Portfolio - Ruby Baldry. by Ruby Baldry

RUBY BALDRY Graphic P

Designer O

& T

Passionate F

Creative I

Ruby Baldry

Portfolio

hi,

my name is Ruby and I am a freelance Graphic Designer. I also design personalised art prints, stationary and branding materials. During my time at the Arts University Bournemouth I studied Fashion Image & Communication, where I specialised in Publication Design. It was there that I discovered my love for digital design and decided to pursue freelancing after university. I have been building my freelance Graphic Design business, Meraki Designs, over the last two years since graduating but I now feel it is the right time to step into the industry that I love and begin my career. This portfolio will showcase a wide selection of my work that I am most proud of from the past three years. Ranging from my university final major project to commissioned pieces. Above all, my greatest desire is that you see creativity and passion through it all. e

Ruby Baldry

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Rustic. Clear.

Causal. Simple.

Graphics

Key Design Words: Homely. Comfortable.

Floral

Ruby Baldry

When working on wedding stationary, I always work very closely with couples as I want to ensure they are truly happy with the finished product. It is the most special day of their lives, and I want to ensure I play my part in making it exactly what they want.

Credit:

I love wedding stationary and am a huge advocate of keeping the tradition of paper invitations alive in this digital age. Equally, my designs are transferable and able to be used both in print and digital.

Stationary

These invitations were commissioned by a couple for their wedding. They were very specific about the colours and font style as they wanted it to be coherent with their wedding decorations as well as reflect their personality as a couple.

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Ruby Baldry

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Floral

Ruby Baldry

100

Glacial Indifference

Credit:

BromelloFont

Stationary

Graphics

The best gift you can give us is your presence at our wedding day! However, if you feel that you would like to give us a gift, we would be so grateful for a few pennies to help us start our life together.

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Floral Graphics

Key

Design

Words:

Ruby Baldry

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Pretty.

Girly.

Soft.

Clear.

Stationary

Credit:

Instead of going with tradition and asking for gifts from their guests, they went with a more modern approach that we’re seeing more and more, and asked for money towards their honeymoon. When working with the couple on this they were nervous about their request, but after my assurance that I could design something beautiful and respectful that wouldn’t appear rude they went with a “Honeymoon Fund” card.

Stationary

These invitations were commissioned by a couple for their wedding day. They wanted something that reflected the theme and decor of their day. The chosen colour was a beautiful pale pink, matched perfectly with a soft grey. The bridesmaids dresses were an exact match to the pink shown, and the grooms suit was a lovely soft grey.

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Floral

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Inspiration

Graphics M

Honeymoon Fund When thinking of a gift for us, we ask if you’d please consider, contributing to our honeymoon to make it all the sweeter. Our house is full of all the things, a couple and their children could require, and so a holiday away is what we most desire. Then while we’re relaxing on the beach or by the pool so blue we’ll sit back and know that it is truly thanks to you!

Credit:

Pradyse Font AbadiMTCondensed HONEYMOON FUND.indd 1

01/05/2019 11:08

Stationary

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Ruby Baldry

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Personalised Prints

Created on Adobe Illustrator, I imported a photograph and began to draw over the top of it, resulting in a Digital Portrait.

Ruby Baldry

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grow.

Graphics

love.

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Keeping it funky and bright, I wanted to articulate an important and substantial message in a vibrant and fun way.

Grow

Through what you

go Through

Personalised Prints

I am often inspired by my environment, so created this piece to represent the current social climate of self-care and personal development.

learn.

Credit:

Personalised Prints

heal.

Leaves

This piece was inspired by the current â&#x20AC;&#x153;trendâ&#x20AC;? that is self-care. In the last few years we have seen a drastic increase in people rejecting campaigns if they portray a negative message or promote changing who you are. We have seen the younger generation becoming less tolerant of subliminal messages about weight loss or buying into the latest fashions.

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Photography Picard

Mr & Mrs

Personalised Prints

Candice

Personalised Prints

Credit: This print was designed with a quirky and fun couple in mind. Wanting to keep it simple, I opted for minimal colour with hints of playful illustration.

Ruby Baldry

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Personalised Prints

Ruby Baldry

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Personalised Prints

Ruby Baldry

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Personalised Prints

Ruby Baldry

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L L E O BORN 25TH JUNE 2019

Weighing 8lbs 3oz

Personalised Prints

Ruby Baldry

Baby

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Graphics

Personalised Prints

Credit:

I love creating prints for childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nurseries as they are a special keepsake that parentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s keep for years to come. The idea that my work will be enjoyed and part of a family for generations to come is something that really excites me!

Personalised Prints

This is a commissioned personalised print for a babies nursery documenting all of the important parts of the day they were born. I wanted this to be a bold and vibrant piece, whilst still maintaining clarity and serving the purpose of being readable.

