NERO: Two sides of black. by Matteo Alabiso

– HOW13379727 –

Two sides of black.

XXI – Louise Howard Cook –

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This projects working title or theme is “NERO: Two sides of Black”. The discovery of this working title came from my own self reflection and reviewing my own style and preferences. Black to me is a hugely influencing colour and has significantly become a driving force for me in fashion and for my own identity. I find myself in a ‘black hole’ where it seems that I am completely drawn in by Black. I feel that it gives me this satisfying sense of power, not only for myself but for things I am attracted to. However I discovered through self analysation that Black also conceals my insecurities and vulnerabilities, providing me with a protective layer. I’ve realised that I recognise myself with black for two contrasting emotions. This has urged me to explore and unpack the different emotions that Black can be recognised with. This working title seems fitting for my project as I aim to display a journey of how I understand Black. – Two sides of black –

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Two sides of black. BA (Hons) Fashion: Hair and Make-up for Fashion 08.14 06.15 A – D

Louise Howard Cook

M U A

Louise Howard Cook

P – H

Stephanie Galea

S T L

Farah Laques

M D L

Erica Critchley

E D T

Matteo Alabiso

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Index.

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Introduction.

XII

Ethical concerns.

Minimalistic approach.

XIII

Hair and make-up inspirations.

III

Staying away from colour.

XIV

Testing.

Rationale and contextualisation.

The colour black psychology.

XVI

VII

VIII

Research and analysis. Colour theory. Minimalism in black fashon.

Budget and costings.

XVII

Location and audiences.

XVIII

Collaborative team.

XIV

Final images. Conclusion.

Modesty.

Arrogance.

XXI

Formulating the brief.

Thanks and acknowledgements.

Proposed methodology: theory into practice.

–- Two Two - Two shades shades shades of of black black of black –- -

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Introduction.

I – Louise Howard Cook –

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–This final project for my degree aimed to reflect my own personal style and to showcase my strengths to my ideal spectators. It was important for me to show something I am passionate about and to produce a final outcome which is contemporary, whilst also pushing myself through my own challenges. My growing interest of minimalism and ‘black on black’ fashion became the driving force for this project. This project, ‘NERO: Two sides of black’ came about when I was reviewing my own style and preferences. The colour Black is something I have found in the last few years living in London whilst discovering myself, that it is the colour I feel most comfortable wearing and working with. This has developed from my interest in minimalism and I like to work with a minimalistic approach. For me, it’s about the function and structure of things, and keeping things minimal so I can focus on executing my style and fashion image through this vantage point.

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–Minimalism for me helps me to keep my work contemporary and this is important for the audiences of fashion. The colour Black has been hugely influential and has significantly become a driving force for me in fashion and also for my own identity. Considering this, I thought about how the colour Black makes me feel and I wanted to consider the physiology of the colour Black and how it can make other people feel. Does wearing Black empower you? Or does wearing Black allow you to blend and disappear into the background? Considering this, I was completely drawn in and greatly inspired by Yoji Yamamoto’s quote on the colour Black. He says, “Black is modest and arrogant at the same time. Black is lazy and easy - but mysterious. But above all black says this: “I don’t bother you - you don’t bother me”.

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–This project closely focuses on the contrasting emotions in Yamamoto’s statement and interpretation of the colour Black. Reading this quote for the first time, I found myself realising that this is what I love about wearing Black. It’s about ‘modesty’ + ‘arrogance’ as emotions, being able to give you a reason to wear Black. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are from, how young or old you are, what race, what religion or what class. Anybody anywhere can wear Black and feel accepted.

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–With this project I aimed to come up with a final outcome which would showcase this quote in my own interpretation. I wanted to consider those two words ‘modesty’ and ‘arrogance’ and produce a final image which can portray both those contrasting emotions in a sophisticated and complimenting way. This is how I came up with the working title, NERO: Two sides of black. I wanted to explore and showcase how the colour Black can have two different sides to it.

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Minimalistic approach.

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“Colour, for me, has too many stories wrapped around it. I like black, white, gray, and navy. Like a uniform..” — Yohji Yamamoto

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Staying away from colour.

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“Women who wear black live colourful lives.” — Neiman Marcus

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Rationale and contextualisation.

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–The synopsis of this project is the exploration and unpacking of Black to reflect how it is portrayed and what’s the emotional understanding of it. How does Black influence and what is it about Black that we like? Black is sophisticated, Black is bold, Black has edge, texture, layers, dimensions, silhouettes, Black is determined, Black has status, Black is seductive and Black has power. However, on the other side Black can have a different side, a different emotion and a different purpose. Black can be modest, Black can be insecure, Black can be vulnerable, submissive, hidden, dark and mysterious. Black represents the unknown.

