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BRAND ME Personal Branding Book
Within this reflective report I will be detailing my development journey through the Concept Direction and Development module with special focus on the outcomes of my summer research as well as their extension throughout my final year of university. The aim of this assignment is for us to establish our fit and taste within the fashion industry. In order to achieve this we were asked to reflect on all the key traits and characteristics that makes us unique and consider our factors that influence our perception of the world. Fashion businesses today look to young creatives for the clues and answers in promoting, marketing or communicating their brand. In order to do that successfully I knew that I had to dig deep to understand what exactly it is I have to offer to potential future employers. ‘Brand Me’ was a springboard for both professional and personal growth for myself and within this book my visual signature and brand narrative unfolds responding to that.
Prior to our return to university, we were given a series of tasks to complete that was set to inform the outcomes produced within the concept direction and development module. This research consisted of a variety of exercises such as peer reviews and personality tests, all centered around self-reflection. My responses to these tasks are showcased on the following pages, which serve as the starting point of developing Peter Kecskes, the brand. During this first phase of our personal branding assignment I have placed a special focus on analysing the factors that impact our psychological development, specifically in the period that bridges the gap between childhood and our adult lives. In an article by chrysaliscourses.ac.uk adulthood is discussed as an extension of our childhood experience, where we strive to fulfil the desires we have developed in our early years. (chrysaliscourses.ac.uk, n.d.) Other sources note that our psychological makeup plays a significant part in determining the extent of which we are impacted by our early years, though the three key influential factors remain our “socioeconomic status, living environment and parental behaviour” nonetheless. (Singh, 2014)Stemming from this, I knew that I should start looking for answers in my childhood and interrogate the elements of it that I considered to be impactful.
As a child I loved arts and crafts, drawing, and making things with my hands. Some of my creative choices in my research mirror this with their naïve, spontaneous nature. This is something that I capitalized on during research: developing a visual signature that has a real sense of authenticity. But what is the message beyond the visuals? I grew up in small town in the Hungarian countryside which, similarly to most towns in Eastern-Europe, lacked real developments and catered exclusively for its mostly middle-aged inhabitants in terms of its entertainment and cultural opportunities. Although I was a happy child, even from an early age I never felt like I belonged.
I used to watch American cartoons and listen to pop music for hours every day, as it offered me a sense of escapism from the otherwise mundane setting of my hometown. My parents did not have a lot of financial resources growing up but they always made sure that I had more than I needed. Luckily for them I was the type of child that could be given box of crayons and a piece of paper and I would entertain myself for hours while my peers were busy playing with their XBoxes and PlayStations. From an early age I use to love playing dress up and I was never afraid to express myself through dress. One year on my first day of school I dressed up in a white and pale blue checkered print, head to toe, including trousers, a shirt, a matching scarf and a matching fedora. As a child I knew that I could never fit in amongst my peers so I never tried. My parents were always supportive of me, but they would never allow me to play with “girl’s toys”. By making Barbies and other fashion dolls a taboo for me they inherently made them more desirable and exciting. I credit my early love for fashion to those toys as they were my only exposure to this world of heightened glamour and design and colour.
The first conscious decision I had to make starting this project was whether I would like to document my research journey in a digital or analog way. Here, I applied what I have learned about myself during our first two years of the course and chosen to present my summer homework in a physical form. This has given me room to play with tactile surfaces and engage all the senses in my storytelling. I particularly enjoyed revisiting the visuals I have produced in my summer research sketchbooks and giving them a digital update. By adding in computer generated textures, text and fashion forward layering I was able to elevate the visuals whilst keeping that nostalgic, handmade feel to them. In order to achieve this result I carried our a variety of processes which towards the end of the ‘Brand Me’ assignment I have gained a real sense of ownership over. Scanning in my magazine cutouts added a lovely grain and 90s quality to these pages which I then gone in to decorate with imagery I have taken on my 35mm disposable and Polaroid cameras. Here, I already started to explore ways I can communicate my brand in an entirely unique way.
