You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Fashion
portfolio
Ella Louise Cole
Inspirations
Inspirations
Inspirations
Feminnity
My love and passion for design, style and fashion grew and manifested from a
young age. I spent years dressing up barbies and circling new ones in the
Argos catalogue. Growing up with piles of clothes to choose and make outfits
from sparked my creativity.
I feel passionately about gender and identity and its influence in the image we
portray of ourselves through our clothes, especially in regard to femineity and
womanhood. I love to challenge social norms injustices (inspired by my older
sister) through clothes, I was especially opened to the debate on this with my
childhood idol harry styles whose vouge shoot in a dress changed my outlook
on the potential of style and clothes through media on society and sparked a
hunger in me to be apart of that.
I'm a big film buff and love watching 'teen' tv shows such as my favorite,
gossip girl and in lockdown euphoria. The diversity in the world of couture and
designer labels was opened up to me through GG, giving me clothes I could
only dream of owning helping to develop my own style as I grew up. Euphoria
opened a new view of cinematic style to me embarrassing aesthetics and
personal identity in clothes, and again inspiring my own style.
Social media such as Pinterest, Instagram and Tik Tok have also been pivotal
for me to access new trends styles, creating mood board after mood board.
The designer museum
-London U.K
the exhibitions on show were showcasing the
works of designers who
I took inspiration from 'club' section where a
range of infamous red-carpet looks were
showcased. Each piece shown varied
dramatically in shape, material color and
message, from toile to felt, eco cotton, fur and
mesh all of which I've taken inspiration from and
incorporated into my own designs.
I was especially inspired by the range of crazy
and bold colors and created my own red-carpet
designs.
Throughout the exhibitions infamous designs
were showcased as well as the iconic history
and background of fashion.
A timeline of London fashion throughout the
years motivated me to research into the origins
of fashions such as the LBD, the messages and
justifications behind iconic moments, as I truly
believe we can grow and adapt without looking
back first. Once again inspiring my designs by
looking back at previous iconic looks in pop
culture.
Brief- to create a series of red carpet looks for celebrities with a coherent running theme throughout.
The running theme throughout is
glamour and the elements
-fire
Accessories-
20’s flapper girl style
jelled waves in the hair
to juxtapose the dress,
acting as a balance to
the detail whilst
remaining stylish and
chic
Large 24kt chunky
gold hoops paired with
matching gold bangles
that sit all they way up
the arm.
The inspiration comes from Blake lively’s
liberty dress from the met gala (the
bodice and draped outer skirt) and
Natasha Poonawalla's guiled gold look
Shape and style of dress is symbolic of armour
repsrnting a warrior-esk allure to the outfit,
linking to the theme and verbosity/
ruthelessness of fire
Inspired by harry styles and the boa,
keeping the look relevant to modern
pop culture and red carpet appropriate
craze, paired with inspiration from Kylie
Jenner at the Met gala
-air
Accessories- Cartier pink diamond
necklace paired with a small set of
matching pink diamond earrings -
Metal- white gold
Taps into the divine
femineity with bodice and
tight-fitting dress
accentuating each curve
and imperfection.
The pink colour
representing feminism,
gentile and delicacy
whilst the slim simple
dress paired with the
bustle of the long boa
symbolises the layers and
juxtaposition of
womanhood.
Inspired by Emma chamberlains 2-piece
ensemble at the met gala and as well as
Gigi Hadid's opera glove look and slim fit
dress
- Water
The mermaid style of skirt is symbolic of
its theme of water and again taps into
the mermaid underworld lore.
The coiled curly hair is reminiscent of
beachy waves from salty water and the
cut-out details on the outfit are covered
in rare blue pearls and sea
Accessories-
Mix of bronze/ brass metals in
the jewellery.
Head band piece made if a
thin metal band and a
centrepiece aqua blue crystal
piece symbolic of the sea king
trident linking to the theme.
Large metal buckle is a centre
piece of the outfit and breaks
up 2 piece whilst remaining
relevant to current trends in a
early 2000’s look.
I have curated
some mood
boards/collages
from a range of
fashion
magazines such
as Vanity fiar,
Elle, Vouge and
fashion
monthly
This helped inspire my designs for the red carpet as many of these were iconic pop culture moments in fashion
The Divas exhibition
-London U.K V&A museum
Editorial photoshoot
I fabricated an editorial-esk
photoshoot with my camera at home.
The directive of these pieces stemmed
from struggles with social anxieties and
pressures, such as the normalised
notion that makeup should and needs
to be worn daily to appeal more
‘presentable’.