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–With minimalism as my vantage point for a creative flair, this has enabled me to work in such a way that is suitable to how I work towards a fashion image. Discovering that colour is complicated for me , I have unpacked this complication of colour and how I see the success in Black and its influence on culture and fashion.

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“You can wear black at any time. You can wear it at any age. You may wear it for almost any occasion.” — Christian Dior

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“Black is modest and arrogant at the same time. Black is lazy and easy - but mysterious. But above all black says this: “I don’t bother you you dont bother me” –Yohji Yamamoto

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“I work in three shades of black.” — Rei Kawakubo – Louise Howard Cook –

69 – 70

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The colour black psycology.

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“I’ve been 40 years discovering that the queen of all colours was black.” — Pierre-Auguste Renoir – HOW13379727 –

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–Black is intimidating, unfriendly and unapproachable because of the power it exudes. It can prevent two-way communication because of its intimidation. It radiates authority, but creates fear in the process. Black implies self-control and discipline, independence and a strong will, and giving an impression of authority and power. Black absorbs negative energy. People who like black may be conventional, conservative and serious, or they may think of themselves as being sophisticated or very dignified.

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–The colour black is often seen as a colour of sophistication, as in ‘the little black dress’, or ‘the black tie event’. Affluent and success orientated women often choose black as it can give an impression of elegance, sophistication and confidence.

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“I love black because it affirms, designs and styles. A woman in a black dress is a pencil stroke.” — Yves Saint Laurent

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–Black is often associated with sexiness and seduction, as in the temptress in sexy black lingerie creating an air of mystery and intrigue. It can also imply submission to another (including a sexual partner), similar to the priest wearing black robes in submission to God. Black is the end, but the end always implies a new beginning. When the light appears, black becomes white, the colour of new beginnings.

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–The colour black relates to the hidden, the secretive and the unknown, and as a result it creates an air of mystery. It keeps things bottled up inside, hidden from the world. In colour psychology this colour gives protection from external emotional stress. It creates a barrier between itself and the outside world, providing comfort while protecting its emotions and feelings, and hiding its vulnerabilities, insecurities and lack of self confidence. Black is the absorption of all colour and the absence of light. Black hides, while white brings to light. What black covers, white uncovers. We all use black at various times to hide from the world around us in one way or another. Some of us use it to hide our weight; others among us use it to hide our feelings, our fears or our insecurities. In colour psychology, black means power and control, hanging on to information and things rather than giving out to others.

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“There’s something about black. You feel hidden away in it.” — Georgia O’Keeffe

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“Black is not sad. Bright colours are what depress me. They’re so... empty. Black is poetic. How do you imagine a poet? In a bright yellow jacket? Probably not.” — Ann Demeulemeester

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Research and analysis.

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–Research into the colour Black psychology, I discovered that Black is said to be intimidating, unfriendly and unapproachable because of the power it exudes. It can prevent two-way communication because of its intimidation. It radiates authority, but creates fear in the process.

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W –About Black: • authoritative + powerful • evokes strong emotions • lack of colours, primordial void, emptiness. –Affects us physically: • one can feel inconspicuous without attracting attention. • modest, hidden, concealed. • a restful emptiness. • fear and uncertainty, black has energy of the threatening unknown. • positive state: anything may emerge and disappear once again. • mysterious, sense of potential and possibility. • wearing black used to make a bold statement of mystery and self control. “notice me but do not intrude.”

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–Positive: Sophistication, glamour, security, emotional safety, efficiency, substance. –Negative: Oppression, coldness, menace, heaviness. Black is all colours, totally absorbed. The psychological implications of that are considerable. It creates protective barriers, as it absorbs all the energy coming towards you, and it enshrouds the personality. Black is essentially an absence of light, since no wavelengths are reflected and it can, therefore be menacing; many people are afraid of the dark. Positively, it communicates absolute clarity, with no fine nuances. It communicates sophistication and uncompromising excellence and it works particularly well with white. Black creates a perception of weight and seriousness.

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–Black symbolised both power and secrecy in the medieval world. The emblem of the Holy Roman Empire of Germany was a black eagle. The black knight in the poetry of the Middle Ages was an enigmatic figure, hiding his identity, usually wrapped in secrecy. On the other hand, researching into colour theory, it is a question of whether or not Black is actually a colour.

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Colour theory.

