Katie Dobson fashion portfolio
contents
Fashion Photography Editorial Pieces Concept Development Work Exerience
kat i e dobson +44(0) 7903835633 katie-dobson@live.co.uk www.constructed-chaos.tumblr.com
fas
What is your Fashion Fantasy? Escape-ism Out of SIGHT out of MIND Portraiture
shion
photography
what is your fashi Conceptual shoot
embodying an individuals vision of their future fashion fantasy.
ion fantasy? What is your Fashion FANTASY?
what is your fasj
Shoot aiming to portray that feeling of fashion being a form of escape from a mundane world.
ESCAPE-ism
ESCA
ESCAPEism
‘Illusory Shoot utilizing the concept of an out of body experience.’
O
OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND
OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF M
OUT OF S
Abstract Portraits, deconstructed for graphical effect.
portraiture PORTRAITURE portraiture
portra
edi
brillianlove/charlie le mindu the thinking girls heartthrob
itorial
pi ec es
Ch Two pieces taken from ‘Parallel
Magazine”,
Brillianlove being a film review, and a introductory piece to `’Charlie le Mindu”.
harlie le Mindu brillianlove Brilliantlove/Charlie Le Mindu
Brilliantlove Brillia i’ll play the PA i’ll pla
watch :
photographer aaron guy
“brilliantlove is a gorgeous, dangerous marinade of passion, art, and ambition that languorously intoxicates the senses.”
Roya Rastegar Tribeca Film Festival This film is plain and simply raw, showcasing every element and every angle of the fiery and stimulating beginnings of a young relationship, A subject that is rarely touched upon, especially within British cinema’s typically prude circle. Brilliantlove stemmed from writer Sean Conway’s fascination with erotology, the study of lovemaking and sexual love. The films two main characters are Noon, a somewhat shy but sexually driven taxidermist, and Manchester a novice photographer who has an addiction to ice pops. Narrated throughout by Noon and her Dictaphone recording of sexual fantasies, tremendously explicit yet truly poetic, Brilliantlove observes Noon and Manchester’s sexually charged relationship during one summer. Continually being documented by Manchester and his array of cameras, Noon becomes the subject of his obsession. No sexual act or lovemaking occurs without photographic documentation. Living away from the world within their own garage space on the edge of a field, Noon and Manchester are able to become engrossed with each other and explore each other’s passion and fantasies on a daily basis. Until Manchester’s photographs are found by a wealthy erotic art dealer and pornographer, and the couple are dragged out of their tranquil surroundings, and launched into the world of art. Cracks begin to form in the relationship, as Manchester is succumbed to bounds of praise for his photos, which are, unbeknownst to Noon, printed and showcased in a gallery. Once Noon realizes that the couples played out sexual fantasies and desires are on display for all to see, she becomes enraged and deeply saddened at Manchester’s lack of regard. Noon is forced to re-evaluate the relationship, and decide whether the love and passion they have for each other will override the feelings of exploitation. Regardless of whether you are uncomfortable with the explicitness of this film or deeply touched by its raw emotion, Brilliantlove will inevitably make you want to fall in love.
“No technique, just instinct, a couple of cheap instamatics and a willing girlfriend.”
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i ntr i gue
charlie le mindu
photographer ian davies (no-id) Haute Coiffure and wig maker Charlie Le Mindu is an excellent choice to become the first member of our intrigue list. Starting his career as a hairdresser for OAP’s in France, Le Mindu is a master of creation when it comes to avante-garde hair styling. Making headlines from his debut collection at London Fashion Week this season, by showcasing his collection using completely naked models, his approach to design is certainly nothing short of risquÊ. Le Mindu, has already done rather a lot what with his short fashion career (he is only 22). Starting out working in a French punk hairdressing salon, he then moved onto Berlin’s party scene, stylising the manes of Berlins elite. Since now making London his home of choice, the high flying hair artist is the major dresser of choice for the capitals cool. He continually sets up pop up stores for clients to happily visit on a regular basis. Once his fashion stylist boyfriend had suggested he could create wigs for catwalks, he realised that his constructions could become more exaggerated. Now showcasing his own collections across catwalks, his pieces certainly rival any fashion designers out there. With all his pieces made completely from human hair, and including things such as a three-foot wide curtain of crimson red hair and a pair of lips sculpted from tresses of blonde hair attached to the head, these bold creations are truly for the daring and bold. So, it seems that the new cool kids trend is to wear nothing but your hair this season...
Editorial Shoot conveying the
idiosyncratic
Cocker.
Jarvis
The Thinking Girls H
The Thinking Girls Heartthrob
Girls Heartthrob
Oddities have frequently been part of rock n roll, that’s a given. But of the countless outsiders, few have been as wide eyed, zealous, and fiercely witty as Jarvis Cocker. A sex obsessed, English eccentric who became not just a star, but the face of Britpop fronting Pulp. His style and mannerisms were not only a cry out against the typical alternative rock n roll scene where bands with grungier styles such as Oasis lead the way, but more of a fashion movement that influenced a nation of individuals, ‘geeks’ and so called social inadequacies to not be afraid of being different. Born in 1963 in Sheffield, Jarvis defined himself as always being a bit of a ‘misfit’, ‘I was always aware of not fitting in totally, so the idea that me, being a misfit, like those chocolates that were never quite right to be put in a box with the rest. That I, as a misfit, could do something that then gets bought by ordinary people, that pleases me because it means that you’ve somehow been able to wheedle your way into mainstream society.’ Cocker used to get hassle just walking down the street because of what he wore and how he looked.