This links into gender politics and the
expectations of women and especially
young girls in our society today,
prompted by the craze of social media
and the rapid loss of childhood pushing
unrealistic standards of beauty . The
idea that girl in the images is trying to
‘make herself up’ but has an underlying
yearning antagonism and
disappointment for this habit reflects a
self-doubt and contentment for herself.
But despite this animosity she still puts
aside 30 mins each morning to paint
herself up.
Knowingly stuck in. a toxic and vicious
cycle much like a twilight zone of which
is the ambiance I created with the soft
colours and lighting.
Ella
Cole
I have chosen... to look into the festival side of outdoor
living, I am interested because I believe it speaks to me as
a teenager and it’s the theme I can most relate to.
Festivals to me seem like a collections of different styles
with everyone expressing themselves in different ways.
The things I could create is a tote bag, trendy clothing
such as tops, skirts, shorts accessories , I also need to
make sure I'm aware of the possible problems such as
weather changes, durability, storage and security aspects
of festivals and festival clothing.
My design problem is - security and storage
My target focus group/client-
Teenage girls (girls in my friendship groups/classes ages
between 14-16)
Research plan- target markets opinions and ideas, social
media, influences trends and celebrities, (previous festival
wear) , google, previous locations, questionnaires,
magazines, YouTube(festival vlogs).
lifestyle
City lifeo
Tube/underground, NYC ,London, busy, walking,
comfortable shoes, work, business, young
adults, career
Familyo
Young children, occupied/activities for them to
do, efficient, get away, group activities,
bonding/quality time
Young adults/teenagero
Friends, experiences, carefree, fun, chill, food
and music, interest, trendy, social media
client
Who?, job?, extremists or
pleasure and fun?, adult, teenager,
children, friends, what are their
opinions?, young couple, beliefs,
must haves?, interests?,
location
Outdoor
living
GCSE
Beach, woods, fields, water, lakes,
mountains, cabins, tents, garden, fresh
air,
Country, town, village, city
Surroundings, picture-esk, spacious
Back gardens (family and friends), private
gardens national trust locations
Events/themes
Tents, food, bags, storage, sleep, family,
boots, weather, holiday or experienced,
campervan, sleeping bags, browns, darker
colours, practical, multipurpose, activity
holiday, rock-climbing, watersports
Winter/Autum -
o Windy, rain, cold, Icey,
o Layers, coats, scarfs, hats, jumpers, long
sleeve t shirts, waterproofs, boots
Summer/springo
Sunny, warm/hot, seasonal, SPF, UV rays,
o Dresses, shorts, tank tops, crop tops, flowy,
sandals, thinner layers
Campingo
Picnicso
Blanket, food, storage, basket/tote bag,
finger foods/snacks, social activity, family,
friends, tartan, red and white, pastille
colours, cottage core aesthetic, lowkey, chill,
woods, fields, flowers
Festivalso
Colours, neon's or pastilles, vibes, chill,
music, experience, friends, trendy clothes
styles; mum jeans, vintage, security, storage,
alternative outfits, fashion forward,
expressing, glitter/gems ,range of weather,
muddy
seasons/weather
Product 1 Product 2 Product 3
Product 1
Shein
swtop01210319350
Aesthetics
Mesh, drop
shoulders, oversized floral
top, embroidered, boho,
round neck
Marble printed , cross front,
strappy bralette, bright pinks
and purples
Bottle green jumpsuit, 70s
style, floral, flared,
Cost
£10.40 £12 £40 (with discount code
£20)
Product 2
Boo Hoo
code: FZZ23365
Customer
Environment
Size & Safety
(client profile) (client profile) (client profile)
Machine washable, or
professional dry clean, fast
fashion website
Machine washable, fast
fashion website
Sizes 6-16 with cm
measurements Sizes 8-14 Size 4-18
Machine washable, fast
fashion website
I saw it first
PRODUCT-SKU
IA00642822-18
Function &
materials
Festivals ,concerts, summer
parties, 95% polyester 5%
spandex
Summer festivals, parties,
concerts, 95% polyester 5%
elastane
Summer festivals,
trendy
Colours
neon
Festivals
sparkle
silk
patterns
ACCESSFM
summary
Fabric
I've incorporated different types of fabrics that all have different
Propeties aesthetics and vibes.
• mesh
The mesh fabric I have used is an oversized t shirt with
embroided flowers, mesh can be lots of different types colors,
Usually, you need to wear something underneath as it is a sheer
material,
Mesh is light weight, strong, weather resistant and will not fade.
Using mesh as a fabric for a festival is a great idea as it can spice
up an outfit and can be used in many ways, If it a hot day mesh is
a good idea as it is very breathable and light weight.
• Polyester
Most of the products I have chosen/looked at have used
polyester or a percentage/blend , polyester is a very durable and
strong material it is stain resistant it is a synthetic material , it
holds color and can be knitted, woven, thick or thin.
