Katheryn Watson Graduate Portfolio

PORT F O L

I

O

w w w . k a t h e r y n w a t s o n . c o . u k

styling ph o t o g ra p h y ha i r and model

Phalli c

Rev ol t.

K ATH ERY N A S H TO N m a k eup art i st MAY

A LIC E

WATS O N J EFFREY S EA RC Y A LEK S A N DRA

“ This ser ies is based around the theme of gender and identity; in par ticular how female stereotypes are por tr ayed in patr iarchal society.

R eadings into Diana Fuss and Freudian Psychoanalysis influenced this ser ies into how women identify with imager y that has a phallic presence.

The ser ies attempts to break these social ideals. � - Ashton Jeffrey

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Identity for any one person is fluid across contexts. A publication providing an exploration of the optimised self and gender stereot ypes in the current culture climate.

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n d e

s

“‘Where one is at’ is an understanding,spirited and brave brand who provide fresh ideas to the independent publications arena.

Promoting opinions whilst allowing the audience the s p a c e to think, and aiming to raise awareness on issues that are not necessarily c onsidered impor t ant right now in s ociet y.

‘Where one is at’ investigates the over whelming sense that no one really knows what it means to be a man or to be a woman anymore through styling exercises, visual essays confronting image and physicality diversit y, and think pieces challenging identit y ideals.”

[Kather yn Wat son - Edit or ]

i d e n t i t y

r

i

Pieced carefully ‘Where gender

one and

reflections.

together like a considered scrapbook, is at’ personalises themes of identity by of fering intimate »’ Where one is at’ believes that the cur rent, fas t-paced, hyperconnec ted digital world ac tually result s in a desensitized culture where people don’t f eel any thing anymore.

“ Thus, rather than viewing gender in terms of male versus female, it is of ten more useful to locate gender as one of the dif ferentiating features which

»’ Where one is at’ gives its readers a space to exist beyond restric tive binar y labels freeing them to create an optimal version of themselves.

define

»’ Where one is at’ is for people wanting to find themselves again and reappropriate meaningfulness into their lives.

identit y.”

(The Gendered Objec t, Pat Kirkham, 1996).

»’ Where one is at’ delivers a fresh approach to reconnec ting gender, identit y and societ y.

»

one

Where

» I n t r o d u c t i o n;

is

at

C o n c e p t .

The easiest way to describe the dif ference between sex and gender is that

gender is the cultural and social at titudes; sex is the biological dif ferences between males and females. identit y.

“Gender

Gender can also be applied to an individual’s own sense of

for

perfect, perfect.

perfect,

any

» »

one

or

means of

self, female,

either

a male, neither both

person is fluid across contexts.” ( Neutral Culture, L S:N Global, 2015)

Gender sense

»

» I n t r o d u c t i o n;

one

Where

is

Positioning Statement .

By exploring the concept ‘ Where one is at’ can re-educate the consumer on themes about gender, frequent and

societal

stereotypes, identity

whilst establishing the editors’ presence as a stylist.

Presenting the editors own personal ideas about gender and identity ‘ Where one is at’ provides a niche of f ering; something the consumer can relate to as they yearn f or individualit y and that sense of belonging in the fas t-paced hyper-connec ted digital culture.

at

»

Where

one

is

» I n d u s t r y

at

S i t u a t i o n .

The Optimised Self L S:N repor t indicates how consumers are tired of striving for per fec tion.

There is now a new manifesto for the body and the mind, and with it, a journey to become more human and connec t with ourselves.

» »

Current culture climates have led to a sense that we really don’t know anymore what it is to be a man and what it is to be a woman.

People are beginning to forget how to f eel and as a result f eel the most d i s c o n n e c t e d as they have ever before (The Optimised Self, L S:N Global, 2015). ‘ Where one is at’ will aid consumers in their ef for ts to be their most optimised selves and suppor t the new bricolage state of identity that is construc ted and created from a diverse range of things.

“People are far less motivated by money and status, and more concerned with intangible values such as human connec tion.” (Future Forecas t, L S:N, 2016)

»

Where

one

is

at

o

n

s

u

m

e

r

.