Frequenting charity shops for most of his attire and wearing dark thick, rimmed glasses that would later become his signature ‘accessory’. Little did he know that people all over Britain, would soon be attending his gigs and desperately trying to duplicate his apparent new sexiness and panache. In his early years, as a teenager, he had often stated that he would very much like a refund for his adolescence. He was very aware that he was in no way a sex symbol. Hence when the public began to see him as one, Cocker found this quite strange. Just because he had been given a kind of, seal of approval from society, did not make him less anxious about himself, which he rather sadly was many a time. The only part of his body, that he was ever genuinely happy with, were bizarrely enough his hands, which could account for his extremely gestured performances, and also his artistic tendencies, attending St Martins art college London, to study film later in his career. Jarvis wanted to somehow bring something different to music, bring some form of art back into its somewhat lacklustre and unexciting existence.
The nineties saw the dawn of Britpop, which was not only a fashion movement but a fresh musical progression. “There’s discussion of a ‘new dawn’ of British pop music. “Nobody is making a conscious effort to be English” stated Cocker when asked about Britpop. “If you’ve been honest, if what you’ve been doing reflects what your like as a person, its inevitable that what you do is English.” Songs became filled to the brim with quick-witted lyrics and light-hearted pop beats, and Cocker alongside Pulp would be at the forefront. As pop music had become ‘sexless’ according to the front man, a gap in the market was found. Of course sex is always on people’s minds but in pop it was written in such a nebulous way. Pulp was a force that would change this. “There’s not much scandal in my life, I suppose you can get caught shagging somebody you’re not supposed to. But that wouldn’t be much of a scandal, because I’m perceived to write about that kind of thing anyway.” Their songs were about real life, not sugar coating it and making personal relationships seem so airy all the time like most other pop songs did so well.
. Talking of own personal experience, as well as creating very relatable and often hilarious incidents, such as ‘do you want to dance, and drink and screw?’ and how he used to secretly watch a female crush of his strip whilst engaging with the opposite sex, people couldn’t help but be drawn in by Cockers humour. Jarvis had a distinctive talent. In that he was able to articulate experiences that made the listener go yeah! Recognizing the most likely awkward situation that was being sung about. He had that cynical or sarcastic edge that just made it work. Many of Jarvis’s earlier lyrics were somewhat painful, as they represented some of the worst times in his life when he was in his own words f**ked up by most girls. They are kind of representations of Jarvis as a ‘virgin, looking to jump into the swimming pool of life’. Quirky and obviously being in touch with his feminine side makes Jarvis’s presence unmistakable even today. His quiet confidence exudes through his jerky dance movements and cool pouty facial expressions. In his own words, “there’s always something freakish about you, so you either consign yourself to the margins of society, or think of it as unique.”
co
vauxhall fashion SCOUTrebrand relaunch strategy PARALLEL magazine
oncept
development
A concept and design for Vauxhall Fashion Scout, London’s leading independent Fashion Week Showcase. Comprising of extensive research, logistical elements, catwalk and presentation spaces, marketing and promtional materials, this concept aims to create a stronger brand integrity to make VFS the leading platform to launchfashion innovators of the future.
f
frelaunch strategy Vauxhall Fashion SCOUT
Rebrand Relaunch STRATEGY
fashion scout
The Future of Fashion Innovators.
New logo design, to give VFS a trademark, from which would help the brand getting bigger and going forward.
‘A conceptual book-zine, created for individuals whom seek to beinspired continuously.’ Androgynous in nature, with hints of kinesthetics at the core of its design, Parallel Magazines primary aim is to fuel the minds of the fashion-conscious through beautiful yet curious imagery, and educate them so they are brimming with useful knowledge and awareness.
PARALLEL PARALLEL Magazine MAGAZINE PARALLEL Magazine
PARALLEL Maga
wo
vauxhall fashion scout: FoH show production manager frank PR: fashion assistant topshop:student shop co-ordinator
ork
exper i en c e
I have worked with VFS for a number of show seasons assisting Fashion Week show production. I have been solely responsible for their catwalk hall, presentation room and foyer areas during Londons prestigious Fashion Week Showcases. I was also assigned a team of thirty interns whom I was responsible for, for the duration of the week. Other responsibilities have included, creating and ordering marketing tools, invites and event/intern timetabling pre-Fashion Week, media liason, and also liasing with photographers, stylists numerous PR companies and overseeing guest lists and seating arrangements for the entire duration to ensure each show ran efficiently.
VFS: FOH Show
Production Manager
Account handling and project managing alongside the fashion team at Fashion PR, with clients such as Blackberry, Footlocker and G-Shock. Responsibilities included press coverage, organising send-outs to various publications, and keeping media contact listings up-to-date and relevant. Also organising day-to-day activities within a broad spectrum of marketing, online and branding campaigns and product placements, from concept to completion.
Frank PR:
Fashion Team Assistant
Organised TOPSHOP Newcastle’s largest forecasted sales event. Delegated teams, carried out motivational task to make all involved energized for the event, organized DJ’s, goodybags, photographers and filming of the event. Also oversaw style competitions and liaised with a delegated TOPSHOP Head Office leader. I have also had experience as a creative visual merchandiser, assembling in-store installations, dressing mannequins, and also carrying out new store set-ups.
TOPSHOP
Student Shop Coordinator Creative Visual Merchander