Morgan E Davison 2012 Portfolio by Morgan Davison

MORGAN E DAVISON

PORTFOLIO C

TRENDS & PREDICTIONS

MORPHEUS 10 FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY

HUFFER - THE RUNAWAY’S

LEAP OF FAITH

BIOGRAPHY 36

MORGAN E DAVISON

PORTFOLIO

TRENDS & PREDICTIONS The target of Trends and Predictions is to forecast the impending trends for the upcoming years. Lise Strathdee was our lecturer for this assignment. Women’s wear was designated to my group and as the project manager I was responsible for the production and organization of my team. My team researched the media in general, local and international newspapers, world events and entertainment (such as films and games). From this research we predicted the fashion forecast for Women’s Wear 2010/2011. Our presentation was presented in front of the head of Fashion and Jack Yan; editor and publisher of Lucire magazine. Carolyn Enting the Fashion Editor of Dominion Post also recognized our work. HEARTS ARE TRUMPS Lewis Carroll’s Alice was a young girl in a Wonderland lost in the confusion of truisms and peculiar anthropomorphic creatures. Now she’s back and she is bewitching Wonderland. This time Alice holds the White Rabbit’s tick-tock pocket watch, the Mad Hatter’s Party now has room and the Queen of Heart’s court plays croquet in a new way. This Wonderland is Alice’s fantasy escape and this time it is she who is in control.

Alice escapes down the rabbit hole into an idyllic romance of pastel colours and fantasy. Light filters through the Queen of Hearts garden to lightly touch the skin in a soft caress of breezy fresh colours. Encompassed in blue satin ribbons and peach blossoms is the tart scent of fluffy pink icing, yellow sweetness of crumbling pasty and crisp white sugar lumps that glisten in the light of the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party radiance; the obsession of whimsical daydreams of escape. Traverse through wonderland in silky soft satins and loose flowing chiffons. New-born flowers decorate the skin in the form of slippery silken threads and natural charms from nature.

Shhhh... The muse is found in the hushed quietness of the hidden garden. Ambling down the softly trodden garden path into a forgotten door escaping in to a secret garden of floral scents of purple lavender, blue water lilies, pink tulips, yellow roses and white wisteria. Illuminated in the movement of light and swept across from behind by a lithe wind, encouraging you to while away your day here, surrounded by the life of natures greenery and sweet aroma of floral offerings. The musical trilling of soft bird songs weaves and wraps through the gardens lush green foliage the dappled light filtered through the braches of drooping willows and strong oak trees creating a haven of colour underneath taking in lilacs, purples, whites, soft reds and blue greens.

FLUID LIGHT Light moves through the garden, onto Monet’s canvas and into your wardrobe. The tranquil escape is the essence of Monet in his garden and in his paintbrush. The light of Monet’s art is filtered from his artwork and on to the catwalk of the Word’s most influential designers.

Over the primeval canals and through the covdoors into GOON ert the ecstasy and VOLITY ravishing beauty of Venice. The echoing bounds of merriment and vivacity surges through the city. The streets are lined with carnival masks waiting for the diversion of escape they know will begin soon.

anals and oors into the ng beauty of g bounds of ity surges streets are asks waiting escape they n.

MORGAN E DAVISON

PORTFOLIO NOMADIC ENCOUNTER’S Nomadic flags of colourNOMADIC fly through the icy wind across the romanticallyENCOUNTER’S barren land of Mongolia. Ancient temples are festooned upon the rock-strewn mountain sides as the tinkle of chiming bells echo of the off the harness of horses and from the doors of monasteries. This philosophical nation of people are the true essence of escape. Nomadic flags of colour fly through the icy wind across the romantically barren land of Mongolia. Ancient temples are festooned upon the rock-strewn mountain sides as the tinkle of chiming bells echo of the off the harness of horses and from the doors of monasteries. This philosophical nation of people are the true essence of escape.

LAGOON FRIVOLITY Dive into the merriment of Venice’s carnival. The night is filled with the royal reds, midnight blues, deep purple and oil lamp oranges swinging off the gondola swayed by the waters underneath currents which reminisces with the city above in the pleasure of the carnival. The sounds of the carnival reach heights of euphoria as the saccharine wine and aromatic spices and flavours of food merge into the cool night air. The colours of the carnival fuse to become a blurring whirlwind of bright light and shaded colour. Escape down the streets of bobbing lanterns and paper decorations in supple brushed velvets, rustling organza skirts and beaded embroidery to became a costume of escape. This is an escape of asinine frivolity in a city of water and light.