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–Black is the absence of colour? Or Black is a colour? While black as a colour has a varied history in terms of its symbolic meanings, it would take a modern, scientific theory of colour to begin to address such questions. When Goethe published his Colour Theory in 1810, such problems were ignored in aesthetics, and often not discussed in the science of optics. The Colour Theory is as much a science of colour as it is an aesthetics; the aim is to attempt a synthesis of the two. Goethe’s major contribution was to distinguish the ‘visible’ from the ‘optical’ spectrum, and to make possible a science of optics that would be distinct from that of aesthetics, but which would overlap with it as well. Goethe’s project is determined to consider colour as a physiological phenomenon, to ‘search for nothing beyond the phenomena’ of seeing colour through the apparatus of the eye. For Goethe, any theory of colour must begin from the physiological event of seeing colour. But black proves to be a difficult colour to discuss for Goethe.

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–In the opening sections of his thesis, ‘black’ is often interchangeable with ‘dark’ and ‘shadow’, all three terms denoting a physiological state when the eye is deprived of light.

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–Goethe’s Colour Theory had an immediate impact on the philosophy and science of colour. One person particularly taken by it was Arthur Schopenhauer, who knew Goethe and discussed colour theory with him on several occasions. While Schopenhauer does not depart from Goethe’s distinction between the visible and the optical, he does attempt to root colour theory in philosophy more than science. Text: ‘BLACK ON BLACK’ Eugene Thacker

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Minimalism in black fashon.

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“–Minimalism in art and design describes any visual concept that is stripped down to its most essential elements, both functional and aesthetic. Besides playing a major role in 20th century architecture, minimalist design principles also made their way into the fashion world through fashion houses like Calvin Klein, Balenciaga and Jil Sander. Minimalist fashion is characterised by clean, simple silhouettes, muted colours and few embellishments, and just like many other distinct trends/styles in fashion (e.g. a dropped waist: 1920s flapper style,) a minimalist style can be clearly identified by those elements.” [into mind; a minimalist approach to personal style and wardrobe building]

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“Minimalism is not defined by what is not there but by the rightness of what is and the richness with which this is experienced.” John Pawson

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“–Simplicity. The focus lies on creating a fuss-free wardrobe consisting of a small, but perfectly curated selection of items, that is tailored to your aesthetic preferences and lifestyle and contains no imperfect items that take up space and distract from the essence of your style. Function. Rather than accumulating a bunch of individual pieces, the minimalist approach involves collecting a set of harmonising items that are optimally adjusted to your lifestyle. The approach requires a close analysis of your daily activities and both your practical and emotional requirements. The final goal is a wardrobe that suits your needs exactly and allows you to quickly put together an outfit for every occasion...

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– A defined personal style. Above all, the minimalist approach is about defining your own personal style, and building your wardrobe around it. There is no point in reducing your wardrobe to a small number of expensive, high-quality items, if you are going to be over them by next year, so developing a strong, refined personal style and a stable awareness of your preferences is key.” [into mind; a minimalist approach to personal style]

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–Is minimalism and art form? is it an identity? is it a way of life? is it a way for simple living? does it help simplicity? Black on black minimalism. Simple form and structure. Minimalism in graphics.. Less is more? less is better? lets talk less. Simplicity is effective, clean and still bold. A simple small mark of black can have an impacting effect.

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–GARETH PUGH Relates to London’s east end scene. Focuses on the purpose and structure of fashion with the support of architectural influences around London. Contributes and offers a supportive frame to the collection and really portrays the structure of the garments, successfully and innovatively. Fabrics as a building materials, creating both hard and round lines. Oversize proportions, exaggerated angles and layers. Strong silhouettes with emphasis on structure, shape and form. Major pleats, folds, pinning, layering, surface texture and threedimensional designs.

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–- RICK OWENS MENS SS14 ‘VICOUS’ His army of dark urban warriors walked through the space, weaving past the band (and even an upside drummer on a turning podium) to reveal an androgynous collection of leathers, mesh and cut-out garments.

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–ALEXANDER PLOKHOV FW14/SHREDDER gothified: Plokhov deemphasizes seasonal trends in favor of ritualistically perfected tailoring. Long lines, artful draping, and a rigorously monochromatic palette are the cornerstones of his half Old World, half urban aesthetic.

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–ˈmɒdɪsti/Submit noun: modesty; plural noun: modesties ¹ The quality or state of being unassuming in the estimation of one’s abilities. “with typical modesty he insisted on sharing the credit with others” synonyms: self-effacement, humility, lack of vanity, lack of pretension, unpretentiousness; More antonyms: boastfulness ² The quality of being relatively moderate, limited, or small in amount, rate, or level. “the modesty of his political aspirations” synonyms: limited scope, moderation, fairness, acceptability, smallness “Gandhi’s political tactics obscured the modesty of his political aspirations” antonyms: grandeur ³ Behaviour, manner, or appearance intended to avoid impropriety or indecency. “modesty forbade her to undress in front of so many people” synonyms: unpretentiousness, simplicity, plainness, lack of pretension, inexpensiveness, lack of extravagance More antonyms: grandeur, immodesty, flamboyance

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Modesty.

