A Refreshing Walk = Happy Me

Since I have lots of extra time at the moment (see my previous post Catch Up) I've been enjoying some time with my girls. Going on long refreshing walks, inhaling the crisp winter air, through many of the glorious parks we have here in Suffolk. This was in Nowton Park.

My Girls: Bella, 7 month, Dogue de Bordeaux & Millie, 6 year old, Lhasa Apso.

Barbour Jacket

Topshop Hat

Topshop Faux Fur Stole

Topshop Basic Tee

Virgine Castaway Knitwear

Diesel Jeans

Hunter Boots

style is like wine...

... it just gets better with age. I love these ladies and their attitude. Its put me in a good mood for today!

i want a pet lion

matted hair, wilderness, whites, ruffles, crochet and my pet lion for company. absolute perfection.

Aleksandra Nilsen for Elle Norway May 2011

Catch up..

This past year I have been running my own company. After graduating and going to countless interviews for a variety of jobs no one wanted to hire me... sob, sob.

So I decided to hire myself. I live with my husband in the idyllic town of Bury St. Edmunds. We have a variety of gorgeous boutiques but were missing an independent children's clothing store. A mother and daughter team were quickly allied; researching brands, attending trade shows and putting together a business plan. Whilst working for Six a designer menswear store in Bury St. Edmunds (yes someone did hire me eventually) I worked on their online store styling outfits, writing descriptions, processing web sales and just generally boosting their online status. www.sixwhitingstreet.co.uk

Millie (my designer kids wear & shoe boutique) was born/ started trading in March 2011, and sadly died in January 2012. The shop unfortunately does not trade any more due to manyreasons, the main being a massive increase in the business rates. However its not all doom and gloom as I have loved working with my customers, their children and grand children, and have grown so much as a person and as a professional. www.milliesclothing.co.uk

I have learned/ become:

• feisty, its not in my natural character but have learned how to stand up for myself!
• developed my styling skills, as thats pretty much what i did online and in the shop all day
• gaining a sense of what the customer wants and buying and selecting clothing and shoes appropriately
• often taking a risk pays, people want something thats different and are prepared to pay for top quality brands
• how to be cheeky and jump through some loop holes (sshhh!)
• gained some serious tips photographing as i photographed most of the clothes myself
• social media junkie, tweeting, facebooking, pinteresting and blogging about designer children's clothes
• visual merchandising
• the correct way to dress a mannequin
• how to iron correctly (yes in the vm world there is a wrong way to iron!!)
• designing an ecommerce website
• boosting internet presence
• a researching master
• negotiating prices
• designing bags & boxes, how my clothes were purchased was very important to me
• liaised with press

And now my brain hurts... I am currently on the job hunt again, but am enjoying some time off after working 6 day weeks, 12 hour days.

Fashion Shows

My o My! What a rush!

2 shows at the Minories in Colchester

MACs head make-up artist Pablo and his team were amazing and with Toni and Guy doing the hair it was such a winning combination, plus my beautiful models- it just made my collection pop. The whole night was undeniable success with friends and family finally being able adore the hard work, stress and tears. A very exciting night, thats left me on a high. I also really enjoyed capturing all the backstage bustle and fashion show preparations.

The MAC team

Toni & Guy curling and frizzing

Last second touch ups before the models hit the runway

My collection and I (centre)

GFW

GFW was perhaps the most enjoyable part of the degree, there was so much interest in our stand and it was such an adrenaline rush and a constant high to have interest in my collection. seriously looking forward to new designers... look out for us there!!!

new photoshoot

By having 2 models i felt they could play off each other and it enabled to show 2 looks really allowing my collection to flow. The girls had stronger features, paler and looked just much better- to me the pictures still look a little ammeter, a professional photographer makes all the difference. but they really showcase the clothing and it looks more like fashion shoot rather than a wag shoot.

photoshoot

After doing a photo shoot in a studio, the model was friend of mine (who mainly models for commercial briefs) i did the photography, make-up, hair and styling in studio (another friends studio) I think she look gorgeous and the clothes look great, however together they don'y quite gel. I would like to try again on paler skin as i want a high fashion/ luxury look.