With a far-reaching range of written research already completed, it was time for me to move onto working on some visuals. My aim was to find a signature style of work that audiences can look at and immediately think of me. Article by designrush.com distinguishes between what is referred to as a visual identity, which “promotes consistency in a brand’s use of visual elements” and branding, which is the “development of brand voice and communication strategy”. (designrush.com, 2020) I have learnt that it is the strong link between those two factors identified that conveys a “distinctive feel of your products and services” and sets you apart from competitors. (designrush.com, 2020) Hoping to produce a visual identity of my own, I carried out a research method that I learnt at university: the ‘Stories Without Words’ technique, hoping to get a comprehensive result. I started by selecting 15 images, fashion, and non-fashion related and started looking for a pattern, a common denominator that they all share with one another. Concluding the ‘stories without words’ exercise I wanted to take a moment to analyse the visuals collated and consider what exactly it is that I am drawn to when it comes to visual language. The images I find most exciting are the ones that have a sense of newness to them, something that offers a quality that I have not seen before. All of the 15 chosen images evidence a state of unexpectedness, representing real life settings and objects with the vibrance, colours, scale or proportions enhanced dramatically, creating a reimaged world. Contrasted with the sepia toned, film and polaroid photography, a vintage likeability is attached to the fashion image that softens the edges of the otherwise sharp and overproduced aesthetic. Kitschy things, early 2000s references and iconography from relevant pop, fashion and internet culture can be identified as a reoccurring theme. What I have learnt from this exercise is that my point of view is very much queer, embedded in queer culture. It is where I feel most at home so referencing it feels very personal to my brand. As far as typography is concerned there seemed to have been a high number of collages that involved fonts which have a certain drippy quality to them. This is representative of the fluid nature of my daily thought processes and emotions. There are no straight lines in my brain and the font identified conveys those emotional extremes.
In order to truthfully answer the question proposed I took some time to go through and analyse the work I have produced up to date on the course and came to the conclusion that I am not a safe communicator. I have never been afraid of taking risks and most certainly never produced anything that would blend in with the work of others around me. I recognise that there is still room for improvement, but the summer homework assigned has allowed me to find my feet more as a creative and given my work more intention.
At this stage of the journey my research has not yet evidenced a clear pattern that I could pick up on which is why I made the decision to take a personality test to further inform the outcome of the assignment. I felt keen to see the results, hoping to read through an accurately developed blueprint of me. Out of the 16 personality archetypes my results have given me the ENFJ-T description, also referred to as the ‘Turbulent Protagonist’. Equal parts extroverted and introverted, most of my mental energy is directed towards fuelling my intuitive skills and curiosity, focusing on hidden meanings and future possibilities. ENFJ-T personality types also strive for social harmony and are incredibly empathetic and emotionally expressive. They radiate authenticity and everything they do ripples out and affects everyone. They are natural-born leaders, success-driven perfectionists. ENFJ-T personality types are often politicians, coaches or teachers. The ‘Protagonist’ personality types possess a huge amount of natural confidence and find it easy to reach every mind, let it be through facts, logic or raw emotion. Additionally, key values for the ‘Turbulent Protagonist’ are predictability, structure and clarity. They form 2% of the population.
Hoping for a fully realised outcome I knew I had to be honest and address the things that make me react, the subject matters that are pivotal in the understanding of me. ‘The most permanent thing in my life is me’ is a sentence that resonates deeply with me as, due to my past life experiences, I had to adapt and learn to be my own rock. When I was 13 years old, after years of self-hatred and anxiety I came out to my parents as gay. Growing up in a wildly homophobic country I never truly found my place. The Hungarian government’s anti-LGBT propaganda has poisoned the public’s opinion immensely and still to this day hate crime targeting my community is regular and equality is unachieved. I went from being mistreated by my peers at school to being mistreated by my teachers and my church to then being mistreated by my family. As a result to me coming out to my mum I was not made welcome at home and had stay with my friends’ family for a while. When it happens, in the moment, you see everything you ever labelled as permanent, that sense of security crumble and fall in front of your eyes. It was in that moment that I learnt the importance of being independent. Thankfully I had the courage to take myself out of a horrible situation. From those early years of my life, I have learnt how important it is to treat people kindness, to love myself and learnt that life is worth living. Although I was able to repair my relationship with my parents since then, standing on my own two feet and being in charge of my own destiny has remained a priority ever since then.