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–arəɡ(ə)nt/ adjective adjective: arrogant Having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance or abilities. “he’s arrogant and opinionated” synonyms: haughty, conceited, hubristic, self-important, opinionated, egotistic, full of oneself, superior; More antonyms: humble, modest

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Arrogant.

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Proposed methodology: theory into practice.

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–Black has many shades of emotion. It can have a dark side to it whilst also appear to full fill one’s ego. I have tried to successfully focus closely on the two-faced emotion of Black. On one side Black can portray an emotion of power, success, confidence, arrogance and one’s own self belief. It can empower a person’s identity in society by giving them a sense of importance and presence. Yet to contrast this, Black can also be a reason for someone to hide themselves, to blend into society in a way which makes them feel safer and protected. Concealing their inner insecurities and self doubts without drawing unwanted attention to themselves. Black may help them to hide away from the confidence they lack. Regarding this, it is crucial that I portray this sucessfully and beautifully in my final outcome.

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–Davis (1992) suggests clothing is indeed a code, but one with what he terms low semanticity; he argues we should regard it as an aesthetic rather than linguistic code, communicating ambiguity and complexity. Like other cultural goods, its meanings are by their nature immanent and hidden, subject to masking, interpretation and uncertainty. As Simmel pointed out, fashion must be understood in terms of the competing desires for social equalization and for individual differentiation, the interplay between the wish to fit in and to stand out, (Simmel 1904/1971), in which, I would suggest, the first is in many ways the more significant. Lastly, fashion and identity is often theorised in terms of sub group analysis, in which clothing and body styling is seen markers of the boundaries of the group, a means of stabilizing identity and registering belonging (Polhemus 1994, Evans 1997).

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–“Clothing is closely linked to the body. It forms the vestimentary envelope that contains the body and presents it to the social world.”—“Black, the colour that goes with everything, is flattering to wear, hides a multitude of sins and makes us look slim”- Susannah Conway

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“Identity and dress are intimately linked. Clothes display, express and shape identity, imbuing it with a directly material reality. They thus offer a useful lens through which to explore the possibly changing ways in which older identities are constituted in modern culture.” Julia Twigg: Clothing, Identity and the Embodiment of Age. – Louise Howard Cook –

175 – 176

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“–Black is the colour of authority and power. It is popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner. It is also stylish and timeless. Black also implies submission. Priests wear black to signify submission to God. Some fashion experts say a woman wearing black implies submission to men. Black outfits can also be overpowering, or make the wearer seem aloof or evil.” Black. Colour of mystery and mortality. Black continues to be the actor of style; a celebrated Gothicism and wardrobe staple.

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Ethical concerns.

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–Throughout this project, I have had to consider the ethical and moral concerns which could had an impact on the responses I get from audiences. It was vital that I adhered to any potential ethical norms which I might have faced throughout this project. For example, some of the images I have used for research may have had the potential to offend other people. For instance, semi nude images of women revealing their breasts may offend some viewers so I would have to warn anybody of its content before hand. It could be seen to be an exploitation of women and this is certainly not my intention. Also, the aim of this project was to delve further into the phycology of black and how people are impacted by it. It was best for me to be sensitive to phycological issues, and insure that I would give information which was to its full truth without any fabrication or misinterpretation which could lead to others becoming offended. Finally, I chose to cast a model of an Asian origin so I wanted to ensure that I did not exploit her culture in anyway shape or form.

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–With these considerations, hopefully I can insure that I create a successful fashion image which best relates and portrays my research and theme, without offending anyone involved. If I work with models from agencies, I will need to consider all the rules and regulations I come across in contracts and insure I obaide by them so I do not upset the agency and use their models in a way which they do not wish.

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Hair and make-up influences.

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–Spring/summer 2015 has seen a trend of very natural, raw and ‘no makeup’ makeup looks. Lots of contrasting textures and youthful dewy finishes including high-shine textures on brows and lids giving that look of glossy modernity which is certainly a look I aim to achieve. Pat McGrath for Stella McCartney’s runway collection gave the models a very natural minimal and unique look which radiated on the model’s face giving a shine which stood out with a youthful and fresh appearance. Christopher Kane also successfully created a pared-back beauty look which allowed for full focus to be on the collection whilst achieving dimension with a iridescent glow.

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–The new hair up for autumn/winter 2015 was spotted with fashion houses such as Balenciaga, Oscar de la Renta, Chanel for that off the face look. When it comes to hair, I am always drawn in my a very clean and sleek look keeping that minimalist flair which I am confident with. Any hair which will allow the face to take form and be the centre of attention, is hair that I am drawn in by and inspired to create. I aimed to test with different hair that would compliment the face and work with the styling that will be used for the final images.