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Business Branding

This was a commission from Charlis Bakes for their new logo. The logo was created for Social Media and digital purposes. The client wanted something girly and soft, specifying she wanted it to be pink and gold in colour. My client also specified she would like a three tier cake illustration in the logo. Along with the logo, I also designed her a Cover Photo for her Facebook Page.

BromelloBeloved Sans Regular Floral

cake

Graphics

Credit:

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Business Branding

C 59

Century Gothic Bold

Beloved Script Bold

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These Business Cards were created for local Portsmouth artist, icanseethesea Ltd. As part of my freelancing, I intern voluntarily as much as I can for icanseethesea as the businesses Graphic Designer. After talking to the artist to determine the brief, I decided to go for a Business Card that well and truly represented icanseetheseaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work by putting one of their paintings on the front. Using the colour palette from the painting I designed the back with relevant information and of course, the famous pink seagull that makes an appearance in all of the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paintings.

LIZZIE CORNELIUS icanseethesea I currently work from my studio at the Hotwalls, Old Portsmouth. I am open most days and love visitors! Come and browse my studio where you will find originals, limited edition prints and other gifts to buy. The body of my work comes mainly from commissions and if this is something you are considering please contact me to book an appointment.

Hotwalls Studios. icanseethesea Ltd. Studio 2. Broad Street. Old Portsmouth. PO1 2FS lizzie@icanseethesea.com

0782 464 1232

www.icanseethesea.com

Business Branding

Ruby Baldry

I also created a leaflet for Lizzie to give away to customers. The aim of the leaflet was to inform people of who Lizzie is, where she is located and how you can contact her. I wanted it to coincide with the theme of her Business Cards aesthetically, and have visual elements so the public are able to remember her work from afar.

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The Tipsy Teacup is a mobile Afternoon Tea delivery service who approached me in quest for new Business Cards. Keeping with the common trend of pink and gold we are seeing more and more recently, we went with something pink with touches of Vintage through the use of shape.

Teacup

Pop up bars, finger and fork buffets for all occasions.

thetipsyteacup@outlook.com 07790 351 659 The Tipsy Teacup

Credit:

Brother 1816 Bold Pradyse Century Gothic

Afternoon Tea Delivery Service

Graphic

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Business Branding

The Tipsy Teacup

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JTA Business Branding

INTERIOR & EXTERIOR

JTA D E C O R A T O R S L T D. INTERIOR & EXTERIOR

This logo was created for digital purposes.

DOM LOVES MARY TEXT

Business Branding

D E C O R A T O R S L T D.

This logo was created for an Interior and Exterior decorating company and was a change from any business branding Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d done before. The colour palette was much darker and the overall aesthetic sleeker. I enjoyed creating something more masculine and working with different colours.

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MER AKI

Meraki Publication University Final Major project

This refreshing magazine explores a match not often talked about - Christian faith and fashionable women. From its workers to its wearers, Meraki aims to celebrate how the Christian faith guides today’s women to cope with all the pressures fashion brings. From body image to sustainability, Meraki offers a space for readers to hear how their Christianity, community and sisterhood guides and supports them in the fashionable world. I was raised by two strong, bold and brave women. They taught me to love myself wholeheartedly and that I was capable of achieving anything I wanted. However I didn’t live in a shell, and soon enough fell victim to the lies fed to me through fashion magazines, TV shows and music videos. No matter how many times my Mum told me I was the most beautiful girl in the world, I struggled to believe her because my Glamour magazine was trying to convince me that I could drop two dress sizes in seven days. It wasn’t until I became a Christian that I fully understood self-acceptance and self-love and suddenly wanted every woman to know how incredible they are, exactly the way they are. This is why Meraki exists. It exists for the women that are exhausted of striving for change. It exists for the women that are bored of comparing themselves to unrealistic body ideals they see in the media. It exists for the women that long for a community that will be encouraging and empowering. It’s for any woman, of any age and at any stage in life. Meraki is a community of women that want to support one another. It is a family that welcomes every woman, no matter what age, race or background. Community is built by the telling of other women’s stories. Stories of empowerment, encouragement, inspiration, transformation, challenges and radial testimony of a Christian lifestyle. Through telling the stories of everyday women, community is formed as it allows the reader to get to know the women within the pages of Meraki. Meraki aims yo be a force of love within the fashion industry and something that proclaims the character of God through loving others, speaking life over women ad promoting a lifestyle based on Biblical morals.