An aspect of my personality that is worth mentioning is the fact that I am an idealist. An idealist is a person who believes that a perfect life or situation can be achieved, even when it is not very likely. This is something I strongly identify with as I am always looking to better the quality of my life and embark upon new journeys that lead me to a better version of myself. This trait of mine can be identified through everything I touch in terms of my creative work. There is a constant positivity factor as my visuals and colour ways remain optimistic even on days when I struggle to connect to optimism in my personal life. Being an idealist in my edge as creative: seeing things as what they could be rather than seeing them at their face value.
What is my message today? I am an outsider. I always have been. At school, at boarding school, in my family, even at university. This is not necessarily a negative attribute as it has given me a unique perspective in many situations, an overview that helps me see the bigger picture and adapt to my environment, just like a chameleon. Being self-aware of this quality of mine has given me a chance to not conform to any pre-existing tribe regarding how I present myself and allowed me to be my own club, to be my own muse. My message today revolves around positivity, kindness, and acceptance. I am a strong believer in the laws of attraction, a philosophy according to which “positive thoughts bring positive results into a person's life”. (Scott, 2020) My personal mantra is ‘treat people the way you would like to be treated’, it is a sentiment that I carry with me anywhere I go. I particularly enjoy the company of people that share this message with me. Otherwise, I am known to be quite selective with the people that surround me. In the future I hope to work with businesses that empower people to be their most authentic selves.
I am aware that most people that meet me find me intimidating. Although this is not a reaction I expect from people, I can understand how my character can easily be misjudged. I am more introverted than I am extroverted which often deprives my peers from the opportunity to get to know me entirely. As part of my summer research I have asked some of my closest friends and family to describe me in a few words anonymously in the hopes of gaining an outside perspective of what Peter is really like. The attributes that came up most among the respondees was ‘confident’, ‘caring’, ‘stylish’, and ‘imaginative’.
Following my peer review exercise I took some time to reflect on myself, highlighting both my strengths and weaknesses. I knew this would implement the overall personal branding process as I can use these key traits in the written language when I market myself as a young professional. Starting with my strengths, I am aware that what sets me apart from others is my eyes. Nobody sees the world the way I do. Joining fashion education from an art background allows me to infuse my visual communications with elements of both worlds. This is followed by my intuition and understanding of cultural shifts which I can easily utilize in more commercial fashion practises such as trend forecasting or editing at a publication. I am hyper aware of what goes on on-and offline and can translate what I see around me into a product, design, or image. Successful creative problem solving, optimism, enthusiasm and ambition characterise my attitude towards my work. I am a highly empathetic person, a loyal friend, and a confident, resilient individual. As for the weaknesses I understand that I can be stubborn and self-centred at times and I enjoy having control over every aspect of my life.
Following the successful
him speak in interviews and
interrogation of my childhood I had
watching him perform, mostly
an aim to take into consideration all
about authenticity and the power
of the things that have shaped me
of being different. RuPaul’s famous
in my adult life. Moving to England
catchphrase reads ‘we are all born
at the age of 16 has given me a
naked, and the rest is drag’,
platform to live life in a way that
meaning that we are all more than
feels more authentic to me and I
what it says on our driver’s license.
shortly got introduced to my new
RuPaul Charles inspires me to
cultural heritage, being a gay man.
stand out, rather than blend in and
Ever since then I have found myself
hide. As a Gemini I am fascinated
endlessly inspired by the British
with the dualities of RuPaul’s public
drag scene. The flamboyance, the
and private persona which is what
glamour and the attitude brought
made me question whether there
me to a happy place where I found
is more inside of me too and not
myself amongst like-minded
just the aspect of my personality
people. RuPaul Charles is
that most people get to see in my
undoubtedly a pop culture icon
day-to-day life. I believe that the
and one of my personal idols. In the
characters we choose to idolize
past decade he has brought drag
impact us as individuals and as
to the forefront of mainstream
brands. My experience with drag
culture and by doing so he has
has taught me not to take life too
given a platform for queer creatives
seriously and to have fun. Taking
around the globe to shine in the
risks and challenging myself with
limelight. I have learnt a lot from
my creativity is also something I
listening to
strived to as a fashion student.
