and will boycott any brands that deny this or fail to provide for the needs of the consumer and the planet, through transparency needs not being met.

Right now, in 2022, as a Gen-Z member, I am creative and have an aspiration for moving into the luxury designer sector at some point in my career. I know I do not have the disposable income which allows me to invest in luxury designer brands, despite my desperation to do so. Luxury designer brands often create diffusion lines which is aimed at a slightly younger consumer, allowing them to financially invest within the brand at a lower price point, but where the reputation of the brand is not affected.

This has been my main inspiration for my final major project in actually building the foundational relationships between brands and consumer, capturing Gen-Z under a trustworthy umbrella, where the consumer can rely on these brands throughout their life.

It’s time to put people before profit and this is the main message I want to offer in my FMP. Generation-Z are extremely digital savvy, and with the expertise in digital skills and understanding of this particular sphere, they will be the ones who continue to transform and develop both the digital and physical worlds we inhabit.

The Metaverse is something I was adamant that I wouldn’t include in my work because I just didn’t get it and, in all honesty, I just found it really overwhelming. This just shows how quickly technology and digital advancements are moving.

Despite my ignorance to the digital world changing, I have softened to the idea and have seen the endless possibilities that brands can have within this new world, especially luxury designer labels.

So, what is the Metaverse? It’s seen as a threedimensional online location that mixes augmented and virtual realities, where individuals can interact with oneanother with the use of avatars through ‘working, playing, shopping, trying on clothes, attending concerts and even buying land’ (Subdhan, 2022). In previous projects, during my 2030 trend forecast, I touched on the subject of having digital avatars where people could try on luxury designer clothing before purchasing online. This can now be seen as a vision within the metaverse and does exist through platforms such as Roblox and Fortnite, where you never physically own garments for your characters, but you own them digitally.

In regard to the fashion industry, big brands are seeing the opportunities they can have within this digital space.

The fashion industry has recently been collaborating with different industries such as gaming which plays a driving force in entering the Metaverse. Brands that have deeprooted heritage within their brand, may find it difficult to open up their avenues and welcome in a whole department dedicated to the gaming world, but we are starting to see this emerge. Fortnite collaborated in a creative partnership with Balenciaga where their Fall 2021 runways was a video game (Cole, 2021).

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Rather than pure gaming being integrated into the fashion world, it’s more about living in a completely virtual reality which is where the links into cryptocurrency and NFTs arrive. The Metaverse aims to be a complete digital economy where individuals will be able to create, buy and sell items.

As authenticity and transparency are major factors for luxury designer labels, a Non-Fungible Token (NFT) could be their best friend. (Subdhan, 2022) helps define what these are by suggesting these digital assets allow recorded ownership within a public registry called blockchain. Blockchain is referred to as a system that can verify transactions across several linked computers, where records cannot be changed, helping assets with traceability and transparency. Within these digital worlds, they have their own cryptocurrencies which means that in the future we could potentially consume solely via the Metaverse. NFTs have also been referred to as ‘digital art’ which is why more luxury designer brands could invest in this realm as it could help them with brand exposure among not only fashionistas, but also people from the gaming world.

FIGURE 27: NIKELAND from news.nike.com

*In my Outsiders Division concept book, I have conducted an interview with a Generation-Z member who has knowledge and previous experience within the investment of NFTs and cryptocurrency.

FIGURE 28: Dolce and Gabbana NFT from zipmex.com

Despite the evidence of luxury designer labels entering the gaming world such as the Fortnite and Balenciaga collaboration, this alternative approach to fashion still remains unadopted by the majority of brands. (Zwieglinska, 2021) informs us that Dolce & Gabbana have created NFTs, focusing on ways that their garments can be transferred over many ‘digital worlds’. Despite some evidence of brands making their way into the Metaverse, I still believe there is a long way to go.

FIGURE 26: Gucci Aria NFT, from onlineonly.christies.com

NFTs rely on certain technology that can only power this type of digital asset which comes under Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) ‘a decentralised, open-source technology that powers much of the crypto world’ (Daly, 2022). In other words, it can be spread amongst varying platforms, showing the diversity it can offer. This is something that many people invest in whereby NFTs come under its umbrella and how these can be created, bought, and sold on. Because an NFT is labelled as a ‘token’ and managed on blockchain technology such as Ethereum (CRYPO: ETH) it demonstrates sole ownership of that particular asset. This means that to purchase an NFT, it often requires payment through the blockchain technologies where they were originally built (Rossolillo, 2021).

By no means are the investments into NFTs accessible for everyone. For example, for Gucci’s Fall 2021 collection, they partnered with Christie’s, an art auction house, on an NFT video called ‘Aria’ which sold for a whopping $25,000.

(Zwieglinska, 2021) highlights that Christie’s is also where the most famous digital artist, Beeple sold his piece for $69 million last year in 2021. From two examples, it is clear that this area of investment is costly. Brands that are worried about losing their exclusivity or heritage, perhaps shouldn’t worry, as it seems that the prices generated for assets such as NFTs are in fact rare purchases but can still offer that limited and exclusive element that luxury designer can successfully offer.

In terms of the Metaverse linking to my FMP, I have been toying with the idea of using this within my bubble-up brand as an example of moving into the luxury designer market level. This could also leverage opportunities for investing in the Metaverse and the future-proofing advancements it may have.