“Less interested in stuf f, more interested in self ” (WGSN, Attitudes,

Consumer Millenials).

Highly motivated to change the world two-thirds of Generation Z say their generation is pushing the boundaries of

C

is at’ consumer is and sharing of at similar ages.

what it means to be

This combined ‘Where one due to the overlap influences and behaviours

feminine

share characteristics.

and masculine (Generation Z, WGSN, 2015).

Using customer segmentation, the younger of Generation Y will become the shared consumer with the older of Generation Z, as the demographics

»

one

Where

M

a

The individual become vastly situation

r

is

k

e

t

.

publications market has saturated.

The competitive researched at

w w w . w h e r e o n e i s a t f m p . w o r d p r e s s . c o m , includes of f erings f rom Keith magazine, A Nice Magazine, Hot and Cool, No Substance, Noc tis Magazine, The Great D i s c o n t e n t , F e m b o t Z i n e , U m b r e l l a Te r m s M a g a z i n e , M i n i m a l Z i n e , L’ a m a t e u r , O f T h e A f t e r n o o n a n d G i r l s O n F i l m Z i n e .

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o

m

p

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t

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r

s

.

Conduc ting a SWOT analysis for direc t competitors enables ‘Where one is at’ to identif y how others develop and manage a balanced marketing approach, and to imitate this if successful.

» »

Direc t competitors for ‘Where one is at’ are Alice Goddard, co direc tor of Hot and Cool, and Creative Direc tor, Photographer and Publisher Becca Deakins, edit or-in-chief of No Subs tance magazine.

Brand

Perceptual

Map.

The need to plan positioning ensures the publication is placed exac tly where it should be relative to the competition ( Mas tering Fashion Marketing, Jackson and Shaw, 200 8 ) .

Approaching a Brand Perceptual Map using a multi attribute-methodology ‘Where one is at’ can view 8 direc t competitors’ at tributes at once in relation to how the consumer perceives them.

at

»

one

Where

is

» Response .

As a response to ‘Where one is

the at’

Situation and Market has been curated.

Visual has the

brand narrative been translated in publication through

font, model choice, charac ter por trayal, layout, atmosphere and garment selec tion.

Photoshoots and styling are visual aspec ts of promotion and a promotional tool in it self. The phot ographer s , models , makeup ar tists, assistants and stylist are all interpreters of the ‘ Where one is at’ brand s tor y.

The shoots include the brand essence and a comprehensive brand message.

at

»

Where

Brand

To analyse and essence, the hear t is central Brand Onion

Onion.

understand how brand and spirit of the brand, to ever ything a has been created.

The ‘ Where one is at’ Brand Onion has assisted the production process of content and concept, ensuring the brand essence “to challenge and about gender

explore ideals and identity”

is maintained and translated into all aspec t s.

one

is

Brand

at

Message.

The role of the editor is to be aware of ever ything surrounding the campaign; the concept messages, the brand essence and the tone of voice, and what could hinder this.

The Communications Process has been utilised to evaluate the sender, message, receive process.

To o ma ny c o nc ep t s being deli ve r e d in one publication could create noise, this can negatively af f ec t the message being delivered. The encoding segment,

Creating an example shows how the message of the ‘Where one is at’ publication content could become lost/misunderstood and also how to overcome these identified problems.

is an visuals ‘Where

“the use of imager y that appeals to

words, phrasing and create meaning which the target market ” ,

impor tant factor as the will help communicate the one is at’ brand essence.

»

one

Where

SWOT

Analysis.

A brand self analysis helps to extricate possible weaknesses and threats, in addition to underlining oppor tunities for the future. The above analysis shows how; 1. Online/printed f eatures like Dazed Digital and

with iD

platforms magazine

2. Producing future issues of ‘ Where one is at’ 3. Potential ph ot ographer c ollaborations in future issues are all areas of development distinguished through the examination of a S W O T.

is

at

“Brand identity is what dif ferentiates a brand from it’s competitors.

It is made up of a variety of element s, for example logo, colours, product and adver tising” ( Marketing Fashion, Harriet Posner, 2011).

»

one

Where

Brand

Identit y.