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–Autumn/winter 2015 showcased the return of the lip glass which was very successful and popular with designers. High-shine pouts were seen for fashion houses such as Fendi, Rag & Bone and Rodarte to name a few. It was also seen on the brows for Christopher Kane which I definitely wanted to consider for testing. It gives a very sharp and clean look whilst creating texture and definition for the model’s face.

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–Looking at current trends is always a source of good inspiration whilst also helping you to keep the look up to date and on trend. Considering the inspirations I have taken from the trends, I can then apply this through my own testing to see which will be the most successful for me.

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Testing.

XIV – Louise Howard Cook –

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–Testing for this project enabled me to take my research and inspirations and apply them to tests to see if they would work or not. It was vital to determine at early stages whether or not the individual tests would be successful and how I would want to apply them to the final outcome. Being able to test a few different ideas allowed me to develop from my research and helped decide what I felt gave the stronger outcome. I took inspirations for both hair and makeup from preexisting and current, contemporary trends. My focus for testing was to find what I felt would give the best result for the overall outcome.

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“I think in black.” — Gareth Pugh

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–The makeup for my final images was influenced by the makeup trends I have researched for the project. Keeping in mind my minimalist approach, I wanted to showcase this through the makeup. As the focus of this project is on ‘all black fashion’ and the structure, function, textures and layers are the strong elements for the image, I intended for the makeup to compliment this. I feel strong with my natural ‘no makeup’ makeup look so I wanted to show this to my best potential. Considering contouring, it was important that I would ensure the makeup had strong contouring and highlighting as the final images would be in black and white photography.

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–Considering the contrasting ‘modesty’ and ‘arrogance’ underlying with this project, I wanted to achieve hair and makeup looks which would showcase both these contrasting emotions in the final images.

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–My work shows that I like to work with soft lighting, natural lighting, creating natural shadows and shades to enhance the focus of the fashion image. Regarding the hair and make-up in my previous work, I have always been drawn to clean, simple and more natural hair looks.

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Formulating the brief.

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–The working title of this project is ‘NERO: Two Sides of Black’ Minimalistic ‘All black everything’. The concept is inspired by Yoji Yamamoto’s quote on Black:- “Black is modest and arrogant at the same time. Black is lazy and easy - but mysterious. But above all black says this: “I don’t bother you - you don’t bother me”.” Considering this, the focus of the shoot is on the contrasting emotions ‘modesty’ + ‘arrogance’. I aim for these emotions to be shown through the styling in a contrasting yet complimenting way. I like texture, and black is worn best when different textures are used together. Black and white photography required.

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Budget and costs.

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–As this is my final submission for my BA degree work, I knew from the onset that I had all the intentions to seek paid work for my collaborative team. If I want to ensure professionalism and creatives of a high standard, I would have to pay out for that. I certainly did not want to rely on people to drop out on the last minute who could risk to let me down and other members of the team. Therefore, I needed to consider a budget for the following things: • studio • photographer • stylist • model • expenses • post-production

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–I had a rough figure in my mind which would be my budget for the shoot. The initial figure came to £200 for my overall budget for the shoot, however this was subject to change. I was more than fortunate that my photographer when discussing rates, would not be expecting her usual rate of £350 + £150 for use of her studio. She recognised that I am a student and therefore settled more than happily on £150 for a full days work, her studio and expenses. She was very interested in shooting this project for me and very much wanted to be a part of it.

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–For the stylist, I paid her £70 which was going over my budget however she along with the photographer was happy with an amount lower than their usual asking rate as it was a shoot they very much wanted to be involved with. As for the model, she is a friend of mine and I gave her £40 worth of NARS makeup. Doing this project I have realised that everyone is happy if you respect them and their time to the best of your ability. Not only that, they’ll want to work with you if they really like your concept.

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Location and audiences.

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–Potential submissions to selected magazines of final images. Suitable audiences for final outcome. ‘Ideal’ spectator includes young creatives in predominately fashion in and around the city. Targeted towards those who also have the same appreciation and style of ‘all black everything’ fashion. Magazines: • Tank • Feroce • AnOther magazine Yet to inquire about submission, photographer is also keen for submission as well as the creative team.

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Collaborative team.

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–Considering, ‘NERO: Two Sides of Black’, the shoot will need to showcase this discovery to the best of it’s potential. Working with a strong team is essential to ensure that the final outcome is strong, beautiful and contemporary. Not only this, but having a strong team to collaborate with helps to strengthen all aspects of the shoot to ensure that it is possible to have the final outcome to the exact intention desired.