I would like the fashion industry to consider me a creative powerhouse one day. Someone who can juggle a variety of different projects with an unstoppable drive. I feel that there is a pre-existing perception of people of my generation which I would like to contradict with my work ethic. I love change, I love newness and I always push myself to raise to any challenges that might come my way. One of the questions that was asked of us before our return to university was whether we were a fight or flight kind of an individual. I hope that through the work I produce I show employers how far I have come in these three short years of my higher education.
With the initial ‘Stories Without Words’ exercise I already started looking for a pattern in the type of imagery that I responded to and this time my focus landed on colours. Colours speak to me. The colour related part of our summer homework has proven to be one of the most challenging ones since I respond so strongly to many different shades. I feel most attached to green. It is a colour that I regularly use in my digital work in an instinctive manner. The colour green is also known to “evoke powerful emotions” as it reminds us of growth and “expresses renewal and life”. (Wharton, 2019) According to statistics published by thedesignlove.com almost “92.6% people are usually of the opinion that as compared to taste, smell and other sensory receptors involved in purchase of a particular product, color is the No.1 influencing factor that affects their purchase decision.” (thedesignlove.com, n.d.) Aware of these impactful numbers I felt hesitant but nominated green as one of the primary colours of my brand. In my sketchbook work I have used two colours throughout all of the pages: pink and black. These shades were used in many different mediums, photographic prints, spray paint, ink, markers. Black conveys a sense of timeless elegance whilst pink signifies flamboyance, kindness, and femininity. In my personal brand these two colours are very important as they have to coexist to truly be authentic to me. ‘Cinderella meets The Matrix’ was what we called this visual relationship in our one-to-one tutorials. Cinderella being the tulle fabrics, the glamour, the opulence and this bubblegum pink colour that is paired with the black which is the disruption of this with a strong grunge direction. Throughout this ‘Brand Me’ book you will find examples of this aesthetic. Where there are conventional themes of glamour there will also be leather boots or highly saturated greens that juxtapose it.
I feel closest to lean towers of big cities. Representing the hustle & bustle and cosmopolitan settings, I identify with their idea wholeheartedly.
I love the idea of wilted or wild flowers. They feed into this overarching theme of my brand which is unconventional beauty. I have always found it strange that flowers get disregarded at the stage when they look the most beautiful and found that there is something poetic about the way wilted flowers fall and their colours fade.
At completion of the first part of the brief the next task was to choose a brand from a limited selection of designers and investigate why and how they fit with you. Out of the labels provided I felt an immediate connection with Charles Jeffrey’s LOVERBOY label as it narrates queer expression so honestly and beautifully. As part of the designer luxury market level, the communication of the LOVERBOY brand had a conceptual, visionary quality to it that attracted me not just to the design but the whole environment, the world of LOVERBOY. Jeffrey’s visual signature has a rough finish to it as well as a rebellious undertone which is also present in my personal branding. What I found interesting with the LOVERBOY narrative is that Jeffrey tackles diversity in a way that does not go down the established root of raising awareness and aiming to be accepted by everyone. Instead, it feels like the message is about not caring about other people’s opinions and just existing unapologetically, without needing an approval. As a queer creative I knew that I had to consider whether I would like my sexual orientation to be something that informs my personal brand, and if so, what does that narrative look like? Nonetheless, the LOVERBOY label is the best fit with my brand as it makes me question those sorts of things.
The publications I see most of myself in are the contemporary ones that have a special point of view. Paper Magazine, NYLON, AnotherMan Magazine. I love menswear and I love anything that challenges gender, traditions, and binaries. Just like these publications I also love gorgeous visual storytelling. The publication I have researched in full depth is LOVE magazine, which I found through my research of Charles Jeffrey, who has had a huge creative impact over the magazine throughout the years. From a branding perspective, I found it useful to analyse Jeffrey’s fashion design, and his work at LOVE magazine and seeing how that very specific aesthetic travels between various channels. As I reflect and conclude my response to the summer homework, I am able to identify a handful of narratives that could potentially inform what my finalised brand will look like. I feel most inspired by exploring the visual identity of my ‘future heritage’, what Peter’s tribe looks like following this new start, where I do not need to hide from anyone anymore. With a wide variety of visuals and mood boards already in hand, I feel confident stepping into the next stage of the Brand Me process as we start making some firm decisions around our public image.