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C A S E S T U D Y M

atty Bovan is a British designer and founder of his eponymous fashion label in 2015 when he graduated from Central Saint Martins with a MA in Fashion Knitwear. Matty Bovan is conceptual line within the luxury designer market including dresses, t-shirts, skirts, jumpers, and more recently in his recent e-shop, products such as caps, woolly hats, joggers, and handbags.

Upon graduating, his collection opened the show, and he was selected for the L’Oréal Professional Creative Award, then the LVMH Graduate Prize in 2015. Bovan then moved to Paris to work as a junior designer with Nicolas Ghesquière at Louis Vuitton for a short time.

His brand is stocked by Matches Fashion and Milan’s No30.

HISTORY Since the designer’s graduation, he has been involved in an abundance of projects. In 2016 Matty Bovan started his partnership with Coach, aiding with accessory design. He has also worked with Miu Miu, Mac cosmetics and Barbie, which he has been a fan of since childhood.

Matty Bovan showed at fashion weeks with Fashion East until his AW18 collection where he made the move to go solo.

Bovan has played a significant role in re-imagining knitwear through the non-sterile way of working through the use of colour, texture, patterns, shapes, and re-purposing existing materials.

Bovan was the recipient of the British Fashion Councils Newgen bursary in 2020, which has provided the designer with more flexibility with working on bigger and better things, as the BFC awards the designers of tomorrow.

Bovan has been in favour of moving away from London when he moved back to his hometown in York. He uses local suppliers in his town, supporting British textile production and reducing his footprint on overseas importing of materials.

GLOBAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE INDUSTRY Albeit a smaller brand compared to some of the major designer labels within the world of luxury design, Matty Bovan encapsulates what it is to be personal and unique within his processes. Each piece is touched by hand, where the designer is always experimenting with new methods to add to his approaches.

Bovan’s label doesn’t go unnoticed within the industry where in 2021 he was awarded both the International Woolmark Prize and The Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation, where the theme was ‘Less is More’. Winning both awards in the same year demonstrates the commitment the designer has in shaking up the industry and the services his brand can offer.

DIFFUSION LINE In addition to Matty Bovan’s success since graduation, he has successfully started up the Matty Bovan e-shop with more expansion that is aimed at a slightly younger consumer base. The products on offer are still all handmade, using sublimation printing techniques, paint, and appliqué, which maintains the luxury outlook the items have.

The acquisition of marketing to a younger consumer will mean that Bovan has more exposure in the creative industry and apparel consumption, alongside his partnerships with other brands.

CONSUMER The Matty Bovan consumer is across all ages and genders where his diffusion line and original brand label will target different groups. By maximising both opportunities, Bovan can ensure all consumers are catered for. The brand channels individuality and the celebration that comes alongside it. It is about embracing who you are and not letting anyone tell you differently. Matty Bovan hones in on what it is to hand-make something, own a one-of-a-kind garment, something that this century is losing due to the constant rise of fast-fashion and its mass production, that doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

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C A S E S T U D Y GLOBAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE INDUSTRY

O

utsiders Division is a fashion brand inspired by art, not fashion. They launched in 2021 in Barcelona, as an art gallery. Outsiders Division is a brand focussed on colour, fantasy, and joy, being rebellious and catering for the child within us all. With their motto of ‘our clothes are for everybody who denies the reality and refuses to grow up’.

Designer, David Mendéz Alonso, has also worked for many brands including Adidas, Lazy Oaf, Converse and more. The brand is focussed on using old hand-crafted techniques and bringing them back into today’s production methods.

Still very much produced in Barcelona, the brand now ships to other countries within Europe and some Asian countries. Stockists selling Outsiders Division include Wolf & Badger and Faire and can also be found on Vestiaire Collective through resale.

HISTORY Founder of Outsiders Division, David Mendéz Alonso started the brand as an art and sculptural label, inspired humour, eclectic objects, toys, trophies, cheap sculptures, pencils; all being used to create contemporary pieces.

The brand is centred around emotions and relating to consumers, specifically people who don’t want to grow up; Outsiders Division offers clothing for all who want to add a pop of colour to their wardrobe.

Alonso also calls himself an ‘Art Director’ as opposed to a fashion designer because of the fluidity in how he can work. He is constantly finding new ways to differentiate and encapsulate the ‘outsider’. Alonso also collaborates with Lazy Oaf because he resonates with the consumer; both brands are centred around the notion of naivety.

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Outsiders Division is not a big label, but the messages and service they provide, should be taken on board by other bigger brands. The brand cares for their consumers, they recognise a market that want to remain creative and colourful both mentally and physically. Not only do they care for their consumer, but they are also attentive to the needs of our planet as well. They are transparent in their production and sourcing methods and albeit using some harmful and toxic dyeing techniques, they aim to combat this by only producing 120 units per garment. This can help offer a uniqueness to the item for consumers as they will have an understanding that their garment is not mass produced.

The prices of Outsiders Division pieces range from £5 for a keyring or badge through to approx. £270-£300 for jackets.

More recently, Outsiders Division has been able to widen their services to more places as mentioned previously including more European and Asian countries.