Carefully building and matching the personality of the ‘Where one is at’ publication to the charac teristics of the s pecif ied market is clas sed as branding.

This is aspect

relevant of the

to the product Marketing Mix;

the concept that several strategic ingredients (produc t, price, place, promotion) need to be considered and blended ef f ec tively to achieve the goals of a company.

Focusing the Marketing Mix on the consumer ensures that the product is suitable f or the s pecif ied market . The price will be £10.00 for the publication, af ter considering direc t competitors pricing, and will be available to purchase on the ‘ Where one is at’ website which is the place f ac t or of the Marketing Mi x .

Branding visually

can through

be brand

seen identit y.

is

at

one

Where

is

at

Brand

Attributes of the ‘ Where one is at’ brand identity include

Name.

Descriptive and visual ‘ Where one is at’ looks great in the selec ted f ont ‘Maven Pro’. The word ‘one’ is bolder in ‘Maven Pro Black’ to grasp attention and connec t to the audience on a personal level.

colour palette, logo, submark, font,

The double chevron, shown before the text, substitutes as the submark; it is

element s

easy

and textures

to

that are all woven throughout the tangible publication and media platforms.

A brand board has been created to showcase the visual brand identit y.

remember and to

“ The right name is timeless, easy to remember and stands for something” (Designing Brand Identit y, Wheeler, 2009).

»

makes for the brand

easy and

association publication.

Social

Media.

‘ W h e r e o n e i s a t ’ i n t e r a c t s w i t h Tum b lr by posting visuals, following the brand aesthetic, that the consumer can interac t with through hashtags and reposting.

With a profile on Instagram ‘Where one is at’ can create a voice within it’s content and supply images to a wider audience to reflect the inspirations behind the tangible publication.

The personal edge to Instagram animates ‘Where one is at’, enhancing the communit y f elt environment and providing an alternate touchpoint with the brand.

By using relevant hashtags ‘Where one is at’ encourages user interac tion with the publication, reaches a fur ther potential reader and allows like minded creatives’ to network visually.

“Consumers are f eeling invisible. Par t of the masses, and are tr ying to define their uniqueness in what they post.” ( Fac tion Marketing, L S : N G lobal , 201 2 )

Tum b lr is one of the most personal and visual forms of social media, and the one that Generation Z are turning towards to express themselves.

»

Where

» The Publication .

The ‘Where one is at’ publication will aid consumers in their ef for ts to become their most optimised selves and suppor t the new bricolage state of identity that is contruc ted and created from a diverse range of things.

A publication created to suggest new thoughts about the concept of identity in the current culture climate, ‘Where one is at’ has provided both the thought and visual element s to appeal established

to the c ons umer.

Through extensive research a mixture of masculinity and femininity has been found to be a driving factor for personal identity and rebellion against the gender binar y as people explore the right fit of whatever balance is right for them.

one

is

at

»

one

Where

is

at

» Edit 1.

Boys In Pink To Make The Girls Wink

“It is easy to be amused at the social taboos around such apparently harmless activities as dressing male babies in pink or men in skir t s, but they reflec t a deep-rooted fear of ef feminac y and homosexuality” - Kirkham, 1996.

where individuals have less of a concern about being judged but rather use colour as a f o r m of e x pr e s s i o n . B o y s I n P ink To M ake T h e Girls W ink also provokes parody in the mat ter that a colour can indicate someones’ sexual preference or mannerism.

» »

Pink has been used t o provoke how there is now a space in culture

For the first time Pantone has introduced a combination of two shades as Colour Of The Year 201 6 , Ro s e Quar t z a nd Serenit y. Colour is coinciding with societal movements toward gender equalit y and fluidit y.

Boys

In

Pink

To

Make

The

Girls

Wink

ST YL ING: Kather yn Wat son PHOTOGR A PHY: Robbie Jackson H A IR A ND M AKE UP AR T IST: L aura Dickey MODEL: Jordy Dent 2 01 5 G R A D UAT E C O L L E C T I O N : A r l e n M y h ill

» »

»

Where

one

is

at

» Edit 2. the feminine gentleman

» » Male positivity is establishing it self.