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm one-three-nine ; fourteen

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Meraki features a wide-range of content that is understandable, current and interesting. The content found in Meraki ranges from interviews, articles, think-pieces and individual stories, whilst keeping the underlying theme of encouragement and empowerment throughout. Meraki is aimed at women who love God, love people and want to live a life spreading that. Meraki represents Christianity in an authentic way, whilst catering for the creative mind with its design aesthetic. This makes Meraki easily accessible for a wide range of women and also communicates the message that church and Christianity is not dead, dull and boring like the world has perceived it as. As Meraki is a start-up company and sole trader, it will be run from home by a small team of dedicated volunteers. This means no salary fees will be required, and any profit that is made from the publication will be put towards the cost needed to create the next issue. Meraki will be published bi-annualy and will be available to buy in a different range of brick and water stores, as well as online at merakipublication.co.uk

Meraki Publication University Final Major project

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Meraki Publication University Final Major project

BRAND PERSONALITY BRAND VALUES

Encouraging. Empowering. Inspiring. Positive. Passionate. Loving. Freeing. Unique. Honest. Welcoming.

Inspiring women to support one another. Creating community. Promoting a Biblical way of living. Encouraging women to pursue their passions and say “Yes I Can” to anything they desire.

BRAND CHARACTERISTICS Educational, challenging and interesting articles. Strong high quality imagery. Merging faith and fashion. Focusing on encouraging women. Celebrating women for their achievements.

BRAND ESSENCE Encourage. Empower. Equip.

Meraki’s unique selling point that differentiates it from its competitors is that it promotes a Christian lifestyle for fashion conscious women of any age and at any stage in life, not just a specific bracket. Whilst other Christian magazines promote a lifestyle built on Biblical morals, they aren’t catering to women of all ages. They are either restricted to a much older age bracket, or a specific age. There isn’t a magazine available that caters to women of all ages. Another unique selling point for Meraki is that they focus on telling the stories of women. There is no other publication on the market currently that does this so that puts Meraki above any other Christian publication. Meraki is a publication that promotes empowerment and encouragement. It is not a publication that contributes to insecurity, jealousy and competition amongst women. It is a brand that believes women work better together, and through loving and supporting each other. This is a unique selling point for Meraki as almost all fashion magazines and media channels cause insecurity and low self-esteem within women, due to image alteration, unrealistic body ideals and false advertisement.

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style

interests

lifestyle

fashion

character

desires

newmedia

Minimal Classy Modest Clean Effortless Comfortable Current

Conferences Charity Volunteering Reading The Arts The Environment Politics Music People Implementing Positive Change Community Fashion Creativity

Adventure New things Chilled Committed Something More

Charity Shops People Tree H&M Conscious Topshop Debenhams Marks and Spencer Beales John Lewis The White Company Cath Kidson Topshop Fat Face White Stuff GAP Comfortable Stylish Practical Modest Considered Creative

Free Easy going Thoughtful Kind Servant Hearted Generous Adventurous Joyful Loving Empathetic Compassionate Self-Controlled Trustworthy Positive

Live by faith Live sustainably Make a difference Spread encouragement Love people Nature Beach Mountains Sunset Stars Sunrise Outdoors

Instagram Youtube Linked In Snapchat Facebook Pinterest

Meraki Publication University Final Major project

Ruby Baldry

Meraki is for women of stages.

Ruby Baldry

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all ages and

It exists for the women among us

love and compassion. She is free. She that are driven by

loves people, and is especially passionate about encouraging other women. She enjoys fashion, and appreciates good style.

there is a connection between faith and fashion and is

keen to be part of the merge. She can’t find her “go-to” publication, because she isn’t aware of one that can cater for her beliefs as well as her personal enjoyment

She isn’t of any specific age, race, background or culture. She is of good design, trends and beauty.

any woman. She is a mum, a student, a teacher, a vicar. She is a barmaid, a lawyer a jewellery designer. She is not defined

by her appearance, her clothes or

even her opinions. She defines herself in

Jesus, and is always seeking something

more than what society tries to give her. She is driven by love, and has

a desire to leave a positive mark on the world. She wants to be part of something

more, part of a community, a sisterhood of women that all have the same goal; to

love God and love people.

Meraki’s consumer wants something more from her fashion magazine. She doesn’t want to be told she has to change, she wants to be encouraged that she is fearfully and wonderfully made. She wants to connect with women from all around the world, in her country and in her neighbourhood. She wants to champion other women and support them in all they do. She is bored of the insecurity, jealousy and negative state of mind so often forced on women in other forms of media and fashion magazines. She wants something of substance, something that aligns with her and sings the song of her soul. Something that agrees and compliments her faith and morals, whilst also feeding her passion for beautiful imagery and aesthetically pleasing layout, colour and typography.