CONSUMER The Outsiders Division consumer is across all ages, gender, ethnicities and more. The brand channels maximalist traits through bold colours and patterns used within the pieces such as groovy dogs and cats, and striped patterns. They project the message of ‘we design clothes for that grandfather who is a child or for that child who is a grandfather, or rather, for all adults who have not grown up yet.’ The consumer is someone who loves colourful features within their life, someone who isn’t afraid to be experimental and bold with new items such as funky shirts and T-shirts, including sweaters too. Outsiders Division focusses on celebrating what it is to be young, allowing adults to remain youthful in their clothing choices, whilst also purchasing from a brand where they understand that they are not alone. @outsidersdivision_family allows consumers to tag the brand in their Instagram posts and be given the opportunity to be features on the page.

JANUARY

In-depth research into proposed areas for my final major project. This included: Researching different magazines; Dazed, Vogue, Tatler, Pop, Perfect. Etc. Solidifying my consumer; Generation-Z. Primarily because I am part of this and 9 in 10 Gen-Z see themselves as a creative. We are the change makers and Gen-Z are the next group of cohorts who will begin to consume the most luxury designer goods.

-

Researching Matty Bovan on a deeper level.

brand.

Other luxury designer brands to find my bubble-up

Styling session which has shown me more creativity that I will apply to my work in the future.

FEBRUARY

Further research into proposed areas and beginning of brainstorming ideas for my final major project. What do I actually want to hand in?

- Making croquis’ and mock-up ideas of Matty Bovan images.

- Researching into bubble-up and trickle-down fashion theories - Finding examples of brands that have bubbled-up e.g., Vivienne Westwood, Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, Virgil Abloh etc.

- Finding examples of brands that have trickled-down e.g., Comme des Garçons CdG PLAY diffusion line and Heaven

by Marc Jacobs.

- Adding to my sketchbooks and research files.

Starting a sketchbook as a way of documenting research areas and a place for my imagery.

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MARCH

Making my final FMP plans and writing different proposals for each shoot: I found my bubble-up brand ‘Outsiders Division’ – a brand that focuses on joy, fantasy, and rebellion; they are focussed on colour and use this as a tool that promotes their positive brand image. They note that they design clothes for adults who didn’t grow up. This will relate to the naivety within my work that I like to show, by re-imagining my childhood through a colourful and positive lens.

Conducting my final photoshoots for both Matty Bovan and Outsiders Division. I also wanted to give each brand substance by coming up with elements that would support the trickle-down and bubble-up to different market levels.

Final tutorial with Christopher Shannon, supporting the idea of Pop-up books.

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Successfully captured trickle-down shoot.

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Successfully captured bubble-up shoot.

Researching into social class and class signifiers.

Are we really living in a classless society?

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Editing imagery for both brands.

shoot.

Writing my final shoot plan for my trickle-down

Pop-up book is not a feasible option for me right now. Continue to research and if there is time at the end, I will experiment with paper folding techniques myself.

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Writing my final shoot plan for my bubble-up shoot.

Conducting test shoots and planning how I want my bubble-up to look like.

Creating mood-boards for both my shoots including ideas such as make-up, styling, and positions.

Securing a shoot venue for my trickle-down shoot – Pathway Studio’s in Chester.

Securing a shoot venue for my bubble-up shoot – University photography studio.

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Securing models for my trickle-down shoot.

Securing a model for my bubble-up shoot. Opting for a mature model as they aren’t represented enough within luxury designer fashion. Encouraging elder people to feel confident.

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APRIL

Researching into pop-up books as a way of presenting some work. Contacting suppliers and paper engineers.

Suggesting coming up with a make-up range for Matty Bovan to give the trickle-down some substance.

Researching into the Metaverse more directly as considering applying this to my bubble-up brand with projecting an idea of NFTs. Luxury designers are making moves into the Metaverse, where unique NFTs are being used.

Could Outsiders Division offer NFTs. They are an art centred brand and NFTs are seen as digital artforms. Bubbling them up into the luxury designer market level means more access to things like the Metaverse.

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Writing up all my research cohesively.

Decided that having a coffee table with all my work from my final year at university will be my ‘Toast to the Future’ and a celebration of my creative journey. Capturing how my abilities have developed throughout and this will act as a physical extended portfolio.

MAY

In the remaining few weeks I have, I will be creating my final digital books and editing any written pieces I have conducted.

Making a final list of everything I want to hand in: Fashion theories book on bubble-up and trickle-down; My journey book; Matty Bovan concept book including my 20x20 questions and answers; Outsiders Division concept book including my 20x20 questions and answers; My coffee table book, Sketchbooks, Research files and size A1 make-up mood board.

Editing any short fashion films that can be included in my coffee table book and concept books.

Creating by digital books.

Updating my website with my FMP work on it and summarising my time at university.

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WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT TO ME AND MY BRAND? HOW ARE THEY INFLUENCING MY FMP? C OL O U R Colour is an element that has always been an imperative tool that I have used within my work and in my third and final year, I have come to a stronger and more concrete realisation that colour has always been there, I just haven’t noticed it. I have always expressed my love towards the primary colours and how these act as a community, working together to create new colours (better things). I also reference the colour orange as a signifier for change and how other people around me view me to have an orange aura. Orange has powerful connotations such as: Having one of the strongest measurable physical effects of any colour, we can’t ignore orange.

Orange is a warm and optimistic colour.