Having a product/clothing item that has polyester in it is an
excellent idea especially for a festival as it has many beneficial
Propeties such as satin resistant as festivals can get messy with
mud, food and drink ect
Safety
The products I have looked at are from fast fashion websites meaning that they
are not good for the environment as they are from mass produced factories (I
need to consider the impact of where in sourcing my clothes/materials for) that
deliver with masses of unnecessary Packinging plastic, most of the garments
have plastic in for example thermo plastics (polyester fibers) that when used
and discarded they are put in either a land fill where they will be buried into the
earth and takes years and years to decompose the plastics into the earth or
recycled and reused (given to charity shops, friends, family, etc.)
vIn these products you need to careful and aware of the smaller components
such as gemstones, zips, labels, buttons etc. and make sure they are all securely
attached and comfortable in the garment.
Security can be so important for festivals you are sleeping in tents in a
communal space and there are big busy crowds (mosh pits) and so keeping
valuables safe is so important (pockets, zips) on outfits as carrying a bag comes
with risks.
Client summary
The products I have chosen are
all festival themed and chosen
specifically for teenage girls
aged 14+, you can see this
reflected in the fashion and
actual appearance of the
clothing items as they are out
going, youthful and trendy
Cost and size
All my product are priced between
£10-£40 I've found that it depends on the
website that it's from.
I would say some of the products are
overpriced for what they are as they are
mass produced cheaply
All these products have a range of sizes
usually small medium and large.
Aesthetics-
From my research (questionnaire, ACCESSFM and mood board) I have found
out that bright and bold colors are the desired look such as (electric blues,
citrus greens, bright pinks and neon's), I have also found that decorative
patterns are very trendy and popular at the moment especially in festival style
clothing (such as swirls, cow print, gingham,) it must be very social media
appropriate/instagrammable
Functiono
The product must be
suitable to be worn at a
festival, (rain or shine).
o Camping is a big part of
festival life and so must
also be suitable for
outdoor living (camping)
o The product will be
worn by my client.
Target market/client
profileo
o
o
This product must be
appropriate for a
range of ages from
14-17
Must fit with current
trends
For teenage girls
Time and resources (values)
o
Design specification
Health and safety
Must be suitable for batch production (mass produced?) and easily
accessible (online shop that delivers to your door)
o
o
o
o
All components need to
secured tightly
Product must have a
secure place to put
valuables such as a pocket
Fire hazards, fire resistant
I must ensure the material
is well sourced (fast
fashion)
Performance
requirements
o
o
o
o
Material should be
comfortable to wear for
long periods of time.
Should be odor resistant
Should be fashionable
The material should also
be strong and prefebely
crease resistant
Details
o
o
o
o
o
o
It must have a pattern
Must be trendy
It must be brightly
coloured
It must have a security
It must be comfortable
to wear for a long
period of time
Must be shorts and
matching top (co ord)
Design Brief
Context
My context is outdoor living and I've related that to festivals
(camping and fields)
Client
My client is Talia Lesbriel,
a 15-year-old girl who goes to my school, she's a size 10-12 in
womans adult and fits my client profile perfectly,
Design brief
Design and make an outfit to fit the design brief of outdoor living
in coloration to festivals, I will be designing a co-ord set (skorts or
skirt with top) it must be bright and outgoing with possibly a
pattern or gems/sparkles, it must have a security
pocket/function, it must be appropriate and tailor to the taste of
my client market and client (Tallia) which is teenage girls. The
outfit must be made from a comfortable fabric as she will wear it
for a long time, it must be water resistant (sweat, rain, spillages,
mud), it must be stretchy (dancing, mosh pits)
Moral social and suitability factors
My dress is made suitably from an eco
friendly factory that aims to reduce their
carbon footprint. I will also make my dress
machine washable so it can be
worn multiple times over. I will make sure
the fabric I use is suitably sourced and
made through fair trade and that the
factory used follows ethical practices,
equal and fair pay will be a must for all
workers involved in creating this garment,
my client has made sure that this is very
important to them and a non negotiable
I'm creating this garment. I'm aware that
satin polyester is not eco friendly or bio
degradable and made from fossil fuels
but the shiny appearance and feel of the
fabric was very important for my client.