Meraki Publication University Final Major project

She believes

Meraki Publication University Final Major project

Ruby Baldry

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“Everyone has inside of her a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be, how much you can love, what you can accomplish, and what your potential is.” Anne Frank

Ruby Baldry

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MER AKI

The word Meraki is from the Greek language, and is translated as â&#x20AC;&#x153;To do something with creativity, soul and love.â&#x20AC;? The meaning of this word captures the essence of the brand perfectly and fits in with all of the beliefs and ethos the brand carries. After developing the logo in different typefaces, the chosen front appears all throughout the Meraki publication to maintain consistency and brand aesthetic. The logo had to be one of strength and boldness, keeping it true to the tone of the publication. Placing the logo to the top right of the page creates individuality and differentiates Meraki from other publications. Using the name of the brand as the logo also allows the consumer to recognise and link the brand with the publication.

Meraki Publication University Final Major project

LOGO DEVELOPMENT

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STRENGTHS

A SWOT analysis is an essentialpartofdeveloping a marketing strategy. The tool uses four headings which categorise both internal and external threats and opportunities whichcoulddirectlyimpact the organisation. After the external environment has beeninvestigatedthrough a PESTLE analysis, it is importanttothenexamine how the business itself will work effectively. It is clear thatMerakiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;smainconcern is lack of finances. Due to it being a start-up company run by a recent graduate there is no financial stability,whichcouldresult in business failing, or a slow start. By producing regular online content they will generate a loyal following, which will result in sales of the publication and increase profit.

Has a specific consumerwoman of Christian faith. Clear message and authentic to ethos of publication. Tells the stories and testimonies of all women. Consistent theme of designeach section links with the next, whether that is with colour, typography, layout or design. Strong integrity to ethos and beliefs. Unapologetic about being a Christian publication. They focus on the wellbeing of women, which is a good thing for the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ethos, as well as being a topic that is trending. Elegant, on trend, simple aesthetic which gives the publication a modern feel, making it different from other Christian publications. Message of encouragement and love can be easily accessed by women of little or no faith, as well as Christians. Resulting in a wider audience and more profit. Bi-Annual so more time to produce high quality content. Wide range of content- from faith, fashion, stories etc. Helps people to live a more encouraging and positive lifestyle. Strong editorial style. Strong USP. Showing Christianity in a stylish way.

WEAKNESSES Aiming at such a specific consumer decreases the amount of copies they will sell. Printed Bi-Annually. Which could result in consumer forgetting them, which could result in loosing profit. The founder is a postgraduate student- no investors, not a huge amount of financial backing behind them and no experience in the publication or business industry. Customer base is not yet established, as it is a start up company. Cash flow problems as there are no investors.

OPPORTUNITIES Expand stockists to reach people all over the world not just the UK. New and cheaper places to print means saving money and increasing profit. Print monthly to keep in constant contact with the consumer to build better relationship resulting in more profit. A better relationship with consumer can lead to a number of things such as good word of mouth and loyal custom. Research current publication trends and apply. Will get stronger over time. Target a bigger audience. Can expand their consumer Generation - Z. Potential to build good reputation. Potential to build a customer base. Potential to borrow money or find an investor. Rise of social marketing.

THREATS As religion is becoming more and more accepted, more religious publications will be produced. Such a niche consumer may result in new and upcoming publications targeting a wider range of people, which would mean Meraki would loose some of their consumers. Extremists contributing to bad press about Christianity, resulting in people loosing their faith/interest or an open mind-set about faith. Distributors stop selling the publication due to financial reasons. Finances of the business fail. Publications that have been producing for a longer period of time will have more experience and this could result in loyal customers not buying Meraki. Changes in economy meaning customer can no longer buy the publication. Changes in import or export laws that affect pricing supply sources. Change to exchange rates or interest rates.

Meraki Publication University Final Major project

SWOT

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All organisations and businesses operate within a marketthatisaffectedbyforces outside of their control. A marketing tool which can help to analyse the environment is generally known as a PESTLE. A PESTLE is a simple checklist ofvariableswhichcouldimpact a business, so by researching into the environment it will help to give the brand a better understandingsothattheycan prepare for the future. It is clear that one of the main forces which could have an impact on Meraki is the social environment. Changes within the social environment could mean that Merakiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consumer has a change of attitude, opinion and interest. This could impact sales of Meraki due to consumer deciding the publication is no longer suitable for them.

POLITICAL

ECONOMIC

Potential terrorist attacks could affect peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives in many ways, and will affect the sales of magazines.

Interest rates remain low in the UK.

Brexit may make it harder to distribute outside of the U.K. By affecting exchange rates, shipping costs and travel prices.

E u r o p e recession could be permanent meaning people will have less of a disposable income to buy magazines.

Donald Trump presidency in America may affect any trading to the US and also their relationship with other counties. War breaking out worldwide could affect trading.

Terrorist attacks affecting the economy.

SOCIAL

TECHNOLOGICAL

Changes in trends meaning themes in the magazine are no longer up to date, for example particular design trends such as colours, layout style and photography.

New technologies mean the consumer no longer has an interest in purchasing magazines.