A mixture of crimson monk robes, brown animal skins and colourful embroidery of lime green, sky blue, primary yellow, burnished orange and magenta pinks which are playfully merged together indiscriminately. The barren windswept plains of this nomadic isolated land are the ideal setting for the vibrancy and life of these deprived yet contented people. The blustery weather sweeps unhindered by manmade buildings biting over the mammoth mountains of Mongolia. The smoky smell of incense clings to the land as the weather beaten foliage rattle in tune to the beat of ponies hooves. Escape into the earthiness of these wandering vagrants as easily as their colours are put together, escape over valley passes where there is no power, no cars and no roads a wondrous fantasy of untold an quest.

MORGAN E DAVISON M

Morpheus his name, than whom none can present more cunningly the features, gait and speech of men, their wonted clothes and turn of phrase. He mirrors only men; - Ovid, Metamorphoses.

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This was a competition-based project that let me have free reign as a designer. Over much preliminary research and media referencing I came across the concept of sleep. From this point I investigated the different types of sleep as well as the history and mythic references surrounding the idea of slumber. A prominent phase of sleep with an abundance of references and focus was REM sleep, which is the period of time when an individual experiences dreams whilst sleeping.

So Morpheus spoke, spoke too in such a voice as she must think her husband’s (and his tears she took for true), and used her Ceyx’ gestures. Asleep, she moaned and wept and stretched her arms to hold him, but embraced the empty air. - Ovid, Metamorphoses.

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As for the mythical perspective of sleep I explored numerous different ancient cultures and how they perceived sleep. This included but was not limited to: Native American, Indian, Chinese and Japanese lore. From my own historical interests I chose to focus on Greek Mythology and the God of Dreams; Morpheus.

Soon through the dewy dark on noiseless wings flew Morpheus and with brief delay arrived at Trachis town and, laying his wings aside, took Ceyx’s [ghostly] form and face and, deathly pale and naked, stood beside the poor wife’s bed. His beard was wet and from his sodden hair the seadrips flowed; then leaning over her, weeping - Ovid, Metamorphoses.

When my research was finished I began my design by basing the silhouette on pottery friezes and I draped the silhouette on a half and full size mannequin. This also influenced the loincloth and the Greek floral design, which I hand embroidered around the edges as a representation of Morpheus’ poppies. My main material was a plum hued silk chiffon and was chosen as a metaphor for the hazy dreams we experience in sleep.

fancy.com Another design concept I took into consideration was New Zealand as I had just arrived in the country. Of interest were the Maori culture and the New Zealand fashion’s emphasis on ecological fashion and zero waste.

MORGAN E DAVISON

PORTFOLIO FASHION

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The son of Sleep, and the god of dreams. The name signifies the fashioner or moulder, because he shaped or formed the dreams which appeared to the sleeper. - Ov. Met. xi. 635.

The plum silk was a length of five meters and was designed, draped and sewn with zero waste in order to help me understand the use of such an approach and immerse myself in this New Zealand fashion trend. Similarly, the cloak was made from 100% New Zealand Wool and was four meters in length and was also zero waste. This included the hand made dreadlocks. The wool cloak and feather piece were inspired by Maori historical dress for example, the highly prized feather cloak. I entered my project into the Hokonui Avant Garde 2010 Competition in order to promote myself as an upcoming New Zealand designer.

PHOTOGRAPHY My Fashion Photography project was based on an early Lord Byron poem. As such the atmosphere and styling for the shoot reflected the mood of the poem. Byron talks of a beautiful woman called Marion in the poem and Byron describes her eyes, lips and smile as beguiling, admirable and thrilling, her hair attracts and beauty distracts. From this emotive description in the poem an image of a unique and wondrous woman is formed in the readerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind.

Yet the contrast in the poem is that she is disgusted by life, discontented and cold hearted, which provided me with a figure that was the embodiment of an oxymoron providing me with a deep well of inspiration.

Marion! why that pensive brow? What disgust to life hast thou? Change that discontented air; Frowns become not one so fair.

MORGAN E DAVISON

My final collection of five photos evoked Byron’s poem by capturing the essence of a beautiful woman. The model is stern to contrast the model’s attractiveness, revealing Marion’s true nature. The setting evokes the time period the poem would have been written in and the styling gives a sense of the costume they would have worn, with elbow length gloves and ornamented hair (while not being too concerned with maintaining verisimilitude). Some will love, and all admire; While that icy aspect chills us, Naught but cool indiff’rence thrills us. Wou’dst thou wand’ring hearts beguile, Smile at least, or seem to smile.