Materials
The materials I would like to use is a satin
polyester blend as well as mesh
I will look at fabric land
(Orange polyester satin £5.99 per m)
The 2nd layer will be a glittery nylon light weight
mesh a(in fabric land £6.99 per m)
And a ribbon £0.38 per 1.5m
Reel of orange thread £1.85
And an invisible zip £0.85
In total £16.06
Manufacturing
specification
Processes
I use different techniques such as Pleating and darts to create
shape and style to the dress , I'm using a double fold hem and
straight stich for the whole garment to keep it neat and tidy. I
will also use other processes such as , tacking, invisible zip,
bow, pinning, cutting measuring and altering. All of these will
help to create a garment fitting my design spec and brief and
my client prefences to make the perfect dress for a festival
Scale of production
My product will be
suitable for batch
production manufacturing
in a factory
Final ideas
My final design will
be the product that
is made and will fit
mine and my clients
design brief as well as
my technical drawing
showing the seams
and details.
Standard components to be used during
manufactures
The components I will need are
• Invisible zip
• Ribbon
• Thread
Quality assurance/control and
my product
Make sure the garment is correctly
sized to my client and the quality
control checks stated in my
production plan are carried out.
Product description
My product is made for a festival, I have designed an orange 2-layer
dress one layer is a satin polyester blend and the other a detailed
mesh. It will have small thin straps and a low neck and back line as
well a as small discreet pocket, and an invisible zip. It was also
be having an angular hem, my design was influenced by my research,
and from my client. I have considered the weather of the
festival as it will be in summer and hot so breathable fabric will be
used as well as keeping it moderately loose around the bottom for
breathability.it is trendy and social media appropriate and brightly
coloured
Paper modelling & toile
1. I first cut the pattern paper into a large rectangle
2. I then picked out the size of my client (size 16) I chose size 16 to allow for adjustments. I then blu tacked the template to the pattern paper
3. I then traced around size 16 lines using a ruler and a pencil, for all 4 templates (2 bodice, 2 skirt) allowing extra room at the bottom for length or adjustments.
4. Then I added adaptions/ wrote on adaptions to fit my design better, I lowered the neckline and making thinner straps adding extra length to the skirt as I
wanted to make it a knee length dress and taking into consideration my clients height (5'7) and an angular hem one side 55cm and the other 61 cm I
measured my client leg height to make sure I got the correct length
5. Then I cut them out individually and then drew on darts as I wanted a tighter fit on the top which once, I've created a dart it will leave a curved seam on my
final product, ive then started pinning my daqrts togther to create a basic shape
6. after that I then cut large pieces of calico fabric and pinned my paper template/pattern onto the fabric and began cutting it out the 2 bodice pieces and 4 skirt
pieces and have traced out my adaptions onto the fabric starting with creating the top of my dress first (darts)
7. I drew my darts on the bodice onto my fabric with a board marker and began pinning them together on the inside, after that I sewed my darts to create a
sinched look (I sewed them in the inside of the fabric)
8. After I sewed them together on a sewing machine making sure to start off the fabric the move onto the fabric as I sewed, I di d this individually on the 2 bodice
pieces after I sewed the pleats, I then sewed the 2 top pieces tother to create a whole half top
9. I sewed the 2 pieces of my skirt (one small one big) to create a pleated skirt. I sewed it together wrong though has the seams didn’t match,
10. I then sewed the second two skirt pieces together then the top to create a whole half dress toile
11. I then measured it on my client Talia but it was dis portions the waist seam was too high and the whole thing was too small I needed to align seams and darts
better so i re made it a second time but added 2.5 cm on some seams on my paper patterns are a I made new paper patterns and some seams/ edges i added
5 cm
12. Then i followed the same steps again for this second toile and re fit it on my client and it fit much better
Paper modelling (barbie)
I created a smaller scale paper model of one of my possible designs and this is how I did it
step by step and the result.
Step 1) I started with the paper templates of
the barbie blocks and cut them out with
scissors (and decided to create a co ord design
based off my initial design ideas)m
Step 2) I then began cutting out each
individual piece (bodice and skirt front and
back)
Step 4) I then unstuck them and cut out my adaptions
such as pleats and lower neckline and a longer thinner
strap around the back (for the back as I complelty
lowered the high neckline at the back and made it
open almost like a halter neck top
Step 3) I then stuck them together using Sellotape in a
rough shape connecting the back and front pieces and
creating a basic shape for the skirt (creating a curved
shape by cutting out pleats and sticking the top
together so it is sinched )and roughly fitted to my
Barbie
Step 4) then I was able to see the adaptions I wanted
to make, such as cutting the skirt shorter and adding
pleats and sinching the top, thinning and shaing the
straps and neckline, and I drew them on with a pencil
Step 5) I then fitted my design back on my barbie to
see any further adaptions I wanted to make, and I
decided to make the top tighter by creating a side
pleat and sinch the waist of the skirt further by
creating a side pleat on the skirt, I took it off and cut
the pleat and stuck it back together
Step 6) I then fitted my design once more to
the barbie and got my desired look and fit.
And I'm done