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–The shoot will reflect a successful and personal interpretation of Yoji Yamamoto’s quote on Black:- “Black is modest and arrogant at the same time. Black is lazy and easy - but mysterious. But above all black says this: “I don’t bother you - you don’t bother me”.” Considering this, the focus of the shoot is on the contrasting emotions ‘modesty’ + ‘arrogance’. I aim for these emotions to be shown through the styling in a contrasting yet complimenting way. I like texture, and black is worn best when different textures are used together. It was crucial that all aspects of the creative and collaborative team would have a clear understanding of this quote and help to see my vision clearly on how I wanted to extract this quote to create a final outcome personal to me and my style.

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“A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart, and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it; it is in one word, effective.” — Irving Penn.

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–The styling for the shoot needs to demonstrate a clear understand of minimalistic ‘All black everything’. I have sourced a successful stylist which ensured me that this is her style of working, so I felt confident with how the shoot was going to look. Strong styling was key for this final outcome, and a careful selection of strong pieces pulled by the stylist will ensure that the images are to the best of their potential. After all, this project has a lot of strong and concise research material for all aspects of the styling.

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–Regarding the chosen photographer, I wanted to source a professional photographer who has already been working in the professional industry and has strong links for further potential submission. Not only would her efforts be professional, but I hope for the final images to be considered for submission as this is my BA degree work and it would be very successful for me to have the opportunity to have them submitted to a well known magazine, which will target my desired audiences. The photographer Stephanie has very strong black and white photography which instantly grasped me as I knew for certain that this shoot was always intended to be shot in black and white. For me, the images would have a bold impact I wanted if they were shot in black and white.

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–This would enable me to be able to have a variety of contrasting lighting and shadows to use to provide contrast to the black and white images. Not only this, but as I tested with strong contouring for the makeup I knew that it would look most successful and beautiful in black and white. Stephanie shows a lot of movement and emotion captured in her photography work which is exactly what I was after and I felt confident that she would give a good direction on the shoot. Finally, her post-production skills are of a very high level and her retouching and edits were exactly what I would expect for my final images. These are all the important things I have considered when seeking my photographer.

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Final images.

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–Having seen the final outcome from how they were coming together on the shoot, to how they were as raw images and then to how they are after post-production, I can say the final images came out even better than I had expected. I had a vision of how I wanted them to be, but it wasn’t until I was there during the shoot that I was really able to see it all come together and know that what I was creating was achieving my concept.

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–I believe that the final outcome does clearly portray the theories I had researched and the exploration of the contrasting emotions of modesty and arrogance with a mysterious feel. With the styling used and the poses and movements along with emotion from the model, I can see a contrasting effect which has pulled together a true interpretation of my understanding of the colour Black. Considering critical analysis for the final images, I would acknowledge the success but I also have to acknowledge and note what I would have done to improve them and the failings, if any.

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–It would have been nice to try this shoot on location as an alternative style, even though I wasted to use a studio and I am happy that I did. I could have achieved a different image which could have contrasted nicely if I had also done the shoot on location. It may also have been beneficial for me to try with a another model to see how she portrays the concept, however I am very happy with the model I chose. I believe her face really compliments the styling of the shoot and she definitely has a very strong look with the edge I was looking for.

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–There are always ways we can improve our work, and I hope that I can take these images as my strongest work to date and only better myself even further in my future work.

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–To conclude, I believe this project has definitely been a successful one for me. It has allowed me to work on something I am excited and passionate about, whilst also challenging myself and tailoring myself to the avenue I wish to take further forward. It has certainly pushed me to work more collaboratively as in the past I have lacked confidence to do so. This project allowed me to find the confidence in my concept and my creative thinking to then share it with others to help me to achieve the final outcome. It has certainly had a positive response, and the prospect of having the final images put forward as a submission to well known magazines such as Tank, Féroce and maybe even AnOther magazine if lucky, is a very exciting and overwhelming prospect. This would certainly be a big step forward for me in taking my work and putting it forward into the live industry. This project has been most certainly a preparation for my next step after I graduate, and whilst this is somewhat daunting, it is also very much exciting. I have learnt a lot about myself whilst doing this project and one thing in particular is that I have really enjoyed putting this magazine together.

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Conclusion

XX – Louise Howard Cook –

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–I have really got into the layout of it and I have enjoyed every bit of putting it together. It’s opened a door for me, it’s made me consider the option of working for a fashion magazine as a fashion editor. I intend to gain work experience and internships in this field when I graduate to test if it is something I would like to do for the future. During the course of this project I have certainly seen myself develop into a fashion creative who enjoys aspects of both the production of a fashion image whilst also enjoying the editing side and putting together and pitching a concept. I aim to work in both fields and I feel confident that I will freelance as a makeup artist alongside my career in fashion. I have faced some challenges with this project at many moments, and these challenges have ranged from being big to small issues. I am very much a visual thinker, I respond well to visuals and in my mind if I like something, that can tend to be my justification. However, I accept the difficulties with this and I recognise the importance of theory. I do struggle with developing theory into practice and this is certainly something I will go forward and improve on.