Orange is underestimated; there is a degree of youthful impulsiveness to it, but orange is seemingly the most rejected and unused colour.

I resonate with these connotations a lot. Within my work, I have transpired a lot of my emotions through the use of colour, as this is a powerful storytelling took for my narratives.

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My aim is to continue to use colour within my final major project in a way that can supports the narratives and tells the stories that I want to convey. Matty Bovan and Outsider’s Division both have very strong commitments to the use of colour and how they use it within their branding and products. Not only is colour an element that I need to consider for the use of my own desires, but I also need to be able to get the colours correct for the two brands as I place them into different market levels.

SYNESTHESIA

NAIVETY

As I explored being a synesthete within my Brand Me section of the Concept Direction and Development module, I have remained the same in how I experience colour through seeing people and associating them with a colour. I also feel the colours and emotions that I can link to these. Again, colour does not have one objective meaning, therefore how I experience colour, may me totally different to someone else.

Having a playful theme to my work allows me to channel an essence of naivety to it. I think as I aspire to work within the luxury designer market level when I enter the industry, I believe this will allow to have more freedom with what I create. I am able to be more conceptual and visionary in this sector, compared to more commercial fashion where you are more limited in these areas. The colourful palettes that I use within my work also allow naive stories to unfold, whereas mentioned before, the use of the primary colours remind me of early learning.

Synesthesia is where one sense stimulates another sense, so similarly, how I experience this can be different to others.

DRAMA Drama is something I was surrounded by a lot when I was younger during my parents’ marriage and divorce. Through my creative journey across Fashion Marketing and Communication, it has allowed me to make my outcomes very personal to who I am. Although I didn’t have a horrendous childhood, it wasn’t the brightest time of my life, and today for me, it’s about shining a new creative light on my childhood which is why I aim to be more playful in my work. I am able to convey dramatic narratives within fashion imagery that I create as in most cases there can still be a darkness found in the image somewhere. I like to imagine that darker times you have endured, can liberate you in the future and as Barbara Streisand quotes “it is true, even people with painful childhoods… grow up to be more interesting people. So, there’s always a positive to a negative.”

STORYTELLING I am a storyteller. In use imagery to communicate ideas and narratives that allow viewers to feel what I am feeling or to be able to interpretate their own stories that they see. In my aforementioned reasons for my use of colour, I use this as a tool to story tell my ideas and communicate these to a wider audience than just myself.

I love to use analogue and digital ways in helping tell my stories, from collaging and sketch booking, through to creating short films to support my narrative.

Storytelling is a critical skill to have in the industry as all brands need to be able to successfully transmit their story to their consumers so there is a purpose and that people understand what they are trying to show. For me, I hope to work on bigger projects for luxury designers or for prestige magazine companies such as Perfect˙. or the likes of Pop and Wonderland. I could have the potential to work on conceptual shoots that act as a form of artwork, rather than just seen as ‘fashion’ which is what I try to symbolise or emulate within my own work whilst I have my own projects and briefs to work towards, such as my final major project. In the industry, I may have the responsibility of telling other people’s story, so now is the time to refine and hone down on my skills.

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“

SETTING MY OWN BRIEF: My final major project focuses on a need to put people before profit. Allowing brands to visualise how they can capture their future consumer; primarily Gen-Z, where they can develop meaningful and trustworthy relationships for both the consumer and brands’ future.

My final major project is my opportunity to use all of the creative skills I have developed over my time across university.

I have travelled so far within my course and the areas that I have enjoyed more, specifically within image making and also writing about the briefs and how I have responded to them.

From developing my research further, I will be coming up with a strategy for both Matty Bovan and Outsiders Division through the likes of suggesting a make-up range for one and venturing into the world of NFTs for the other. I believe this shows substance and evidence to my proposed areas, using these two brands as placeholders to demonstrate the possibilities for other brands in the future.

Through the analogy of different market levels, I aim to experiment with taking two brands and placing them into the opposite market level to what they already cater for. Applying the bubble-up and trickledown fashion theories, I will be able to visualise these brands in a new and creative way.

Using Matty Bovan as a placeholder to demonstrate how other brands such as his, can in fact work at a lower level, where a new consumer can become invested within the brand. Secondly, taking a more middle brand, that of Outsider’s Division, and placing them into a more visionary and conceptual world, ultimately widening their consumer base.

How does the future of brands like these, look? Using drama and naivety throughout this entire process, I aim to create something that is moving for the viewer, something colourful, bold, and impactful.

”

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STYLING WITH COLOUR During this test shoot, I wanted to practice layering up on the body. Using a mannequin at first, I was able to conduct a styling session on colour.

I specifically wanted to experiment using the same colour fabric used for each look and I created quite a few different ones. Within the styles that I created, I wanted to manipulate the application of each item so that it formed a silhouette of a real person, despite the mannequin being very much a lifeless object. My main inspiration came from Matty Bovan’s SS21 ready-to-wear collection.

Developing this further, creating a TikTok to share on the platform to share my creative projects.

During this shoot, I maintained my focus on layering and this time around I wanted to experiment with clashing both colours and patterns. This shoot was more focussed on the body rather than a complete look including hair and make-up.

Olivia Eggington and Millie Wright modelled for me, allowing my visions to come to life through movement.