New films and books being released meaning the consumer is spending their disposable income elsewhere. Growth of population meaning more consumers you buy the magazine.

Rise in social media makes it easier to promote a brand for free and build a following.

Changes in consumer attitudes meaning magazine is no longer appropriate for them. Changes in the environment and global warming meaning the consumer favours companies, which are eco-friendly and help them live a more sustainable lifestyle.

Consumer starts reading things online rather than buying printed magazines.

The internet makes it easier to distribute products worldwide. Provides the consumer with easier payment options for example; pay-pal.

LEGAL Bloggers, instagram and youtube users who have been paid to promote products must disclose that they are being paid to advertise them. Men and women paid equal amounts and also equal to or more than the minimum wage. Tax policies. Paper and ink must follow environmental law.

ENVIRONMENTAL As climate change is becoming an increasingly important issue, businesses have to ensure that they are doing everything they can to be as environmentally friendly as possible. As an increasingly large amount of forests are being destroyed, paper may become less available and the consumer will want to know that the product is sustainable and able to be recycled. Consumers are wanting brands to become more transparent about where their products are made, who by, and out of what so that they have as little impact on the environment as possible.

Meraki Publication University Final Major project

PESTL

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PEOPLE

PROMOTION

PRODUCT

PROCESS

Sole trader. No paid staff in the first year. C o n t e n t created through collaboration, volunteers and contributors. Humble, down to earth and reltable. Interacting with consumer at events and through social media.

Social Media B l o g g e r s , instagram users, youtube users. Events with c h u r c h e s , charaties and local businesses. G u e r r i l l a Marketing posters.

High quality, thick FSC approved paper. Local UK printer. High standard imagery. Published BiAnnualy.

Build strong online pressence. Encouraging consumer to contact through social media or website with any complaints, problems or questions. Build positive relationship with consumer so they know Meraki is a trustworthy brand that they want to invest in. Damaged goods will be refunded or replaced. Product will be sent in a padded envolope that is marked with “Handle With Care”

Blog gers, instagram and youtube users who have been paid to promote products must disclose that they are being paid to advertise them.

Initally sold online. Gradually after time will be stocked in bricks and water stores. Local stockists; Keith Jones bookstore. Online stores. London stockists; Magma, The Brompton Cafe.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

PLACE

Men and women paid equal amounts and also equal to or more than the minimum wage. Tax policies. Paper and ink must follow environmental law.

PRICE Meraki will sell at a retail price of £10. In the first year of sale, Meraki will have 500 copies produced at a UK print company. The price for each publication based on a quote from a local printer will be £8.39 meaning there will be a gross profit of £1.61 per publication. In future years alongside the printing costs, there will also be overhead costs such as salary fees. However, in the first year the overhead will be low as Meraki will not be employing any staff and will be produced from home with volunteers and collaborators. The only overhead cost will be for the publication website. From figure .. it is evidenced that Meraki will produce a total profit of £753.00 within the first year. This means that the publication will be making enough money to cover the next year’s costs with enough profit to go towards printing costs only as no paid marketing will be happening until year two.

Retail Price Per Meraki Meraki’s Printed Per Annum Direct Printing Cost Meraki Sales Per Year Direct Cost Per Meraki Gross Profit Per Meraki Salery Cost Promotion Cost Monies Carried Forward Total Outflow Per Annum Total Income Per Annum Total Profit

Year 1

Year 2

£10 500

£10 2000

£4,197 500 £8.39 £1.61

£7,552 2000 £2.84

£0.00 £4,247.00

£5,690 1000 £2.84 £7.16 £0.00 £300.00 £753.00 £5,990.00

£5,000.00 £753.00

£10,000.00 £4,010.00

£0.00 £50.00

Year 3

£7.16 £10,000.00 £2,000.00 £4,010.00 £9,552.00 £20,000.00 £448.00

Meraki Publication University Final Major project

FOUR P’

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Meraki Publication

MERAKI PUBLICATION FLAT LAY IMAGES.

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Meraki Publication

MERAKI PUBLICATION FLAT LAY IMAGES.