Presentation

The last ever Presentation! was debatably the most nerve racking, I feel I really portrayed my collection, passion, drive, ambition and action plan in a clear concise passionate way. Im just slightly concerned at the rapid speed I can converse in, and will ask for feedback on how to improve in job interview situations.

Arts Thread

As a graduating year we are participating on arts Thread, on online graduate data base representing graudates in the creative arts industry. Hopefully this will boost my profile and possible job prospects.

www.artsthread.com/p/charlottewest

Robert Cavalli AW 2010

This collection has actually changed my life. Its combines lots of elements that I love showing me how successful a collection can be, its delicate, soft, supple, powerful, structured, feminine, modest and textured, and it AW not SS.

Image is Everything

On Wednesday David Lam presented us with our picture, this picture is so monumental as it represents me as a designer and the underlying message of my collection, so high hopes and a lot is riding on this image.

He came in and natural everyone gravitated towards the screen. Its distressing enough being alone, but with the all the beaming eyes inspecting each image it was irrevocably intense. He called my name as it flashed up in front the screen,Horror, Surprise, Excitement and Beauty all came to mind. Horror as it was not my original intention for the photoshoot, excitement as this image was beautiful and I was proud to call this mine, surprise as i didn't love it perhaps as much as i should and excitement with how remarkable it was. Very mixed emotions...

A few days later and I still feel uneasy about it, buts its growing on me. It reflects the mood of my collection perfectly, the model is exquisitely beautiful and the pose is perfection, the maiden dress appears to be lightly kissing her skin, gently cascading down to dress the body with a glimmer of the under garment jumpsuit adding to the ensemble instead of distracting from the natural beauty of the dress, the fur cape draping over her shoulders looks so effortless with the militant badges setting it apart from the obvious. With all these remarkable elements to this photograph I still have reservations; I suppose thats the ragging perfectionist inside me combined with the nagging cynic, I find it it all too easy to pick and criticse my work instead of simply enjoying it.

Striping is Hard Work

I loves stripes and so really wanted to involve some in my collection, I had decided on a delicate painted stripe by painting onto the back of a screen, however specs of colour kept coming through. So ensuring I was immaculate and clean attempted it again with success, but when i pulled it through on a final pieces flecks of fluro orange came through again.

I don't have any fabric to spare and so have to abort this, but i love stripes and how chic they look. They are classic staple in any woman's wardrobe and AW 2010 sees so many wonderful stripes, with the boundaries and perception of stripes being pushed.

Chanel in a classic sailor stripe

Erin Fetherson

Diane Von Furstenburg

Day of the Shoot

The photoshoot wasn't very successful as I wanted the photographer to use the same girl twice in two outfits, one in the maiden dress, jersey undergarment jumpsuit and fur cape and the other in the ellie jumpsuit and geddes-west blazer. I wanted her to be starring at herself in two different outfits, in a checking out/ starring the other one out manor, with the mood and look being slightly wild and hazey, with huge inspiration being drawn on the Mulberry ad campaign fall 09. But he immediately dismissed it, and basically did what he wanted. I was very skeptical as it wasn't my vision.

Pablo one of the head mac make-up artists did a fantastic job of the make-up, drawing on a moody 1920s look with deep glossy mahogany lips, matte face and black smoky intense eyes. The hair was done by myself in a back combed sweeping side bun.

Once I saw the maiden dress on combined with the hair and make-up it was actually stunning, it looked elegant, naive, subtle and very delicate- which was exactly my aim.

Also deciding that any jewelry would detract from the delicacy of this outfit, and wanting the focus to purely on the clothing.

The final shots looked breath taking my only reservation was it looked very 1940s- esque and I was anticipating this outcome, but i shall await the final picture in a few weeks... very excited and painstakingly nervous.