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The weak eletrical lighting and shadowed corners evoke the gas lighting or weak electrical light and suggest the contempt and revulsion that Marion feels in the poem. As a post treatment to the images in Adobe Bridge I de-saturated the images and adjusted the tonal properties. My images were put on exhibition at Massey University along with a few other outstanding students.

Howe’er we gaze with admiration On eyes of blue or lips carnation, Howe’er the flowing locks attract us, Howe’er those beauties may distract us, Still fickle, we are prone to rove, These cannot fix our souls to love;

To say they form a pretty picture; But wouldst thou see the secret chain Which binds us in your humble trail To hail you queens of all creation, Know, in a word, ’tis ANIMATION.

MORGAN E DAVISON H

The fashion brand Huffer was my group’s client and their design brief to us was a new 2011/2012 summer collection that embodied the Huffer brand. Our chosen forecasted trend for summer 2011/2012 was ‘escape’ and our group compiled a concept. From this foundation the look of ‘star crossed lovers’ running away from home with only the bare essentials emerged.

F THE RUNAWAY’S Our research into the history of Huffer told us that they were trying to branch out into women’s wear as they had prominently featured men’s wear in previous seasons but were at the stage of branching out. This was taken into consideration for our project as we proposed that our collection could be used as a way of ‘softening’ this transition into a new market.

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fancy.com This worked particularly well with our concept of delirious lovers only taking what they needed and this cemented our decision to make a unisex collection. As the project manager and head designer the designs, concept and photography were my responsibilities as well as keeping up to date with the other people in the team, organizing meetings and ensuring that work quality was maintained. Our collection was designed around a boy and a girl desperately in love but for familial reasons could not be together, much like Romeo and Juliet. They decided to run away through a myriad of landscapes including woodland and highway settings. As the concept of our story stated we decided that they could only take a few items of clothing to wear, where the lovers ended up sharing one bag of clothing.

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MORGAN E DAVISON

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The collection focused on what the Huffer aesthetics were and what their customers wore in order to appeal to Huffer’s existing target markets The collection consisted of patched and ripped jeans and jean shorts, a roughened double collar button down shirt, a cardigan, a printed singlet and a duffle bag all of which were unisex (continuing the theme of the bare essential the lovers possessed).

The collection also had to be environmentally friendly. This was achieved by having unisex clothes, which resulted in one collection for both sexes instead of two collections. Our jeans were also 100% recycled, yet we realized later that this wasn’t an economically productive or profitable option for Huffer.

Can’t stay at home, can’t stay at school Old folks say, ya poor little fool Down the street I’m the girl next door I’m the fox you’ve been waiting for

Consequently I came up with a possible plan that Huffer could find other ways to be environmentally friendly and reduce their material costs, this included customers donating their pre-loved jeans to be made into new jeans, allowing the customer to feel as if they have helped the environment.

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MORGAN E DAVISON

PORTFOLIO LEAP

Hey street boy, what’s your style Your dead end dreams don’t make you smile I’ll give ya something to live for Have ya, grab ya til you’re sore - Cherry Bomb, The Runaways.

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COLLECTION CONCEPT A fabrication of game and history Assassin’s Creed has inspired me to create and innovate in my contemporary collection. Ezio Auditore da Firenze struggles to set Italy free from the Templar’s corruption and tyranny by assassinating prominent historical figures in an attempt to change fate. The Renaissance’s imagery in the game affected my collection’s styling and design, which can be seen in the style lines and the fabrics I chose to use in my collection. Representations of renaissance armour and papal Roman Catholic clothing influences can be seen in my garments through the colours and repetition of the crucifix. Though they are two opposing forces in the game the Assassin’s and Borgia are connected through their religion though they have differing opinions. This is displayed in my collection as a definite split down the middle.The game is a simulated version of history and I have represented this by simulating real leather for PU vinyl in my garments i.e. the Assassin’s trousers. This also gives the collection an unreal quality physically as well as in my campaign photographs as the PU vinyl makes the trousers look as if they have come out of the game. My collection is also a bridge between Cosplay and fashion. The outfits of either the Assassin’s or Borgia’s are designed to be worn as a whole to give game enthusiasts a costume experience and fashionistas the option for an extra bit of something in their outfit.

FAITH

MORGAN E DAVISON

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MINION POST, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2009

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These images show the contrast between CGI, real life models and clothing. The development of this idea is an indication of where the future in the fashion industry could be heading. Mine and Prada’s CGI collection are an example of a niche market that was unknown, and is begining to be explored.