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–I do hope that my visual thinking and way of working has given me strengths for this project and in hindsight it may have been useful for me to link this project closely with my dissertation. However, from the beginning of this year I knew straight away that I wanted to do a project on the colour Black. I hope I have done this successfully and I aim to take this project and carry it forward and do another project like this but with a different interpretation. This degree and final project has most definitely given me a stepping stone into what could be a really exciting future for me. I have grown so much from doing this degree and certainly learnt a lot about myself. I have come away from this project with my own style defined, and I hope this gives me an edge within the industry as I definitely have a lot of passion and determination to give.

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–First and foremost, I would like to thank London College of Fashion for the opportunity it has given me to develop into a fashion creative ready for the industry, set with an established style and confidence to take the next step. It has been a privilege to be a student at such a such a well recognised university for fashion worldwide. Thank you for opening the door for me.

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Thanks and acknowledgements.

XXI – Louise Howard Cook –

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–I would also like to thank Fiona Minors, my tutor and course leader who has been there since we first started our degree. Her support and motivation has been inspiring and she has been a fantastic tutor to help give me the confidence to believe in what I was doing. I have certainly learnt a lot from her, she never failed to work hard to ensure we were able to thrive to our best potential. Having her leave LCF was certainly devastating and I wish her all the best for the future.

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–Then, most importantly, I would like to thank Matteo Alabiso who is very dear to me and has been the absolute motivation for this project. He has provided me with support and help when I needed it most. He’s a fantastic creative and he has been there every moment helping me to achieve something to be proud of and that we can be proud of together. Finally, I would like to thank my friends, family and the creative team I was so privileged to work with. Everyone’s support has been recognised and appreciated, without you all this final submission for my BA degree wouldn’t have been possible.

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Tatiana Chechetova. Philip Bruederle. Ulrike schlüter. S magazine, winter 2011.

Melitta Baumeister. Spring/Summer 2015 Lookbook

Lady Gaga for i-D. Spring 2011. Mariano Vivanco

Model: Michael Sharp, Elite Model Management London

Miguel Goñi Aguinaga, BLACK & WHITE, May 2014

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Stefan Bunte, Proving Things, April 2013, Galerie Jean Rochdard

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Roxana Enache, STILLNESS, IDOL Magazine(UK), March 2014

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Paul Jung, Melitta Baumeister, AW14, Thisispaper Magazine

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Xiao Wen Ju, “Magical Thinking”: Tim Walker, W Magazine, Feb 2012

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We Love: Alexander Wang, Fall/ Winter 2014/15, menswear

image: Henryk Lobaczewski, PORTRAIT EDITORIAL, Emily Green, Sept 2013

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Table of illustrations.

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Paul Jung, Melitta Baumeister, AW14, Thisispaper Magazine

Lena Hardt, MCHG, Tom Ford, July 2013

Hedi Slimane, Saint Laurent, Marilyn Manson, April 2013

Show Preparations for the Spring Summer 1991 Collection - Yohji Yamamoto

Yohji Yamamoto: A Matter of Balance, Yamamoto Inc.

Yohji Yamamoto RTW, AW14, Paris Fashion Week

Cameron Diaz, Mert & Marcus, V Magazine Beauty Issue 2009

‘Metal Headz’, Mert & Marcus, Stylist Karl Templer, Interview magazine, March issue 2012 ‘Pump Up The Volume’, Sam Rollinson, Kacper Kasprzyk, Tom Van Dorpe, V Magazine, Summer 2013 issue ‘Fatale’, Sasha Pivovarova & Anja Rubik, Mert & Marcus, Vogue Paris October 2011 Lara Stone, Mert & Marcus, Interview Magazine, September issue 2010

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Sasha Pivovarova & Anja Rubik by Mert & Marcus, Fatale - Vogue Paris October 2011 ‘Femme Fatale’, Flo Dron, Jenny Brough, Victoria Sekrier, Fault magazine, Spring issue 2013 ‘A Vixen in Black’, Behati Prinsloo, David Roemer, Editorial, Sarah Gore-Reeves, Vogue Mexico, Oct 2013 Nimue Smit, Mert & Marcus, Karl Templer, Interview magazine, Sept 2012 ‘Bal Masqué’, Mert & Marcus, Carine Roitfeld, Vogue Paris Issue: October 2010 ‘Pagan Poetry’, Marcin Ziółko, Krzysztof Wyżyński, Exklusiv magazine, Dec 2010