New York!
As well as detailing my personal reflection I intended to document how I have traveled through the module from week to week to show development. Week 2 marked our first one-to-one tutorials meaning that the research that I have completed over the course of summer would undergo a review and analysis. In the feedback given to me I was encouraged to take more risks moving forward and push myself out of my comfort zone. Although the imagery that I have annotated my written research with were quite challenging, they were placed in safe boxes in the style of commercial trend stories or mood boards. Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, Art School London and Matty Bovan were the labels assigned to me to research as they all fall under the same umbrella of visionary designers, pushing the boundaries with their conceptual approach to fashion. In these tutorials I was introduced to the concept of maximalism and after extensive research I started applying its ideologies to my own fashion communication which illustrate this book throughout. Some of the narratives that have unravelled from my summer homework needed more investigation, requiring me to be vulnerable in the process. In our one-to-one tutorials I have stated that I do not know anyone like me and found it difficult to identify with a pre-existing tribe. ‘Do I represent a lost tribe?’ and if so ‘what does Peter’s tribe look like?’ were some of the key questions raised. We have previously identified that fitting in and pleasing people was my personal mechanism that I have developed to cope with most situations. Fitting in everybody else’s boxes has not allowed for my most authentic self to thrive and it was agreed that this narrative of being a ‘good boy’ could influence future outcomes for this personal branding module. The answers to all of these questions are demonstrated in the fashion communication of this ‘Brand Me’ book.
Having learnt the characteristics of each market level within fashion business it was time for me to reflect on these and highlight the ones that are the best fit for me as a creative. The market levels that I engage with as a consumer tend to be high street and entry level luxury with the occasional purchase from the higher end of the luxury segment. I joined university with a pre-set idea of who I was as a fashion communicator and that idea changed very quickly once I broadened my horizons to other opportunities that might suit me better. I feel lucky to have the skillset that suits both highstreet and luxury brands in their communications. As a trend forecaster I hope to cater for both of those parts of the fashion industry.
During this personal branding assignment we have established that my star sign, the gemini,
im like 50/50 graphic
represented by dualities in personality is present in my work as a creative. There are two sides of my professional persona, one which is inspired by journalism, thrives to be a fashion editor and is successful at commercial storytelling, and the other persona which is described by visionary fashion communication with a strong fine art lead. My internal conversation on which aspect of me to take the lead in my final year of university was one that overall made me clear up and evaluate everything about me as a brand. Travelling through the weeks at university I have learnt that I do not need to let go of either of these elements of me as my conceptual thinking and my passion for my craft will serve me well for a variety of opportunities in the future. Nonetheless, the battle between commercial and conceptual narratives defined my first term at university.
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We have already discussed my inspirations in my adult life but in the course of this module I have developed an obsession with our past influencing our future, so I took some time to think about the characters that I looked up to as a child. As previously mentioned as a teenager I used to love watching American TV, which is one of the reasons why I became fluent in English so early on. There were few moments when I felt envious over characters in TV shows and now reflecting on those moments I realise that they all share many things in common. My first muse as a child was Sarah Michelle Gellar as Daphne in the ‘Scooby-Doo’ live action film. She was the most fashionable one out of the group, she was smart and outspoken and overly dramatic and I fell in love with her personality and wardrobe as soon as I saw her on the screen. ‘Friends’ is one of my favourite programmes. My friends always tell me that I am ‘such a Rachel’. Rachel Green, played by Jennifer Aniston is an emotionally charged fashion executive who’s energy I always try and embody when I get dressed in the morning. As for my last inspiration, Andy Sachs, played by Anne Hathaway in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. As a child I would replay that scene where she walks through the streets of New York with her coordinated, stylish outfits. I credit my love for my craft to the pictures these actresses have painted about a life that is filled with glamour and delusional confidence.
