I'm going to London Fashion Week!

I've just found out that I've won tickets to be on the front row for the Alice Temperley show on the 22nd of September!!

I'm both super excited and so scared! I will be mingling with some huge names that will be there, both designers and celebrities.

The question I have in mind though is, what do I wear? My wardrobe is still in the "student" zone and I have no idea what people wear to these events, so I need your help on this one, please leave ideas, comments or links in the comments box.

I will be trying to live blog during the event as much as possible with photos and comments, and most importantly with what the clothes are like!

A touch of inspiration

So I felt that I needed a bit of inspiration before cracking on with designing and was looking through other bloggers pages (thank you Knit Grandeur) and found this video about sustainable knitting and thought it would be perfect to include in my next collection.

http://vimeo.com/45456477

My dissertation at University was based on sustainable fashions and recycling clothing as it is something I have a passion for.

I have therefore decided that my collection will use only second hand and recycled yarns, buttons and applique bits and bobs. Most of these will come from a slight obessive hoard of things I have been collecting over the years, others will come from unravled second hand jumpers and yarns I have saved throughout University.

Wish me luck!

Jingle Bells

This is exactly what people don't want to hear on an August bank holiday weekend but it's time to start the winter collection and get back to the knitting machine ready for Christmas.

I will be creating a range of high quality, hand made scarves ready for winter (although we could have done with them during August thanks to this "wonderful" weather) in a range of shapes, sizes and styles and selling them at Chirstmas craft fairs around the Midlands so keep an eye out for a completely unique, hand made little gift thats perfect for those difficult to buy for friends and family members.

I will also be opening an Etsy shop; somewhere that you can go to to order your handmade presents for friends, family and perhaps even yourself. So if you aren't near the midlands, you can order from here and have it delivered to your front door. Once it's up and running I shall post a link for you all to flock to.

In addition, I've just got back from a beautiful sight seeing trip to Bruges in Belgium and thought some photos may be appreciated, I'm hoping to use the amazingly pretty medevil buildings as inspiration for the winter collection.

I hope you all have a wonderful bank holiday despite the bad weather, and I shall keep you all up to date with progress and inspiration for the winter collection.

Post University Activities

Now that University has finished I've found myself with rather a lot of time on my hands. After a fantastic two week holiday in Portugal where I've been able to relax, see some amazing sights and soak up some culture and I'm ready and raring to go!

The job hunt starts here!

Da Vinci Exhibition and Post New Designers

New Designers is now over and seemed to fly by, it was such an amazing oppertunity to speak to professionals and the press as well as seeing some of the UK's best talent in Textiles as well as Fashion, Ceramics, Jewelry and Contemporary Art. Only positive things can come of it I guess!

I also used the oppertunity to see some exhibits whilst in London, as it has been the inspiration for my final years work, the Leonardo Da Vinci:Anatomist exhbit was the first on my list. It was truely amazing and a definate must see! The detail that went into his drawings and the accuracy was just breathe taking. People have said the Mona Lisa was too small and a dissapointment; the anatomical drawings were aroun A5 size and phenominal!



I also saw Gunther von Hagen's Animals Inside out as a personal interest of mine. It was really interesting to see animals in that way, they are either stuffed or in bone/fossil. The plastination was odd, it didnt seem like they were real creatures, just plastic models of them, although the sliced giraffe and horse did seem far more realistic as they still had their orignional features, and the size of the elephant was also amazing.

Here are a few snaps I managed to sneak of the Inside Out exhibit and a few of the Anatoist exhibit but I have a full album here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/julialouisewilliams/

 

Anatomist: http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/exhibitions/leonardo-da-vinci-anatomist?_$ja=kw:%2bda%20%2bvinci%20%2banatomist|cgn:Leonardo+Da+Vinci+Anatomist_BMM|cgid:3927871268|tsid:5255|cn:Leonardo+Da+Vinci+Exhibition|cid:96471668|lid:38694317348|mt:Broad|nw:search|crid:14023615628&gclid=CIuzwY2R-bACFc8KtAodnlub9w

Inside Out: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/animal-inside-out/index.html

First day at New Designers

So the first day at New Designers was a relative success. We may not have won any awards but some students at Derby University have had some interest from some very big names such as Jimmy Choo and Radley.

Comments on this years show: Digital print is clearly going to be huge next season as almost everyone has print designs, there are very few weave and knit designers showing this year. The level of quality is incredible though, it really is the best of the graduates in the country.

On a side note, I am happy to announce that I recieved my final University Classification. BA (Hons) Textile Design, 2:1 !!!

New Designers

I found out yesterday that I have been selected out of 14 people from the course to show my work at New Designers in London at the end of the month! I'm so excited to be able to show my work along side some of the best graduates from the UK. Its so amazing to have such a great oppertunity like this. Come on London!
www.newdesigners.com