New Places I like.

I've was out and about a fair bit last week for Simone Rocha; working every day is definitely not something I'd want to do forever but being this busy has allowed me to learn and discover so many new things in a short space of time, this week was no exception.

When you're interning a main part of your responsibilities is to carry out errands for everyone who is higher than you. Unfortunately this is normally everybody. Errands can range from an emergency carton of Vita Coco to the fabric for next season and then, every now and again you get sent somewhere wonderful you have never been before but certainly will frequent again. Mine was Loop, a knitting shop in Angel. There's a bell that rings as you enter, comfy kitsch sofas and poofs upstairs and yarn in every colour imaginable from floor to ceiling. They also apparently do knitting classes, if anyone's check them out here http://www.loopknitting.com/

My second discovery was Inamo in Soho. After a long day at work, refueling is always necessary. So why not do it with good friends, ordering great oriental food from an interactive menu on the table?

 Another newbie for me was the Laduree tearooms in Covent Garden. Marie Antoinette eat your heart out. Seriously. Everyone needs to go at least once to sit in the tasselled, mint green love seats, sample the macarons and drink Caramel tea out of fine bone china. We then ended up at the Box- It was a unique choice of pre-drink and will most certainly be returning.
 http://www.laduree.com/fr_fr/

Lastly on no sleep I dragged myself to the Tate Late at the Tate Britain. Although the Tate is definitely not new to me I have never managed to get myself to one of their events until now. I felt that an appearance was necessary as a talented DJ friend of mine (https://www.facebook.com/alfmusicuk) had created the music which was playing in the '1840's GIF Party' room. Digital artists and members of the public alike where invited to submit GIFs or moving images of paintings from that room. Really great night. http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/film/late-tate-britain-february-2014

Crochet and Chinchillas

Something I always enjoy doing is learning something new, especially when it comes to internships. Working for free is a tuff'un but if you are constantly learning on the job, whether that be directly from a colleague or challenging your eyes to wander and absorb every morsel of information you see, it is definitely worth it in the long run. And this week I learnt to crochet. Although I have experimented with hand knit from an early age by way of Grandma Margaret, and had a project on embellishment and machine knit last year at uni, my knowledge of crochet was, well if I'm honest, zero.
Again I am unable to disclose anything noteworthy but lets just say you can learn A LOT in a day or two. By the end of the week it was joked I had passed "Crochet Level 1" and "Crochet Level 2" and was working on embellishments for the collection. Fun fun fun



A cute thing: one of the textile girls brought her pet chinchilla in for a couple of days, everyone was obsessed so she has to write a note on her cage saying "Don't move her. She is Sleeping"



There is also definitely a slight food war going on. Tesco meal deals are a thing of the past, cast out by novelties such as Marks and Spencer chunky soups and olive bread, Asian noodle soups with dumplings and fish balls or homemade roast Mediterranean vegetables, halloumi and couscous. The omnipresent phrases around the lunch table are "Mmm...What you eating?" and "That looks good...Can I try some?"

I made this!

Although everyone still remains cheerful and bubbly this week at the studio, a slight stirring of the stomachs and quickening of feet inside the signature perspex heeled brogues has occurred: Fashion Week looms ever closer.

Hide and Seek Alone

Hide and Seek Alone is the title of my most recent Uni project. I have included photos of  my work - roughs and finals - and my creative writing that goes along side it.  This project explores a recurring theme in my work: The idea that everyone is made up of three beings, You, your other Self and your inner child. It's also the project that I named the blog after - I'm all three of these people most of the time!

Run

Hide

Darkness

Disorientation.

You are alone.

Alone with your self.

Come out Come out.

A vulnerable mind shatters

You are hidden but you are always found.

There is no place to hide from your self.

When forced to take up the role of hider and seeker in a game once made for children, a much darker, more dangerous play ensues and hiding places are scarce.

My concept forces the hider self to be cunning. They must fabricate hiding places within themselves, within their own mind. These cavernous hollows envelop the wearer and overhanging branches dangle in front of tired eyes. But between these strands of protection, vulnerable skin can still be seen and the hider Self must run on.

Gaping chasms appear. Spaces that once provided shelter now morph into restraints, confining limbs and concealing faces.  The seeker self will always have the advantage.

There is a both a lack of control and total control in equal measure.

In the same mind and body, the hider and seeker are forced continually to fight against each other for a freedom they can ultimately only achieve by destroying the other.

Only in this final game of hide and seek will the true self be found.

Repairing the [un]broken

Recently I did an embellishment project called "repairing the [un]broken". 

I explored the journey of a woman trapped inside her inner child, forced to live life through both mentalities. Inspired by toys I saw at the Museum of Childhood I experimented with knit, print and embroidery, creating pyjama like garments which both comfort and smother the wearer. In my opinion these opposites create the emotional environment of a child growing up. I like to write so often I put down a story on paper that describes my concept so here is my design rationale, pages from my sketchbook and final line-up:

 “I want to repair something” said the Woman,

“Something that may not be broken yet. Or is it very broken? I think it’s broken, but you may disagree, you may think it’s perfectly fine”.

She nodded to herself.

“Is this empty space broken? Or perhaps this chair? I can never be sure.

What should be here and what should be removed?”

She paced.

“Yes, yes I’m sure this is broken” she said hastily to the nothingness. “But how should it be fixed?”

She continued, projecting now:

“And you Chair, you’re no good to anyone like that. No good at all, what will I do with you?”

She promptly turned the chair upside down, childishly and laughed as if they were deep in friendly conversation.

She filled the space with all she could find. Clutching, grasping, shaking. Up and down and everywhere.

Imposing space.

The woman sat down in a corner and cradled her toys like a child.

Alone, lonely.

“I wish I was a toy like you” said the Child.

“Life would be so much simpler”.

…

As a child we see life very differently from that of an adult, however what would happen if this line was blurry… or non existent. In which mental state would your mind and body reside? Are you playing dress up?

There is a strong sense of vulnerability as a child. Children lack inhibitions but are also naïve to the world around us; you want to run everywhere but your weak, feeble legs cause you to stumble.

Seen through the eyes of a woman, trapped inside her own mind, this capsule collection embodies her mentality: she knows she is a woman, yet she behaves like a child. She feels both smothered and liberated by this. It is her defense.

She fills rooms full of dolls and building blocks and bears and when someone says stop she stamps her foot. In some ways she refuses to come out of either realm. She has regressed. She is in denial. She is perfectly content.

Let us enter into this childlike state of mind:

I invite you to blur the line.

"The woman sat down in a corner and cradled her toys like a child."