This more nuanced approach to masculinity is not only about mental health, but about recognising that men have to face some of the same societal pressures as women when it comes to appearance.

Masculinity and femininity have been t w i s t e d by ‘ Where one is at’ to unlearn the male/female binar y and step away from gendered codes and stereotypes that dic tate gender expression in a subver sive way.

“ There’s never been a bet ter time to be yourself as society dismantles gender stereotypes” (Consumer Attitudes, ‘Gender ful’, WGSN.com)

the

feminine

gentleman

ST YL ING: Kather yn Wat son PHOTOGR A PHY: Ashton Jef frey H A IR A ND MAKEUP AR T IST: Alice Searc y MODEL: Matthew Holbeche

»

» »

Where

one

is

at

the

feminine

gentleman

»

Where

one

» Edit 3.

Hair.

is

at

Re s ea r c her s a t Yale Univer si t y found that “bad

hair

days”

impac t self-esteem by increasing levels of self-doubt and personal criticism.

The manifestation of expanding social anxiety concerning appearance is rising and affecting both psychological and physical par ts.

» »

‘Where one is at’ has become inspired by this concept focus; how physical appearance is impor tant for our own personal wellbeing and s e n s e o f s e l f.

“ Yo ur h a ir w ill s e nd s ig ni f ic a n t me s s a g e s t o those around you. What hopes and dreams you have for the world, but more, what hopes a nd dream s you h ave f o r your h air.

Pay attention to your hair, because else will” - Hillar y Clinton, 2001.

ever yone

H a i r .

ST YL ING: Kather yn Wat son PHOTOGR A PHY: Robbie Jackson H A IR A ND M AKE UP AR T IST: L aura Dickey MODEL: Laura-Giselle Hardie

»

is

at

» Edit 4.

Body Issues.

» »

one

Where

Individuals channel identit y visually through dif f erent f orms of social media, with those in the UK ac tively spending on average nearly 3 hours a day across dif ferent screens, with 1 of ever y 6 of those minutes spent on social media.

Surrounding themselves with a continual reel of unrealistic beauty ideals and expectations, females are physically and mentally conf orming to new body trends as their own self identity is influenced by on screen stimulus.

Mocking the Kim K body trend ‘ Where one is at’ has explored the naked body and f e m i n i n i t y .

Body

Issues S T Y L I N G / C R E AT I V E D I R E C T I O N : Ka t h e r y n Wa t s o n PHOTOGR A PH Y: L ucinda Barker H A IR A ND MAKEUP AR T IST: Alice Searc y MODEL: Beth Punshon

»

» »

Where

one

is

at

Body

Issues

»

Where

one

is

at

a fit is would

all” fits

that

size product

“One

» »

description for a in all instances.

» Edit 5.

One Size Fits All

Petite and Tall sec tions, rare and small as they come can be the only option f or some. But, with the release of new Barbie body shapes in Januar y 2016, “tall, cur vy and petite”, in response to longstanding criticism over unrealistic propor tions One Size Fit s All will soon cease to exist as realistic proportions are being attained.

One

Size

Fits

All.

ST YL ING: Kather yn Wat son PHOTOGR A PHY: Robbie Jackson H A IR A ND MAKEUP AR T IST: Lucie Mint y MODEL: Sarah Hay G R A D UAT E C O L L E C T I O N : R e b e c c a J e nki n s

»

» »

Where

one

is

at

One

Size

Fits

All.

»

one

Where

» Edit 6.

Minutiae mi

-

nyoo

-

Current culture climates have led to a sense that we really don’t know anymore what it is to be a man and what it is to be a woman. Men and women are immediately assessed and labelled by their physical appearances.

The polaroids shot on micro lens provoke thought about the questioning of sexed identities and interpret the body in a way to disguise the subjec ts gender and look at the human form regardless of sex, juxtaposing something culturally

» »

e m into us.

b

e

d

d

e

d

she

-

aye

is

at

»

one

Where

is

» Edit 7.

Tall and Disposable

Placed into the ‘ Where one is at’ publication to reach a niche audience, and to connec t with a specific consumer group on a personal level, one of the media objec tives f or ‘ Tall and Disposable’ is t o discover how growing up as a tall f emale has an impac t on this niche consumer ’s own sense of self.