Ruby Baldry

These are only a select few of the pages from Meraki Magazine. The rest can be viewed online at www.issuu.com/merakipublication/docs/meraki_interactive_

REVIEW OF V&A EXHIBITION. SHOES: PLEASURE AND PAIN. 2016

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The first cabinet on display shows shoes from varying fairytales, one being the glass slipper from Cinderella. Anyone who is familiar with a childhood diet of Disney will understand the importance of the slipper and how it can change your life; it has the power to make you a princess, rid you of all evil and make you the most beautiful girl on the planet. What had once been an innocent story about a girl achieving her dreams is actually a story that presents women as greedy and cruel, or pretty and passive, suggesting that the best way for a woman to get ahead in the world is to let herself be abused and wait for help from someone else. After viewing this one might argue that the romantic fairy tale perceived as a child, is quite ugly. It can be seen that getting a dress and looking pretty is the only way Cinderella was able to be happy, to be noticed and to gain social power but American comedian, actress and writer Roseanne Barr once said, “The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it.” Power is a reoccurring thread throughout the show, one example being the Christian Louboutin fetish shoe. These incredibly odd stilettos look like they would leave the wearer in absolute agony, but that is part of the point. Going en pointe is one of the most difficult and painful parts of formal ballet training, which can take years to master. “The excitement of contemplating women's pain and deformity may lie behind that symbol of high culture in the west: the ballet shoe. The shape of the ballerina's foot when it is en pointe is like that of the bound foot and the foot in high heels. Yet, in ballet, the woman is supposed to dance, and survive the pain and damage that results.” (Jeffrerys, 2005, p135) Whilst rather agonizing to view, accompanied by a red backdrop and steel framework, it sparks a level of curiosity for the viewer. It begins to waver from the dominating feeling of power that they portray into a world of fantasy, leaving you wondering what the wearer felt, thought and went through. The sense of what is being viewed becomes more profound, which is strongly supported by the design aesthetic of the display. Other themes of the show are transformation, status and seduction. The interior décor connects these themes together with half-dimmed lights, deep purple throughout, along with floor length creased curtains acting as doorways. The

shoes themselves are things of extravagant beauty, some may even argue they are pieces of art so to see them propped up behind glass cabinets, creates a feeling of pity for them. The placement and order of the display was disappointing, knowing the V&A prides themselves on wonderfully exhibited artwork one is fully expectant to visit and see something of the same beauty and quality. Each glass cabinet houses over twenty pairs of shoes, with annotations of the shoe and a brief history however the number of shoes causes confusion, forcing the viewer to figure out which shoe each statement belongs to. Not only is that frustrating enough, but also the viewer looses every bit of essence, mystery and elegance from the shoes themselves, which contradicts the rest of the style of the exhibition. Shoes are a tactile object, which are meant to be touched, worn, revered and even exclaimed over which makes one question the design choice of glass cabinets. With such a focus on sexualisation, seduction and the like, one might say that having seen that experimented more would have made the show more successful. Placing shoes on plinths at different heights is not visually intelligent, except that we do understand a sense of obsession with the number of shoes in the show, which leaves us feeling overwhelmed. Having visited the exhibition I now understand shoes as a phenomenon that speak about things such as sex, power and status, which has shifted my perspective to understand the cynical and sometimes torturous impact shoes can have on women. Sheila Jeffreys, a feminist academic, suggests that “The wearing of high heels causes pain, disability and, often, permanent deformity for women. The continued existence of this harmful cultural practice in western societies requires explanation. William Rossi, author of the bible of men's shoe fetishism, The Sex Life of the Foot and Shoe (1989), tells us how important disabling shoes are to men by declaring that, ``Men are still uncertain whether the greatest of all inventions was the wheel or the high heel'' (Jeffrerys, 2005, p128) However one can’t deny the pleasure that shoes have given us for centuries. To conclude I am now aware of the predominately male dominated shoe fetish craze, along with being conscious of this movement and how it could affect me as a woman. As a creative I have learnt more about installations, even if that is a checklist of what not to do it is still beneficial. I recommend visiting this exhibition for a deeper knowledge of a subject you thought you knew everything about. This exhibition will spark questions you never knew you had, allow your mind to wander to a world of sexual fantasy and ruin your childhood Disney dreams; but it wont taint the love affair we have with shoes.

“It can be seen that getting a dress and looking pretty is the only way Cinderella was able to be happy, to be noticed and to gain social power but American comedian, actress and writer Roseanne Barr once said, “The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it.”

Writing

This review will discuss the exhibition at the V&A; Shoes: Pleasure and Pain. The exhibition set out to give the viewers a deeper and more intense knowledge of shoes, focusing on their importance in the development of culture as expressions of personal style.

MATERIALISM: REMEMBER ME FOR MY STUFF. 2016.