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S T Y L I N G S H O O

O T O U T C O M E

When coming to think about how I could present some of my final outcomes, I had a lightbulb moment about creating a pop-up book to showcase a few visuals in a three -dimensional way. Thinking about how we experience and access fashion imagery through either digital platforms or two-dimensional through magazine pages, I wondered what if a designer, instead of showing at a fashion week, sent all their guests pop-up books instead.

Pop-up books have naturally been used within early children learning, as they can be interactive through mechanics such as moveable tabs.

These specific types of books link to my idea surrounding naivety and how pop-up books can actually teach the value of visualisation.

Visualising a narrative is so important when we are children, hence why we loved picture books, therefore pop-up books add a new concept to the reader where it can help imagination flourish with interactive concepts (Minsker, n.d.). As the complexity of pop-up books can vary, this means that these books can be appreciated by all age groups.

My main concept was to have some of my digital creations incorporated into a pop-up book, but to make this look professional, I would have to work with someone who had some experience in paper folding, or who was a paper engineer. I decided to contact some companies, and individual pop-up book creators for advice and how to approach the area as I didn’t have much knowledge.

Unfortunately, as this idea came to light quite late on, I only had a matter of weeks to arrange something and have it completed by, which is easier said than done. After hearing back from some companies and a few phone calls later, I came to the conclusion that creating a pop-up book would not be in my budgit considering how much time was left until my final submission (approx. 5 weeks) I did not want this to be rushed. I decided to educate myself further on how pop-up books are created and talking with Yevgeniya Yeretskaya via Instagram direct messaging; she was able to give me an insight into how much work really goes into these types of books and the time scale and reasonings for costs etc.

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I was quoted roughly £1000 per spread of a pop-up book which I was shocked at to begin with. However, pop-up books are generally created with mass production, and as a student looking for one copy, I believe a lot of these companies were disinterested as it would gain them no profit.

Interviewing f further, I was able to ask her some questions and her opinions surrounding the ways that pop-up books can offer experiential/an interaction with a story/ concept. I have attached her messages within these pages.

After careful consideration, I had to leave this idea behind as it was consuming too much valuable time that I had left. I felt it was more important to focus on what I could actually create myself. The concept of a pop-up book is definitely an exciting and unique way of accessing fashion imagery in the future, and I hope I can have an opportunity for working on a subject such as this, on a larger scale.

FIGURE 29: Yevgeniya Yeretskaya on bestpopupbooks.com

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IN CONVERSATION WITH

YEVGENIYA YERETSKAYA

- CHRISTOPHER SHANNON I had the opportunity of discussing my final major project ideas with designer Christopher Shannon. These were beneficial sessions as it allowed me to gain direct feedback from someone who didn’t know what I was working on.

Shannon is primarily known as a menswear designer but today he would call himself an Art Director. He says that he never been interested in womenswear or menswear, just whatever he loved or felt right. I resonate with this as I don’t like to specify a gender to my work.

I presented Christopher Shannon with two presentations where I was able to first introduce him into my chosen area and then on the second time round, I was able to refine my ideas further. He loved the idea of the pop-up book and how well that could work rather than showing at a fashion week one year. He also advised me to get in contact with Matty Bovan and kindly dropped him a message saying that I’d be getting in touch with him.

Shannon has a very particular way of thinking, he is not afraid to be honest which I knew already by reading up on his interview with 1GRANARY on ‘The truth about the London fashion system – Christopher Shannon is done with it’ (Kuryshchuk & Guilmard, 2021).

It was a really insightful read on his opinions and personal experiences.

Within my one-to-one sessions with Christopher, we discussed finding Bovan’s energy and what it looks like, his methodology of working and he suggested looking at competitors that would be at the same market level, should I trickle Bovan down. It’s important to note that designers work at their levels because they’re good at what they do, so I need to be considerate and clever when looking at different market levels so that it could potentially work.

My time with Shannon was beneficial to me, he challenged my ideas and encouraged me to know all the why’s about my project.

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In my Outsiders Division concept book, I highlight my reasonings further in why I chose to have a mature model.

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OUTSIDERS DIVISION FINAL SHOOT PROPOSAL

MODEL PROPOSAL This shoot aims to capture a naive mood that is inspired by Outsiders Division. I want to experiment with proportion and aim for something futuristic but something playful. Outsider’s Divisions is a bridge brand sitting in between upper high street fashion and luxury designer, where my role is to now bubble them up to a higher market level, using them as a placeholder to show to other brands the possibilities. Focusing on the use of props, I want to be able to digitalise the photographic outcomes post-shoot where I can project ideas surrounding the Metaverse as a way of entering the luxury designer market level.

STYLING For the styling within this shoot, I will be using bright coloured clothing and fabrics, to portray a youthful and naive environment.

I want to show humour and an attitude within the shoot and within the model that I select. With bright and bold colours used within Outsiders Division, I have bold red and blue jumpers that I will be using within the shoot.

I will use a range of colours, focusing more on props. I will also be focusing on facial expressions and poses which project the attitude that we all had when we were children.

MAKE-UP For the make-up within this shoot, I wanted the model to have a natural make-up look, and as Pauline was quite a glamorous woman, I asked her to arrive to the shoot in her normal everyday look.