In documentarian style life from a tall girls perspec tive has been i

n

t

i

m

a

t

e

l

y

evidenced to help por tray how growing up as a taller than average female has a big impac t on per sonal identit y.

at

one

Where

Âť Edit 8.

Eunoia (n.) beautiful thinking; a well mind

Social media is having a destruc tive impac t in the minds of the current exposed and easily influenced generation.

Physical appearance and personal identity are distor ting as individuals are striving to be the best versions of themselves online alongside the social pressures that are evident in ever y day life.

is

at

FOMO (The Fear Of Missing Out); anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, of ten aroused by post s seen on a social media website.

Âť

Eunoia

(

n.)

beautiful

thinking;

a

well

mind

S T Y L I N G / C R E AT I V E D I R E C T I O N : Ka t h e r y n Wa t s o n PHOTOGR APHY : Jade Hardwick H A IR A ND MAKEUP AR T IST: Giovanna Franceska Sauceda Garcia ST Y L I ST S A SS I STA N T: Eloise Durey MODEL: Maisy Dodd

» »

Âť

Where

one

is

at

»

one

Where

Sexual male and we

as are

is

what or a beholder of expected to

denotes any dress

us as female, given sex accordingly.

» Edit 9.

Grrrl Gangs

» »

dif ference

is

Female masculinity goes beyond a e s t h e t i c s.

Yo ur mi nd c a n b e m o r e ma s c uli ne , y o ur e m o t i o n s c a n be mo re ma s c uline ; i t ’s not always about demea nour.

Inspired heavily by Riot Grrrl, one is at’ presents Grrrl Gangs, of female masculinity as a

‘Where imageries rebellion.

at

Grrrl

Gangs.

ST YL ISTS: Kather yn Wat son and Sophie Brampt on PHOTOGR A PHY: Megan Wins tone P HOTOG R A P H Y A SS I STA N T: A r ron Alexander- Paul Speiser ST Y L I ST S A SS I STA N T S : Eloise Durey and Penelope S ot o HAIR AND MAKEUP ARTISTS: Zoe Kr ystal, Lizzie Checkley and Madii Rose Ava Wilcock MODEL S: Lollie Hor t on, Esme Hill, Sophie GB, Katie Inglis, Joe Doe, Elisabeth Shanahan

D ecl are

I nd e p e nd e n c e .

“Decl are Ind ep end ence” is a ser ies of 4 mini-films created as a resp onse t o t he D azed 2016 D& AD New B lood competition b ri ef . The f ol l owi ng ser ies of images are film stills. h t t p s : / / v i m e o . c o m / k a t h e r y n w a t s o n

p h o to g r a phy / film ASHTON JEFFREY s t y l i ng K ATH ERY N WATS O N ha i r a nd ma keu p a rt i s t ALICE S EA RC Y mod el s MATTH EW HOL BE CHE , MARIA S EC IO

Punk

M eet s

Par adi s e.

styling K ATH ERY N WATS O N p h o t o g ra p h y A S H TO N J EFFREY hair and m ak eup art i st A LIC E S EA RC Y m o d e l s Z A R A H A R E , R AY H U GH ES , MA RIA S EC IO , S TEFA N I RA ZH GEVA

“This is concept p re s e n t e d

a f a s h i on of the in the style

ed i t ori al camp ai gn conversat i on of of i-D magaz i ne.”

ex p l ori ng t he b i rd s- of - p arad i se, A l i ce S earcy.

synopsis.

Gender and fashion have, and will always linked. Identifying a gender fluid narrative intends on uses conceptualised artistic sense campaign and taster zine in response to an

be, interrelated and inextricably within industry, Generation Gen to present a niche gender neutral androgynous/genderless concept.

Generation Gen has explored and researched a glance into societies future as a neutral culture for consumers becoming more aware of the possibility of existing outside of the traditional gender paradigms. Generation Gen is a first in asking the questions that need to be answered surrounding the topic of gender and fashion.