Ruby Baldry

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Tim Kasser, a psychology professor at Knox College, Illinois, notes that if you love material objects, the less likely you are to love people and consequently, the planet. Where does this materialistic need stem from? In one fascinating study, people were asked to imagine a hypothetical water shortage; those described, as “consumers” were less likely to share the hypothetical water than those described as “individuals”. We see this pattern throughout our society, with advertising playing a key role in developing a culture led by materialism. (Gold, 2014 ) I am guilty of being brainwashed by what I’m fed in magazines, television adverts and radio. During my day to day life I am constantly consuming adverts of women being whisked away on the back of a Vespa in a little Italian village by a handsome man, all because she sprayed 3 dashes of perfume on her neck. I am reminded time and time again that if I use three coats of this mascara I will have gorgeous full lashes, when in reality it takes eight or nine coats to even get somewhere close to what is being portrayed. My question to myself is why do I buy into an industry that is constantly telling me I need something to allow myself to meet a standard of beauty that has been set for me? Tanya Gold, a journalistic writer for The Guardian wrote in her article, ‘How materialism makes us sad’; “Advertising ratchets up the stress, and places us in imagined competition with each other. It encourages yet more materialism, which follows the paths of drug addiction: it offers a false promise of ecstasy, and it does not work. The more we spend on unnecessary material goods, the less happy we are. Mental illness, narcissism and dissatisfaction instead follow.” Fashion has become a mystic siren whispering in our ear, seducing us into a closet full of debt, depression and delusion. Taking out store cards, maxing up credit cards and sacrificing being broke until the end of the month, all down to our want and need to buy into this world of glamour and acceptance. In reality, what we are buying into is a false sense of security and community. The waves of acceptance come when hearing the sound of YSL shoes click across the tiled shop floor, getting giddy is a familiar feeling when we see our favourite shop assistant getting new pieces out for our arrival and we almost leap with joy when our card gets accepted. However, the marketing doesn’t’t follow us home. When our product is whisked away from the shiny department store counter, the

fragrance of Chanel no5 is no longer wafting around our nostrils and the sales assistant’s pearly white smile is no longer sweetly egging us on. It sits on the sofa, having been torn out of a bag engulfed in tissue paper and ribbon. It has never looked more miserable, and neither have we. It’s just you and the £150 shoes you will never wear. I for one am all too familiar with that quick fix better known as retail therapy. Collins English Dictionary defines retail therapy as this; “the action of shopping for clothes, etc., in order to cheer oneself up” I have been known to go through a hard time, and take comfort in spending hours wandering around stores spending money I don’t have. The result? Not a lot of anything. It made me feel good at the time, perhaps even a little empowered. However soon after, that euphoria came down like a ton of bricks. This is because it’s not just someone’s emotional state alone that matters when purchasing something, but also their level of certainty about their emotions. When somebody is feeling low, they are likely to feel more uncertain and therefore more likely to indulge, because they think they’ll be able to change or improve how they feel. On the other hand, is retail therapy always a bad thing? Women haven’t historically had a vast range of ways to enjoy themselves, but fashion has always been one of them. In the modern day and Western world, the idea of a woman being restricted to her home wouldn’t ever cross our mind. We have female CEO’s, athletes and politicians, but this hasn’t always been the case. For the most part of human history, some of our biggest problems came from scarcity, experienced through poverty, hunger and deprivation. The urge to stretch beyond meeting ones basic needs was a survival instinct, part of our human nature. Although our modern way of living doesn’t demand us to ration like this, there still seems to be a fear of that scarcity hovering over us like a bad fog. Although brands profess that they are all selling us different things, ultimately they are all selling us one idea; the more we consume, the better our lives will be. It creates a compulsive shopaholic mentality, which in return contributes to mass consumption. As consumers we don’t always know the cost of what we’re buying but every little act of consumption is linked to a much bigger picture. Our love of shopping quite literally threatens our world as we know it today. Greenhouse gases are higher now than at least the last 650,000 years, along with the fact that ice caps are melting, glaciers disappearing and sea levels rising. We have become so obsessed and attached to the material objects in our lives that we’ve lost sight

of our creativity, individuality and compassion for planet earth. For a majority of people, the way to break the mold of a consumerist world hasn’t been discovered. Material objects have somehow managed to define whom we are as human beings, giving way for the “Mine not yours” mentality. As children we were always taught to share our toys, let our friends have our snacks and never snatch something another child was playing with. So when did this rule suddenly fly out of the window? As adults it has been replaced with things such as “Be the only girl in the office wearing this” and magazine articles such as “Who wore it better?” We are no longer distributing our possessions among the masses, rather claiming and owning them instead, killing traits of love and kindness; which in turn hinders our ability to become the best possible version of ourselves. My intention with this isn’t to strike you with a steel rod of fear, but rather to inform and encourage a simpler way of living. Chuck Palahniuk once said, “The more things you own, the more they own you.” Of course society wouldn’t function without a certain level of consumption, we are all consumers in some roundabout way. Whilst it can be used for good on a global mass scale, it can also be something that stops us from becoming the best we can possibly be. It is causing us to worship things that look nice and are physically beautiful, whilst distracting us from the changes the world needs that we are more than capable of participating in. We are creatures of the eye so it is natural to look at things and think they look pleasing and attractive, but one day it will all just be dust. Every house you’ve ever lived in, every car you’ve ever owned, every designer handbag you’ve ever collected. It will all rot away a few hundred years after we do. Are we living for things, or for the people, animals and future generations we’re sharing our massive planet with? We all deserve to live the life we want, but the level to which we are worshipping materialism is terrifying. Reassess how you’re living, what you’re living for and what you’re serving on this planet. Change can be hard, but it isn’t nearly as bad as what we’re doing to ourselves right now and the affect we’re having on humanity as a whole. We can choose change and we can choose what we give our attention to and why. Let’s not be controlled by what we see because that isn’t worth living for. Live simply so that others may simply live.