Jackie Hardt fashion Photography | TrendLand: Fashion Blog & Trend Magazine

Blackout Beauty Editorial for 12 Mag, Florentin Dilyana, July 2012

Model: Rivaldino Santos, Elite Model Management London

Model: Michael Sharp, Elite Model Management London

Model: Sylvia Harper, Elite Model Management London

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Model: Tommy Fitzer, Elite Model Management London

Louise Howard-Cook, Test work, London College of Fashion

‘I’m Bad’, Numero 147, Billy Kidd ‘I WILL WAIT FOR YOU’, Agnes Kotwinska, Nicola Joy Smith, Charlie Macdonald

MELITTA BAUMEISTER. AW14.

Alexander Wang. Autumn-Winter 2014-2015. Collection For Men

Haider Ackermann. Fall/Winter. 2010

Sam Rollinson. V-Magazine. Summer. 2013

Lara Stone. Mert & Marcus. Interview Magazine. September 2010.

“BAL MASQUÉ” MERT ALAS & MARCUS PIGGOTT. OCTOBER 2011

Elise Crombez. Saskia De Brauw. Mert & Marcus. Metal Headz Interview. March 2012-11

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Saskia De Brauw. Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott. Visual Optimism. 2013 ‘Femme Fatale’, Flo Dron, Jenny Brough, Victoria Sekrier, Fault magazine, Spring issue 2013 ‘THE ORIGINALS’. MERT & MARCUS. INTERVIEW. SEPTEMBER. 2013

Sasha Pivovarova & Anja Rubik by Mert & Marcus. Fatale - Vogue Paris October. 2011

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Nimue Smit. Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott. 2012

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Fault Magazine. Femme Fatale

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Katlin Was. Jason Hetherington. Glass Magazine 14 Summer. 2013

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‘FACES OF TOMORROW’. COLLIER SCHORR. SELF SERVICE MAGAZINE. S/S 2014

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Natalia Vodianova. Mert & Marcus. Pirelli

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Christopher Kane. Fall/Winter. 2014-2015

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River Island. a/w141

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London College of Fashion. Autumn/Winter. 2015

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“A touch of Glass”. Iris Strubegger. Willy Vanderperre. V magazine

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Good Kate, Bad Kate/ W Magazine March ‘12

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Tao Okamoto Plays Tomboy. Greg Kadel in Numéro

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Karolin Volter. Miguel Reveriego. Wonderland Magazine.

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Inside «The Night Issue. Miguel Reveriego. Marine Deleeuw.Iris van Herpen X United Nude

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Futuristic fashion. Thai designer Ten Out Of Ten. 2014

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Design by Uma Wang. From the Uma Wang SS 2012 Collection Photographer: Todd Anthony Tyler

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SARAH RYAN : 2013 CORPUS FRATERNA COLLECTION. A/W 13-14

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July 2008. Photograph by David Sims. Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garçons,1982 Photograph by Peter LindberghEnsemble by Zandra Rhodes, 1977 Photo/ Clive

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Black Soma. AW14. The Dark Side of Berlin. WhiteLies Magazine

Graduate Spotlight 2015: Kelly Cho. LCF

Lady Gaga for i-D. Spring 2011. Mariano Vivanco

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Jessica Pitti. Dons Fetish Style for Nero Hommes. Winter 2012. Cover Story by Zoltan Tombor

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Photographer: Attila Udvardi Anita Varga make up: Sara Skrionya hair: Atee Miller

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MUAH Emanuela Borniotto MODEL Martina Nicoletti. PH Qi Kawen

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Charlee Fraser. photographer Daniel Gurton. source Fashion Gone Rogue

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Marina Krtinic. Gareth Pugh. Spring/Summer. 2015

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SIMMEL, GEORG & WOLFF, KURT H. (Ed)

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Faber Birren, Color Psychology and Color Therapy: A Factual Study of the Influence of Color on Human Life. Kessinger Publishing, 1 Mar 2006

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– NERO –

This projects working title or theme is “NERO: Two shades of Black”. The discovery of this working title came from my own self reflection and reviewing my own style and preferences. Black to me is a hugely influencing colour and has significantly become a driving force for me in fashion and for my own identity. I find myself in a ‘black hole’ where it seems that I am completely drawn in by Black. I feel that it gives me this satisfying sense of power, not only for myself but for things I am attracted to. However I discovered through self analysation that Black also conceals my insecurities and vulnerabilities.. providing me with a protective layer. I’ve realised that I recognise myself with black for two contrasting emotions. This has urged me to explore and unpack the different emotions that Black can be recognised with. This working title seems fitting for my project as I aim to display a journey of how I understand Black. – Two sides of black –

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