A

campaign

th at

w as

d eveloped

in

response

to

t he

c u r r en t

t o p ical

n ar r at ive

celeb r at in g

g en d er

f lu id it y.

idea

g e n e r at i o n .

Ideas have been highlighted surrounding the human form, masculinity, femininity and androgyny as a response to gender fluidity and gender stereotypes.

market/context trends.

research:

Utilising the Neutral Culture LS:N Macro Trend and The Polarity Paradox LS:N Macro Trend, research has found that people are re-appropriating meaningfulness into their lives.

The Generation Gen campaign and accompanying taster zine is the vehicle that looks at the world in a more sensitive and genderless way.

Described as ‘a glance to the future’ the consumer trend Neutral Culture discusses how brands should stop relying on old stereotypes of identity to speak to their customer.

Gender Neutral retail is moving beyond girls borrowing from the boys, but rather a deeper interrogation of shapes, colours and silhouettes that suit all.

Generation Gen will identify as an early adopter and innovator of the Neutral Culture Macro Trend. The campaign is one of the first of it’s kind whom understand there’s no one way of ‘being a man’ or ‘being a woman’, but gender for any one person is fluid across contexts.

The Polarity Paradox is about definition; identity has become confused.

‘Sensitive Brands’ have also been identified within this trend.

Brands are helping consumers to deal with extreme environments by acting as friends (and nudging them to make better decisions). Generation Gen can align with this consumer trend as a ‘Sensitive Brand’ who will address the issue of gender fluidity and approach it in a way uniquely variant from other tones before.

consumer

profile

and

pen

portrait.

The consumer interested in supporting Generation Gen is an extremely art orientated and fashion conscious individual.

An avid reader of articles on i-D, Oyster and Dazed Digital, they are fully aware of the latest fashion news, icons and trends.

Aging between 22-35 and living in London, they have become accustomed to townified life and can be found spending their spare time in the London Cocktail Club, Somerset House or the chicest gastro pub with their partner or close-knitted group of friends. Shopping online and browsing bricks and mortar stores like Topshop/Topman, Urban Outfitters, Cheap Monday and Acne are relaxed hobbies for the Generation Gen consumer. Other hobbies include dabbling in music, writing, amateur photography or modelling. Currently in a career in marketing/advertising/pr/journalism/creatively influenced pathway.

Earning a comfortable ÂŁ25,000-ÂŁ32,000pa, they aspire to explore the world documenting their expedition on Instagram; a clear portrayal of their free and mysterious personality. Dover Street market and Camden are dwellings they collect their dress inspiration from; reflected in their daily layered outfit.

The cheeky, yet sensitive, type loves house parties, local band nights and listening to music like The Smiths, Arctic Monkeys, Grimes and Everything Everything. They care about the environment, and strive to make a difference by supporting local charities.

social

media:

i n s tag r a m .

Instagram will be the most used social media platform by consumers as they interact with Generation Gen. The campaign can easily be discovered by searching @generationgen or the dedicated hashtag #EXIST The Instagram feed shows behind the scenes photography and editorials based on the concept of gender.

social

media:

twitter.

The campaign hashtag #EXIST has been used across all social media platforms as a promotional tool. #GENERATIONGEN and #NEUTRALCULTURE are other hashtags utilised.

ta s t e r

zine

cover

development.

Experimenting with images for the cover of the taster zine is paramount to the understanding of Generation Gen. The front cover needs to be memorable enough to instigate curiosity; unlike anything before. The use of negative space and interesting crops have been considered, in addition to brand essence and message. By cropping the images on unusual parts of the models bodies this accentuates the slant the zine conveys and also doesn’t give too much away.

The cover selected needs to represent Generation Gen holistically; capturing both the male and female forms and carrying the nude colour palette.

ta s t e r

zine

cover.

ta s t e r

zine.

http://issuu.com/ katherynwatson/ docs/taster_zine_ generation_gen

PHOTOSHOOT

IMAGES .

STYLING/ART DIRECTION: Katheryn Watson PHOTOGRAPHY: Lucinda Barker HAIR AND MAKEUP ARTISTS: Emma Freeman, Evie Rubenstein MODELS: Beth Punshon, James Moffat, Rae Harm