Vintage Wholesale

A friend of mine runs a vintage wholesale shop on 123 Bethnal Green Rd.

The front doesn't even resemble a shop, to ensure that only serious customers enter its based on appointment only basis and so remains a secret!

The phrase 'treasure trove' is a serious understatement for this place, as its a gold mine of periodic and weird and wonderful finds.

I was in need of some fur for a cape, so selected a gillet for £10, so much cheaper than buying it new and its up-cycling, so a winner all fronts.

I love the final fur cape, accompanied by the military medals it creates a form of memorabilia, meaning and story within this cape, whilst also generating depth and contrasting harshness to delicate supple fur.

Equestrian Blazer

This has been an emotional 10 days, from toiling to embroidery and the tailor making the jacket.

The waist line was too high so by dropping it by 3cm, and exaggerating the flares in sides and back creates more drama, I'm happy with the fit, shape and style, so its off to the tailor.

I collected the front right panel and took it to the embroidery's in Lowestoft, then posted it back to the tailor, so she could finish it.

The final jacket is amazing and looks so crisp and smart, getting it made was the best option as I don't have the skills to construct jackets with such precision and expertise as Alla did. I am however slightly disappointment with some hemming and finishing as there is small nick in the hem and the binding round the velvet collar is not laying flush.

Not minute detail has been overlooked with this blazer, the linings, trimmings, buttons and binding has been given attention care and careful thought.

Geddes-West Crest

I wanted to combine mine and my husbands family crests together to create a new one, celebrating a new era. These two are my final designs, and I'm leaning slightly toward the lighter as its more feminine, delicate and would feel lighter on the clothing, it also has more fun and whimsical feel to it.

Concept Statement

Physiologist to Schizophrenic:

AW 2011 represents a carefree indulgent woman with a lust for comfort. Muted dusky pink, cream and peach tonals in chiffons, jersey, aran knit and vintage fur are contrasted with deep olive militant green jersey, royal blue silk merino and duchesse satin.

A combination of warm and cold grays in silk jersey fully express this comfortable indulgence. Floor length dainty dresses and skirts with silk jersey jumpsuits elude a playful seduction.

An equestrian blazer and velvet cape boast the Geddes-West family crest, expressing heritage and pride, whilst the fur cape proudly displays a collection of military medals.

Deeply inspired by Lolita’s portrayal of youthful lust and seduction in a light comical manner. The undercurrent of the collection expresses the physiological impact clothing has over its wearer. A fusion of diversity. Military wear, country pursuits and flirtatious dresses, creates a fashion schizophrenic- longing to be everything in one.

Who is it for?

Not appealing to an age group but more of an ideal; for any woman who wants to be indulgent whilst feeling comfortable, confident, carefree and flirtatious.

Who or Which Company would you like to work for after Graduating?

I would be ecstatic with any job in the industry from: Journalism and styling for Vogue, Elle, Harpers, V, Another Magazine, ID, In Style, Marie-Clarie or Grazia. Assistant designer for Whistles, Rag and Bone, Boy by Band of Outsiders, Toast, Stella McCartney, Birger and Mikkelesen, Nicole Farhi and Charles Anastase. Or PR for LFW or On/ Off

(even though this image doesn't reflect inspiration for this collection its portrayal on the emotional impact that clothing can have and its elaborate styling expresses the concept for my collection- image taken from Vogue 2009, Nick Knight)

A little Pick-Me-Up in the form of Fabulous Style

Whilst shopping for fabric down Berwick Street (feeling slightly down) I was hoping that indulgencing in beautiful, over priced fabric would cheer me up. But to my suprise found this amazingly dressed male.

Totally encompassing so many aspects that I want to in my collection:

Prep Style

Military

Fur

Masculine Glamour

Grays, Kakhi, Navy and Brown.

The look is very current whilst being forward too. The whole thing works! I wasn't expecting a boost from a passer by, but its been a refreshing lift.