Postcards from Manchester

Front Loader

The title of this project was "Laundry". I decided to study the technical engineering behind objects such as washing machines and plugs to create graphic designs. I also looked at the paraphenalia of laundry and used it as inspiration to create simple line drawings.

I decided to take these graphic designs through to menswear, mens underwear. Inspired by brands such as 'Ginch Gonch' and 'Bjorn Borg' I wanted to create fashionable boxer briefs for men aged 16-25. The culmination of the print designs were screen prints on cotton jersey. I also screen printed the elastic all with pigment dye. I then proceeded to make small half blanks of mens boxer briefs and printed on top of two pairs of plain briefs which I bought. I then created fashion illustrations of 'geek chic' to add to the quirky appeal of my designs.

Finally I gave my brand a name "Front Loader" and made original swingtags and packaging which really give a brand identity.

Modern Vintge

This unit was based on the title "collections". I am a keen collector of anything vintage or of interest to me. I have built up a collection of all sorts of objects over the years from charity shops, car boot sales and vintage shops. As a result this collection of designs was inspired by old jewellery, images from 1940s/ 1950s magazines, typewriters, vinyl and all sorts of paraphenalia which I own and which have had a life before I bought them. I used digital media such as Photoshop and mixed it with traditional elements such as embroidery and drawing.

I continued the vintage feel from print designs through to the style of clothing. I chose forties shapes with peplums and tailored touches to convey wartime fashion but updated them to suit a modern audience. I looked at dress patterns from past decades and updated the look through shortening hemlines and adjusting the silhouettes. As this is something I do as a hobby, altering old clothes to suit my modern preference, I found it quite easy.

Through the collection "Modern Vintage" I wanted to take vintage fashion and make it current. The digital media and cut of the garments are very now while the palette and styling have a very aged feel deriving from the inspiration of the past.

I enjoyed making this collection, it was my first real attempt at fashion illustration and print designs and am therefore pleased with the outcome.