The majority of the shoot will be focusing on props and poses and a few close ups of the face where we will be manipulating it to look all scrunched up, showing an attitude. I felt because the shoot would be colourful, having too much heavy make-up on the model could mean there was too much going on.

As mentioned in my shoot proposal for my trickle-down brand Matty Bovan, I noted that I had used the bodies of people as I like to edit these in Photoshop where I can distort limbs etc. For this specific shoot, I really wanted to use a model where their face could be used appropriately and fitted the brief.

For this shoot, I believed that it might me a fun and interesting way to use an older model. For some reason, I think that having a mature model pulling funny faces and posing in child-like poses, would provide something humorous to my project and would allow me to show that you really aren’t too old to be anything you want.

I had conducted some research into mature models, and how they are not represented enough within the fashion industry, especially within the luxury designer market level.

To me, it is important to make your brand inclusive to everyone, gender, age, and ethnicity etc. With some people over the age of 50 being regular investors within luxury products, it’s only fair that we show that we are acknowledging them, rather than just using younger models. You can look good, no matter what your age is.

I decided to scout around and came across my friends nana, Pauline, aged 72. Pauline is a confident woman, who was willing to participate. I sent over my write-up about the project to Pauline to read before we met and our shoot so that she had an idea of what she would be playing a part in.

PROPS As outsiders Division has a way with making their shoots colourful and vibrant, I wanted to think of a way that I could create a scene that could replicate this. As I will be photographing the shoot in a photo studio with a white background, it will be easier to shoot with this and I can edit colourful backdrops in using Photoshop.

The shoot focusses heavily on props and poses, so items that I will be incorporating within this shoot include wigs, hats, colourful jumpers, balloons, colourful cord/string, paper cups, a threedimensional sculpture of a plug and light switch. The significance of the sculpture is to help play around with proportion and to make my model look smaller, like the height of a child. Outsiders Division uses enlarged props to help portray this. These props will help with the playful environment within the shoot, and this will make it fun when editing as I can enlarge certain items further.

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BEHIND THE SCENES

Behind the scenes shots captured by Olivia Buckley

POST PRODUCTION...

SCAN USING THE QR CODES TO SEE THE NFTs IN MOTION By scanning to QR codes next to each NFT, it will take you directly to Instagram where you can see the animated version in the form of a GIF. This adds more dimension to the digital asset, something that moves and is more interactive rather than just a static image.

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‘OUTSIDERS DIVISION BUBBLES - UP TO THE METAVERSE’

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A1 MOOD BOARD

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PROPOSAL

MODELS

This shoot will aim to capture the energy of that inspired by Matty Bovan. I want to create something conceptual to liven up the lower market levels. Something that can be luxury but more accessible to younger consumers. This is just a concept so I’m not trying to re-brand Bovan at all. Simply capturing an energy that can be experienced in a tangible and visual way, allowing consumers to immerse themselves in imagery that tells a story where the emotions and energy can be transferred to them.

Previously for models, I have just used the bodies of people, as I prefer to edit these up in Photoshop where I can add different heads and distort their limbs. This adds an unusual perspective to the viewer and can be interpreted in many different ways.

STYLING For the styling in this shoot, I will be using my skills within layering on the body; it will act as a way of being fully protected; I want the shapes to be unusual, the poses to be abstract and out of the ordinary. I want it to be weird.

I will be using a range of colours within the looks, as this is something imperative to Matty Bovan and the way he uses colour.

Layering is also within his approach, so I need to make sure I do this in a way that looks like his approach to some extent. I love the clashing of patterns that Bovan mixes and matches up, so I’m excited to see how I interpret this in the studio and in the final images.

MAKE-UP I have previously experimented with two make-up looks on a model which worked really well. For the shoot I am hoping that I can re-create something similar that can be captured through better lighting. The looks will also be accompanying the styles I create with all the material I have gathered. By having make-up this will make sure that the overall look can come together more seamlessly.

I will still edit this in photoshop, where I can make the colours look brighter and still cut up pieces of the photographs to create collages and use them within other imagery. My work is been all about proportion and using different pieces of the images within new imagery.

For this shoot, I have contacted a friend who I think has an androgynous look about them. I think it’s important that I experiment with using an androgynous person as Matty Bovan’s models are typically androgynous. I also wanted to attempt to create a makeup look so that some of the heads that I may cut and use on different looks is primary imagery as that is important to me that I am able to get a variety of looks.

Two other friends who will also be used within my shoot, so I will have multiple models. My aim is to get singular shots but also have all three together in the shots to show a relationship through movement, colour, and texture. The poses that I direct my models to be in will add the dramatic and unconventional theme within my work.

PROPS Although most of the look will be centred on the styling and makeup, I do have other items that may help tie the looks together, I have things like hats and furniture or household items which may make this a bit more conceptual, helping to tell the story and jazzing things up slightly. These are just to use for a few test shots, if I like the look of them as I’m shooting, then I will continue to use them and alter how I’m using them.

MATTY BOVAN FINAL SHOOT PROPOSAL 126.

POST PRODUCTION...

‘DYSTOPIAN ROSE’ IS THE COSMETICS LABEL I CREATED FOR MATTY BOVAN. YOU CAN READ ALL ABOUT THIS IN MY MATTY BOVAN CONCEPT BOOK

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MAKING THE CAMPAIN FILM

I used my previous skills in Adobe Premier Pro to create my film.

