Critical Reflection || Reflect. Define. Expand.
Research .
What are your go-to research subjects, do you always research a similar type of aesthetic/time in history?
When researching, I find that I tend to research more on the visual/imagery side of things based on the brief requirements/outline - which directly leads me to ideate things in my head and create mood boards of images, which helps me to generate and develop a few concept sketches and eventually a storyboard. Although I am aware that the importance of visual research is also just as important as contextual research, I was able to work and focus on the contextual side of things more during my ‘Blue Blood: Denim Project’.
During the Denim Project, I was given the opportunity to work individually - this was a great opportunity as most times projects would be mostly done in a group-based setting. During this individual assignment one of the things I was able to focus more on was the contextual side of researching, for example:
The Production of Denim
History of Denim Jeans
Levi Strauss
Brand and Market Research
The functionality and features of denim jeans.
I definitely think I should also try to focus more on the contextual side when it comes to research rather than just sticking to mostly visual/image-based research. I think this could help me better understand the fashion era/history and could help me create better and clearer storyboards, and could help me backup my visual research - which may help me generate ideas and learn about techniques or features that I have not yet learned before.
Making .
What have you enjoyed when moving from 2D to 3D, what methods of making have you had the most success with?
During the Resene Colour group project, after sketching and rendering my initial designs and what I intended to do - I had the opportunity to work and improve on my pattern-making skills, more so on adapting manipulating patterns from an existing block pattern or an existing garment. Not gonna lie it was quite difficult and quite confusing at first, and sometimes till now I still get a bit confused and make a few errors, but I think that’s completely fine.
Moreover, It was also my first project where I was able to experiment and learn more about ‘up-cycling’. I found it actually more challenging than what It was, and there's actually quite a process to it, but I honestly enjoyed the process. It was more than just “distressing a garment and your done” - but I had to be careful, think, and plan it out, before making any changes to a garment and somehow give it a new life, while letting it stay functional and wearable on the body and the whole mechanics of it - Also I was up-cycling a blazer.
Therefore, I did do some sketches before making any new cuts to my blazer, then marking areas on my blazer where I’ll be making changes/cutting, etc. However, even during the cutting/up-cycling process, it wasn’t too accurate. However, instead of letting that lead me to a thought barrier - for some reason I actually enjoyed the inaccuracies of it, and it gave me more new ideas to further develop it but still staying close to my initial design, I think it really helped me in terms of flexibility.
Define the type/level of making you want to work with.
I’m definitely interested in up-cycling and altering clothes and would love to expand my skills and knowledge around it, and definitely experimentation. Tailoring does kind of catch my interest a little bit but I’m still quite unsure about it if I’ll have enough time for it and so forth. Moreover, I still feel like I lack a bit more in terms of making clothes to be working in the market, I’m confident I’ve learned a handful but I still feel like I can and may need more to expand my skills.
Development .
Do you prefer to work directly on the dress form or sketch multiple iterations of one idea before even considering making a toile? Are you open to change that can occur when, at some point, a project takes on its own trajectory, or, do you like to know what the outcome will be from the start?
I find that sketching multiple concept sketches, then scanning it digitally and rendering it helps me see my vision/what I’m trying to go for a bit more which helps me spot some changes I may need to take in the long run.
However, I also find that I’m also quite flexible with changes/errors that may occur after or during the toiling/making process. I think I’m alright with not knowing what the exact outcome will be at the end, as long as I know that it was close to my initial concept, I am aware, and I enjoy it when there are some developments or changes from my initial concept at times.
Communication
To date, how have you best articulated/communicated your work at the different stages of research, development, and final execution? Is it by using digital tools - video, Blogs, photography, photographic montage, or annotation – sketching, collaging?
I definitely use a lot of digital tools, photographs, sketches, collaging, annotations, and maybe some mixed media like painting, etc. - in order to articulate and communicate my ideas better. Basically, a lot of imagery and some annotations on those imageries, and maybe a paragraph or two if needed.