LIFE

STYLE

MACY

ugh times for lience

HAL

he past several months, I have en unsuccessful in getting another ouse is getting foreclosed upon. All emendous strain on our family nship. I find myself having a hard cused and being productive, e I feel as if I’m a failure. What ise someone in my shoes? nable to Stay Strong in Upper Hutt

utt: I would advise you to find ilience, the art of facing adversity back. Things happen to us that guish, anxiety, panic, depression ts beyond our control can feel flating, but maintaining a de will dramatically help you to rough trying times. t resilient people do: your goals are, and then do u can to make them come true. u must persist in the face of acks and failures, resist the give up. It will be useful for you to ility to change direction and ce to your goals. at you are trying to create and to look forward to, not on what appointed you, or what you have

Escape 2010: A fashion trend forecast ‘‘mood board’’ by Massey University students ‘‘the Atrium group’’, inspired by an escape into Monet’s garden.

TREND GAME

ps and downs in stride. Keep your picture and don’t let every your spirit. n to the attitudes and emotions age you or turn you sour, and don’t . I’m speaking of behaviours such at the people you care about, the better of you, permitting defeated, and giving up on your must find a way to not give in to efeat. your mistakes, disappointments or ke sure your actions are in th your goals and values. hallenge and do the best you can. ou never forget that the most g in life is the quality of your with those you care about, and to you can to keep those ngaged, reciprocal, vital, close

Who decides what we’ll wear? Carolyn Enting reveals the real trendsetters.

d compassion: seeing things from n’s perspective, not just your own. of how your words, actions and ve an impact on others and their able to stand inside someone ce and emotions with a desire to hy they feel as they do. This skill is eping your important olid. e self-destructive with addictive unhealthy behaviours. lf physically active, vital and fit. others, rather than feeling sorry at they aren’t reaching out to you. towards the future with hope and

Recession denial: Gucci. Photo: REUTERS

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al is a marriage and family alising in intimate relationships. If ue you would like him to address write to him c/o The Editor, The , PO Box 3740, Wellington 6140, rtrelationships.com

e’ve got the section u’ve been looking for.

dompost.co.n

Saturday

1 August

2009

Home Focus

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The latest listings h This weekend’s open homes Editorial features

IN YOUR DOMINION POST EVERY SATURDAY

RILLS were big news last summer and giant corsages a la Sarah Jessica Parker exploded in fast fashion boutiques like algal bloom. This summer, everyone’s going nude. No, not a re-run of fashion spoof movie Pret-a-Porter (1994), which featured a parade of naked models, but nude-coloured dresses, shoes and handbags. Nude is the newest fashion colour of the season. The big question is who decides this? Mostly, it’s a result of trend forecasting, which has blossomed into a global multimillion-dollar business in the past two decades. One of the biggest fashion and style forecasters is WGSN, described by The Wall Street Journal as ‘‘the fashion industry’s secret weapon’’. It employs more than 200 trendspotters who predict the cultural climate years in advance, and serves all the Fortune 500 apparel brands and 88 per cent of the world’s Fortune 2000 style and fashion retailers. ‘‘We act as a curator of information and engage experts and talk to thought leaders across the globe,’’ WGSN Australia and New Zealand regional director Heidi Dyt says. ‘‘We start our research five years in advance, but start publishing at a macro level two years in advance.’’ Research, including colour predictions for northern hemisphere spring/summer 2011, is available on its site, but accessible only to subscribers who pay an annual fee of A$35,500 (NZ$44,500). It includes breakdowns on key moods, long-term cultural indicators and seasonal trends. WGSN designers turn the key

trends into commercially viable colours, textiles, silhouettes, styling and graphics. Magazines such as Viewpoint take a ‘‘bigger picture’’ approach, looking ahead to next year but also 2020, even 2050. ‘‘We look at social patterns and moods that would help a designer who is looking for something that is a bit more conceptual,’’ Viewpoint editor and British-based Wellingtonian Liz Hancock says. In its current issue Viewpoint examines the future of travel and the ‘‘bleisure generation’’ – people, mostly in their 20s and 30s, who mix business and pleasure. Wardrobes need to segue from a business meeting and then out on the town. Viewpoint’s feature fashion shoot also investigated ideas such as suits made of waterproof and dirt-resistant fabric. Fashion Industry New Zealand chairman Paul Blomfield confirms that several large apparel companies here use sourcing services and networks but ‘‘they probably wouldn’t want to directly tell you that. They would not want to suggest their styles have been derived from international collections’’. However, tapping into this futuristic universe is not necessarily a negative, says New Zealand designer/forecaster Lise Strathdee, who teaches trends research and methodologies at Massey University. WGSN ‘‘is used by everyone from Marc Jacobs to Gap’’, and as far as trendsetting designers go, Jacobs’ influence is No 1 on the high street, she says. ‘‘There is this misconception that someone who uses a trend prediction service has no imagination. That is not the