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WATCH HERE SCAN QR CODE Rather than creating one fashion film as a final product, I decided to create smaller, shorter ones which will be added to my coffee table book in QR code format, where people can scan it and be taken directly to the video. These short films will also be accessible on my Instagram platform as well.

I decided to make smaller videos as this would offer more content and alos be more exciting. I was thinking about attention spans, where in each generation, they are getting shorter and shorter, therefore, these videos will be engaging as they will be approximately 10-15 seconds each.

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MATTY BOVAN TRICKLES - DOWN INTO THE COSMETICS INDUSTRY

CONCEPT BOOKS

My concept books are what holds my strategic plan for both Matty Bovan and Outsiders division. In the pages of my books, I will introduce the brand and identify why I decided to use them. I will write a case study and current consumer profile. I will introduce my models and why I chose them. My 20x20 method of researching the brand will be incorporated within the middle of the book and the strategy will come afterwards. This includes discussing matters of the P’s of promotion including product, people, place, and promotion, what those brands are doing effectively in this new market level. Having them in their own concept books, was easier for me to carefully identify specifically each brand in a more focused location.

These are part of my final outcome towards my final major project.

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COFFEE TABLE BOOK INTRODUCTION TO COFFEE TABLE BOOK:

As part of my final outcome for my final major project, I wanted to create my own visual book inspired by Perfect˙ Magazine. I have since come to the decision that this will be a project that I work on post-university. I would really like to have this on show at our launch night. My coffee table book will be a celebration of my final year of university.

It has been such a personal journey and I want to create something which holds it all. I will include mostly visual images, with quotes that I resonate with or words than I feel are appropriate.

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“The journey; there’s always a beginning and an ending to everything.

Creativity, naivety, and colour… AND MORE COLOUR! I have been able to take myself through the lens of The Concept of Orange where I want to let others visualise this too. This issue is a toast to my future, it highlights the journey I have taken within my third and final year at university; on a course that has taught me understanding about myself and the industry – Fashion Marketing and Communication.

A very personal journey, indeed, it’s what makes me, and I am embracing that. I am colourful, I am vibrant, and I am proud of the transformation in my confidence to express this.

The Concept of Orange – Through the lens, is a celebration of all of the creative imagery and projects I have worked on. They are all intertwined with one another and deserve to be in one place, a host of EVERYTHING COLOUR, EMOTION and more.

After you, as I take you through my kaleidoscope of a mind…”

This is the first year that we are having a physical exhibition due to not being under Covid-19 socialdistancing restrictions.

As I will be allocated a space, I wanted to maximise this by having more than one image on show at the gallery.

I decided to pick some of my favourite edits from both my Outsiders Division and Matty Bovan inspired shoots. This way, I would be able to showcase more than one skill and having multiple images will help to tell a story better.

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I decided I would have nine images, and these would be A3 size. They will be shiny, as I believe this will help the colours pop more, compared to that of a matte finish. I sent these off to be printed physically and mounted on a foam board.

For our launch night in June, I opted to have one large A0 size image, which is my favourite from my entire final major project. This combines my photography and Photoshop editing skills.

Within all of the images, I added my personal brands watermark ‘The Concept of Orange’ which allows my imagery to become branded, showing my methodology of image making.

Seeing my final images in the flesh. This was really rewarding to have my images printed out.

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I have continuously posted on Instagram throughout my time at university. It has enabled me to visually see how my digital and image making skills have developed and strengthened. It acts as my portfolio, and this is a platform that I would really like to continue adding to post-university.

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The journey across my final major project has been the most challenging of briefs, but the most rewarding. My aim was to do something that I enjoy, whilst also pushing the common themes that I find within my work, colour, naivety, drama, and successful storytelling.

I wanted to challenge myself with two projects in one, a bubble-up and trickle-down and not just one. This is has proven to myself that I can focus on two areas at once. Focusing on the celebration of identity and embracing who you are, it follows quite nicely from ‘An Identity Crisis’ that I created in my second year.

I have maintained the approaches I use when working on my projects, I like to work in both analogue and digital ways. Beginning every project in a sketchbook and making a seamless move into the digital world where I then merge the two. I have loved creating my visual books which work in harmony with my written communication, and I feel I have done this successfully across my journey book, my fashion theories and class book, both brand concept books and my coffee table book as a celebration of my third and final year at university.

I have developed new skills and strengthened existing ones where I feel confident in applying these in the next step within my creative journey. My time on the Fashion Marketing and Communication course has been the best decision I ever made. The course has allowed me to be personal within my processes and has enabled me to be as fluid as I like.

The community I have been surrounded by has been amazing. With constant support from my course leader Tracey Hall, she has helped me realise my true capabilities alongside my own determination.

I feel proud of what I have achieved within my final year at university, it has been very challenging in personal ways, but I have channelled commitment to my work, and I am now excited to venture into the industry in which I feel prepared for.