Although this analysis was not formally a part of the assignment I knew I wanted to touch on the subject as music plays such a huge part in my creative processes. Throughout this book you will have found iconography from that hints at my love of music, such as an AC/DC CD that my father and I used to listen to when he would carpool me to school. Whenever I work I always have sound in the background to help me focus on the theme I am exploring. When I was a teenager I used to burn CDs with my favourite songs on and listen to them on my portable CD player whenever I had the chance. Putting my headphones in and tuning out the outside world was one of my earliest exposures to escapes and my relationship with music remains personally important to me today. The sounds that inspire me the most are grungey, staticy, messy sounds such as the sound of an electric guitar. One of my most played musicians is Olivia Rodrigo who has become the poster child of youthful pop music over the course of the past few years. Her message and openness, talking about her feelings is paired with nostalgic 90s melodies, making her one of my favourite contemporary artists.
What inspires me? Determined to find my fit in the industry, it was time for me to recap the subjects that I feel most passionate about. I am forever inspired by newness within the youth market. As of recent, I have found the work of young designers and creatives much more original and engaging then what some of the largest fashion houses do on the runway each season. This takes us two my second favourite dose of inspiration: social media. Social media, specifically social media trends intrigue me greatly. I have developed a strong sense of detecting these movements on various platforms that might bubble up into the concsience of the general public. Alongside this, fashion psychology, streetwear and innovation in storytelling describe my interests.
In the second instalment of our summer homework we were asked to reflect on what we have learnt about ourselves in the process up to date and identify ourselves with brands that create the best fit for us as communicators and marketers. Springboarding from my previous personality analysis in which we have established that i am 50/50 when it comes to my creative identity, I have decided to look at two different market levels that cater for those skills. Due to my previous work experience I understand the highstreet consumer and their demand.
For that market I can use my visionary thinking and water it down to commercial outcomes that companies can profit from. Here, my more research and analysis driven side comes to the forefront. A brand that would be a great example of this would be Zara. Having gone through a rebrand over the past few years, the Zara that we know know has a reputation for turning around runway trends rapidly and delivering them in a cleancut, versatile and fashion forward way. With a slightly higher price bracket than the rest of the highstreet, Zara consumers, including myself, treat their garments with more care and attachment compared to their less quality-driven competition. Zara represents the Peter that still wants to conform to societal expectations and self-express in a way that avoids confrontation or raised eyebrows around him.
The luxury designer aspect of me is more attached to the aspirational lifestyle that I strive for. For this part of my market level research I have chosen Bottega Veneta. The aspect of their identity that I feel closest is their ability to communicate their brand narrative through the use of design, versus loud logomania. The Bottega Veneta narrative unfolds in front of the consumers eyes in a refined manner, where certain colours such as Daniel Lee’s signature ‘grass green’ shade or the brand’s woven leather goods create a sense of youthful elegance for the wearer.
Coming from a country with an unstable economy I have always struggled to identify with labels that promote a luxury lifestyle through the use of shallow and thoughtless branding. The side of the luxury designer market that I aspire to is the one which prioritises design with a message over design that is purely centered around status and materialism. Furthermore, in 2018 interview with Vogue Daniel Lee described the label as a “heightened, aspirational reality”. Through this Brand Me module I have learnt that my visual signature revolves around taking the ordinary and making it fantasy through either oversaturating it in colour, distorting it in shape or reimagining it in a futuristic way. I felt immediately connected to Bottega Veneta’s designs and through this research this connection has strengthened further.