Writing

I wonder how many times I have bought something because I’m told to. I don’t mean someone physically saying, “Ruby, you need to buy these shoes”; I mean the subconscious voice that has been embedded into my brain convincing me that if I don’t buy the 6-inch fuchsia heels, it will be fatal. When actually the truth is that I will look like a baby giraffe walking in them, take them off after twenty minutes and end up with blisters for a week. I have been guilty of impulse buying, much more than I am proud of admitting.

Ruby Baldry

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5 MINUTES WITH ‘FROCK ‘N’ ROLL QUEEN’ KAIT BOLONGARO When husband and wife Kait Bolongaro and Stuart Trevor were “sitting at home getting fat by dining out every day” after selling their shares in AllSaints, they decided it was time to get back to work. So in 2006 Bolongaro Trevor was born, with a cleaner contemporary design aesthetic and Victorian, military influences. Having dressed the likes of Gwen Stefani, Jude Law and Pendulum, they are known as the Frock and Roll couple of the fashion world. To begin with they started a line with the fashion label Religion, and produced a collection called KAST. Having been so used to turning out a lot of product, by the time Kait and Stuart finished working on the collection it was vast but they had identified two strong elements: one more casual and one more tailored, revealing a lot of British inspiration. On launching Bolongaro Trevor, both Kait and Stuart felt inspired to do something different to what they were doing at AllSaints. They went back to their roots with design and started again, bringing in far cleaner design aesthetic and finding influences in old pieces of clothing and flea markets. Kait has a love for clothes that have a function first. She’ll turn them inside out to look closely at the stitching, investigate how the seams are cut and the way the pockets are layered. She loves the fact that there is a reason for everything and it isn’t just style and ornamentation.

As Kait tells us of her love for vintage clothing, she mentions how the Victorian era has always been a big part of both her and Stuart’s inspiration, however they are not restricted to only that as they often source inspiration from sub-cultures and music. Kait is familiar with sub-cultures, having been a mod first before deciding to dive into the punk scene, and she speaks fondly of always remaining true to the punk within her: “Always, no matter what I do I need to give it a punky edge. My girl is the type of girl who marches around with a scowl on the face. She is not your high powered, prim and proper girl. In fact, she’s a bit of a bitch. She’s fierce, and she’s a bit anti-establishment and I like that. That’s always in my heart”. Kait knows that within sub-cultures there is a strong identity, but within today’s fashion creativity can quickly become generic and bland so she understands how important it is to develop a niche style. “There’s enough high street uniformity and mundanity: it doesn’t interest me. We didn’t want to be a part of that.” Bolongaro Trevor is a label that is flexible when it comes to things not being perfect. In a stance against fast fashion and a belief in allowing things to become organic with imperfections being praised rather than thrown out, the label leaves a lot of room for personality and a homemade touch to their clothing. “We found a little denim factory

that was being closed down in East London, and we got the fella to get all the equipment out and we got a load of all different denims and did it in patchwork, and each piece was different but that was the beauty of it. We made 100 pieces, and handwrote in the back “1 of 100” I think there’s something to be said for that kind of clothing.” One of many exciting traits that Bolongaro Trevor has is that the style of their garments aren’t rigid and don’t have to be worn a certain way. Kait herself enjoys a garment that can be worn a variety of ways, and talks about how there are no rules with their garments. “They’re not mine I’m doing it for you and you can have it however you want. All shapes and sizes can wear the same garment in a number of different ways.” Along with taking inspiration from the Victorian era and sub-cultures, Kait tells us how she is a sponge to the world around her when it comes to design inspiration. She is open to anything that catches her eye, and is known for always carrying a camera and sketchbook in case she finds something intriguing. “You don’t have to love the whole thing, you might find just a little element that just takes you..” It is this natural instinct for offbeat individuality that flows through the Bolongaro Trevor design aesthetic. “It comes down to a personal eye, we’ve all got our own song to sing haven’t we?”

Writing

| NIL MAGAZINE 2016 |

“Always, no matter what I do I need to give it a punky edge. My girl is the type of girl who marches around with a scowl on the face. She is not your high powered, prim and proper girl. In fact, she’s a bit of a bitch. She’s fierce, and she’s a bit antiestablishment and I like that. That’s always in my heart”.

Ruby Baldry

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