During the two 2021 lockdown briefs (Seeing things, Made in Aotearoa) - one was an individual project that required us to communicate and show our work through a website (Seeing things) - at first, the thought of it kinda made me unmotivated since I didn’t really know how making a website work, but eventually, I learned as I go and it was quite satisfying at the end to see the final outcome of the website. I definitely used a lot of photography, and some video graphics to better communicate my work.
The other project (Made in Aotearoa, Jimmy D) - was a group project, and I was mostly in charge of laying things and the “aesthetics” when it came to our bookwork. I genuinely enjoyed making a story out of the imagery we had and fitting the right aesthetic to our brief.
I think starting a website in the future for portfolio reasons would certainly help me keep track of my work and showcase my work to future employers/companies. Currently, at times I do casually post and upload my work on the social media platform ‘Instagram’ - and I do plan to create a website where I can showcase my work and journey.
In addition, within my work I realised I've always unconsciously tried to intertwine the aspects of gender neutrality, throughout my work and or as I work. There are also times where I tend to add in aspects of who I am as person and aspects from my culture - However, it is always quite subtle when I do.
Development
Challenge and expand your skill set.
I know that these days the fashion industry is slowly advancing in terms of technology, and I think I would love to learn more about the new and upcoming technology and or machinery that is being introduced in the industry - the functionality of it, how it works, etc. For example, with pattern making I know that we’re able to make and adjust our patterns digitally - however, I still don’t have the knowledge around those areas yet, and I think in the last few years I just haven’t found the opportunity or time to due to current restrictions and events.
Or, the other tech labs in AUT that we were introduced to from the start - I think we’ve never really had too many chances to actually properly learn and sit down to utilise them for our projects, maybe at least 1 or 2.
Jewellery/accessory making is also another aspect that interested me, I had booked a session in one of the labs for an introduction and a quick workshop, however that also got canceled due to lockdown.
This year with my Fashion Industry paper I'm trying to get a placement within the public relation side of the fashion industry - as I was quite interested to what's involved and to learn more about it, I feel like this will give me the opportunity to expand my knowledge within the industry. However, I'm also learning that public relation companies regarding fashion in New Zealand is quite limited - Though I had a thought of trying the magazine/editorial side of fashion aswell.
In the end, I feel like me trying and taking these different opportunities has/is helping me expand and add to my skillset.
Purpose
Why are you embarking on your final year of study, what do you want to achieve? Do you want to explore how to work in a more sustainable way, work with a specific material, be completely experimental, produce a body of work that helps you to gain employment, or produce a body of work that supports further study? Analyze and articulate what it is that drives you; is it politically motivated, commercially minded, or conceptually driven?
In my final year of study, I want to be able to be completely experimental but not be ignorant of working sustainably in fashion. I do want to work towards a path where it does help me gain employment - I have always wanted to work somewhere abroad/overseas, but due to recent events I’m not really quite sure where or how yet. I also do want to learn more and further expand my studies in fashion while working, as I feel like I may still lack some knowledge and would love to grasp more. I think at this point I’m still trying to figure out my options, right now it’s still quite a bit vague to me what my plan is once I’ve finished my fashion studies.
Initially, I did have goals, of starting my own brand, but I know realistically it is not easy to get there and requires a lot of processes beforehand, but I’m still not quite sure how to get there but if I had the opportunity I think I’d be willing to learn.…
Secondly, If not a fashion brand, it was working towards working for a company or someone in the fashion industry abroad/overseas, while still doing my own thing on the sideline.
Lastly, I’ve always thought back to this because it does interest me - it was the option if not working in the practical side of fashion, was to work somewhere in the fashion editorial or media side of fashion - somewhere along the lines of being a fashion assistant, or even a stylist (?)
In addition, I definitely think I’m dominantly conceptually driven but also have a side of being commercially minded.
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