Why are these brands my best fit? My strength is my versatility. The market levels highlighted fits my skill set as I am able to offer something new to both of those vastly different creative environments. This outcome of the modulel I feel most excited about as it provides me with much more room for the years to come of creative exploration, rather than if I had committed and limited myself to one aspect entirely. I knew I had to approach this and consider how this all sits within my brand. When it came to branding myself as a FMC graduate I wanted to promote my work from these past three years of university that hit a variety of target audiences. With my more commercial, trend-focused work such as trend forecasts, colour stories, buyer’s guides and key item reports I intended to cater for trend forecasting agencies. The more fine art led work I have produced such as my croquis and experimental fashion media (fashion film, GIFs) is aimed at communication in the luxury sector. Additionally, I have chosen to include an arrangements of essays on my professional website so that my style of writing is also present amongst the visuals. The combination of all these elements in my portfolio hopefully translates my ability to manage projects regardless of their positioning on the market.
At this stage of the process I have decided to revisit the questions we were asked in our summer homework and investigate whether those answers still inform my personal brand this far into the process. One particular answer that I wanted to take a second look at was my chosen brand, Charles Jeffrey’s LOVERBOY label. Originally, I have chosen this brand as, at its core, LOVERBOY is a visual expression of the queer identity and gender non-conformity which are two subjects close to my heart. Charles Jeffrey’s design aesthetic was love at first sight for me, which I credit to his eclectic taste and references to popular culture. Within his work he clearly evidences his creative inspirations who he borrows brand identifiers from to construct his own brand image. One of these I believe to be Vivienne Westwood, one of my own personal inspirations who explores themes such as rebellion, youth, club culture and subcultures.
How does this sit within my own brand? Learning about how Charles Jeffrey developed his label has reinforced this idea in me to treat unexpected themes, settings, moods as sources of inspiration. Following my research into Jeffrey I knew that when I started to build my own brand I had to look further than Pinterest for inspiration. The LOVERBOY label was born in the London club scene, from the uniform and attitude of the attendees. Based on this, I took into consideration the activities I involve myself in, the places I visit, the people I spend time with to look for clues in achieving a fully realised outcome.
Why trend forecasting? I have always been the type of person that is inspired by the world around me and I am always looking for newness. In my personal life I am never complacent and struggle to connect with the now, a trait that I have found useful in the field of trend forecasting as my brain is already programmed to focus on the next few steps ahead us. Particularly in my final year of university I have gained a new-found love for research and analysis and find connecting the dots between various sources of written and visual information fascinating. Trend forecasting sits at the intersection of all my key skills as a creative so working in this profession would be a highly enjoyable career opportunity.
Although I have found the commercial storytelling to be more of a natural process, I have thoroughly enjoyed the way the concept market developments have challenged me both personally and creatively. As I plan to embark on a journey to become a fashion editor, I decided to focus on my writing style, the research methods I have developed and my visual storytelling to illustrate a gap in the market. I feel that this ‘Brand Me’ module has given me the opportunity to gather every bit of information that I could collate that related to me, take time to evaluate and at this final stage, focus in on the parts that make me stand out. Having such a clear understanding of who I am as a creative will become my edge when I look for graduate jobs as I will know exactly where I belong.
There is nothing left to do apart from creating the branding materials that I will use to promote myself across social media and my portfolio website.Wanting a fully developed outcome, I have gone the extra mile to set up a professional website and my own email domain that I can use as a calling card, to showcase my work and contact businesses. My portfolio website inherited a strong colour palette, consisting mostly of key colours identified within this report. In order to communicate my versatility as a creative I have included visuals and essays from my three years of university that target varying market levels. The imagery remains glamourous, upbeat with hints of punk in there as I discuss mostly trend-related topics and issues.
It has come to the time when a logo, font and other visual signifiers had to be attached to the concept that has been in development since summer. The process started out with dripping paint over paper to create the shapes, then spray paint and letter montages were introduced shortly after. The developments got digitised quite early on and the experimentation continued there. The gritty, aggressive spray paint developments, used to create my logo transformed into rounded letters with a nostalgic, quirky look once made digital. The idea here was to recreate a font that you would see on a cereal box. I thought this was an interesting semiotic, particularly successful when these naïve shapes were matched with challenging, high fashion imagery. This served as a reflection of the dualities of my personality, you get a lovely range of sentimental feelings and mood mixed with a punk edge. Considering the viewers perception, I aimed to have curves, circles, and waves within the branding as those shapes most commonly represent “unity” and a “childlike whimsy”. (GlovoryDesign, 2020)
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