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FIGURE 1: Filatova. J. (2021). Kate NV for Perfect˙ Magazine [Magazine] Perfect˙ ISSUE ZERO. FIGURE 2: Lin, Z. (2021). Front Cover. [Photograph]. Perfect˙ ISSUE One. https://www.boutiquemags.com/perfect.html FIGURE 3: Lin, Z. (2021). Cindy Huang wears Moncler and Dingyun Zhang. [Photograph]. Perfect˙ ISSUE Two. https://www.boutiquemags.com/perfect.html FIGURE 4: Lin, Z. (2020). Hsien Ching wears Gucci, [Photograph]. Perfect˙ ISSUE Zero. https://www.boutiquemags.com/perfect.html FIGURE 5: Korine, H. (2020). Billie Eilish for Dazed. [Photograph] dazeddigital.com. https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/48459/1/get-a-free-digital-copyof-dazed-spring-summer-issue-billie-eilish FIGURE 6: Pavarotti. R. (2021). Harry Styles for Dazed. [Photograph]. dazeddigital.com. https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/gallery/30438/0/harry-styles FIGURE 7: Sassen. V. (2018). Front cover of Dazed. [Photograph]. coverjunkie.com. https://coverjunkie.com/cover-categories/best-of-the-rest/dazed-confused-uk/ FIGURE 8: Teller, J. (2016) Daria Werbrowy for Pop. [Photograph]. designscene.net. https://www.designscene.net/2016/01/pop-magazine-ss16-covers.html FIGURE 9: Jacobs. C. (2021). Bella Hadid for Pop. [Photograph]. fashionfav.com. https://fashionfav.com/magazine-editorials/bella-hadid-vittoria-ceretti-pop-maga zine-fall-winter-2021/ FIGURE 10: Wales. C. (2018). Bella Hadid for Pop. [Photograph]. fashiongonerogue.com. https://www.fashiongonerogue.com/editorial/bella-hadid-pop-magazinecover-photos/ FIGURE 11: Porodina. E. (2021). Pop Magazine. [Photograph] Pop 46 S/S22 FIGURE 12: Aoki. S. [Photograph] Fruits magazine number 6. i-d.vice.com. https://i-d.vice.com/amp/en_uk/article/ywvz3g/what-the-closure-of-fruits-magazinemeans-for-japanese-street-style

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FIGURE 13: Aoki. S. [Photograph]. Fruits magazine number 12 @fruits_magazine_archive. dazeddigital.com. https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/47353/1/ fruits-magazine-archive-instagram-account-shoichi-aoki-harajuku-tokyo-fashion FIGURE 14: Aoki. S. [Photograph]. Fruits magazine number 13. tokyo-fashion.tumblr.com. https://tokyo-fashion.tumblr.com/post/147005850978/the-history-ofharajuku-decora-fashion-by-fruits FIGURE 15: [Photograph]. Worzel Gummidge and Aunt Sally. ITV/REX/Shutterstock. dailymail.co.uk. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-7774553/ Worzel-Gummidges-Vicki-Pepperdine-explains-Aunt-Sally-transforms-abandoned-doll-reboot.html FIGURE 16: Johnson. T. (2021). A/W21Goy Lod Khali for re-edition magazine styled by Robbie Spencer. [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/ CWsjjkkMrEy/ FIGURE 17: Johnson. T. (2021). A/W21Goy Lod Khali for re-edition magazine styled by Robbie Spencer. [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/ CWdOc_8M-cb/ FIGURE 18: Jonson. T. (2021). A/W21 for re-edition magazine, styled by Robbie Spencer. [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWqapZJsQ3f/ FIGURE 19: Teller, J. (2011). Cerith, Suffolk. [Photograph]. lehmannmaupin.com. https://www.lehmannmaupin.com/artists/juergen-teller#5 FIGURE 20: Teller. J. (1998). Kate Moss, ‘Red Kate’, London. [Photograph]. deutscheboersephotographyfoundation.org. https://www.deutscheboersephotographyf oundation.org/en/collect/artists/juergen-teller.php FIGURE 21: Teller. J. (2016). Vivienne Westwood. [Photograph]. mutualart.com. https://www.mutualart.com/Artwork/Vivienne-Westwood-N1/9328B63B6297C0FA FIGURE 22: Teller. J. (2010). ‘Men and Women, No. 13, Memphis/William Eggleston listening to Tchaikovsky’. [Photograph]. lehmannmaupin.com. https://www. lehmannmaupin.com/artists/juergen-teller#5 FIGURE 23: Lloyd. B. Nick Knight. [Photograph] nickknight.com. https://www.nickknight.com/about FIGURE 24: Screenshot from SHOWstudio. [Photograph]. showstudio.com. https://www.showstudio.com FIGURE 25: Screenshot from Show Studio on Instagram @showstudio. [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/showstudio/ FIGURE 26: Gucci Aria NFT. [Photograph]. onlineonllychristies.com. https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/proof-sovereignty-curated-nft-sale-lady-pheonix/gucciest-1921-6/121268 FIGURE 27: “NIKELAND”. [Photograph]. news.nike.com. https://news.nike.com/news/five-things-to-know-roblox FIGURE 28: Dolce & Gabbana NFT. [Photograph]. zipmex.com. https://zipmex.com/learn/nfts-in-the-fashion-industry/ FIGURE 29: Yevgeniya Yeretskaya. [Photograph]. bestpopupbooks.com. https://www.bestpopupbooks.com/interview-yevgeniya-yeretskaya-2-2/

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HELEENA HOUSTON - 1918689 THE JOURNEY BOOK AD6606 - BRAND MANAGEMENT