Going nude: Lisa Ho. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

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Designers look at what kids are wearing in Paris, London, New York, Tokyo and Berlin. case. It is about knowing and being aware of what is happening in the world around you and how to go forward. It is about accessing information in an inspiring way and then developing your own ideas safe in the knowledge that you’re on the right track.’’ While macro trends evolve and develop over time, what is known as ‘‘bubble up’’ trends are often born on the street, where a lot of designers do their research and find inspiration. ‘‘Designers look at what the young kids are wearing on the streets of Paris, London, New York, Tokyo and, increasingly, Berlin. The whole trend of neon colours, footless tights, skinny jeans, the trilby, check shirts and asymmetrical haircuts came directly from those kids that were in turn referencing the 80s and 90s,’’ Hancock says. Something a celebrity wears can also be responsible for ‘‘a look’’ becoming a fad and instant trend in the marketplace. Brands can react within four weeks to get product into the stores – the giant rosette inspired by the Sarah Jessica Parker corsage is an example. Most trends are derived from themes that include market influences. Two trends Strathdee predicted 12 months ago were ‘‘embracing austerity’’ and ‘‘recession

denial’’. In March these were confirmed on the catwalk in Milan at the Gucci and Prada shows. Prada embraced the austerity look, sending out models in wartime tweed and wader-like boots ‘‘as if to imply one had to go and fish for your tea’’. Gucci’s collection screamed, ‘‘we’re having fun’’, sending out higher heels than usual, shiny fabrics and heavily made-up models. WGSN predicted ‘‘nice’’, all about ‘‘going back to a simple way of life and appreciating the simple things’’, Dyt says. ‘‘Back to a simple colour palette – reds and yellow – clear, primary colours become really relevant to that theme.’’ Strathdee says the New Zealand lifestyle is also now influencing the global trend market ‘‘because we have a different attitude’’. Flight of the Conchords has created a cult street following in America. In June 2008 The Los Angeles Times reported on the ‘‘resourcefulness of the Conchords’ clique’’, whose T-shirts bore freshly minted ironon transfers of the band song lyrics, like ‘‘rhyme-nocerus’’ and ‘‘who likes to rock the party’’. So how to predict a trend? Massey design students studying this elective have to grapple with this. The best trends forecasters are intuitive, says Strathdee. You can’t teach intuition, but what you can teach is methodology and this is research. ‘‘It is about creating awareness of what is going on and finding those patterns and analysing the information. By the end of the course, students produce what they call a trend product. The industry has become so specialised now you can make these trend products and sell them.’’

Carolyn Enting article on fashion trends using my works as an example. - Dominion Post, Life 30.07.2009

Prada Spring/Summer 2012 menswear collection. featuring Prada’s collection on Final Fantasy XIII-2 as part Prada, known as a modern of the ‘Final Fantasy’ series brand that pushes boundaries has used computer-generated 25th Anniversary. imagery (CGI) at Visual Works Studio, Japan with Final Fantasy character designers (Square Enix) in a 12 page spread of the video characters wearing Prada’s Spring Collection and appeared as a spread in fashion magazine Arena Homme+.

My final Collection ‘Leap of Faith’ is an example of my trend predictions and on-the-ball, innovative fahion. In my collection real life models are wearing CGI inspired garments, inspired from the Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood game from 2011. Now Prada in 2012 has had a similar idea, which has been greeted by many favourable resposes by Final Fantasy Fans and Fashion Fans.

MORGAN E DAVISON B

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To begin, I have had the unique pleasure of having lived in three countries, exposing me to interesting cultures and personally enhancing experiences. This diversity has influenced my inspirational sources and consequently my sense of fashion as a designer. I spent my childhood in England before moving to Australia where I completed my high school education. Immediately afterwards I moved to New Zealand where I decided to pursue my passion by studying Fashion Design at Massey University in Wellington. My bachelor of Design lasted four years and through hard work I achieved Honours. While studying in Wellington I decided to try out a number of culturally unique interests, this included European and Asian Martial Arts Academies and playing the violin. Consequently this gave me the opportunity to be an extra and perform stunt work for Weta Digital, become part of the New Zealand Army Reserves. Concurrently when I was at Massey University I was given many chances inside and outside the university to experience the many facets within the fashion industry. I enjoyed many aspects of the industry to which I was exposed to but I was particularly interested in trend prediction, fashion styling, costume design and photography.

Morgan Emily Davison 0221 692 320 morganedavison@hotmail.co.nz

ÂŠMorgan E Davison 2012