TYPO | Looking At Typography

If you read my most recent post in the FCP section, you will know that one of my briefs that we were given was a self promotion brief. In this brief we learn how to maket and promote ourselves as brands. 

As part of this brief, we began looking at typography. I have always been interested in font as I think that font can really make or break a brand. Choosing the correct font is so crucial as it truly helps to convey the message you want to promote. 

FCP Year 2 | New Year Means New Briefs

If you didn't know already, I am studying Fashion Communication and Promotion at Nottingham Trent University. First year was a bit of a struggle for me as I didn't enjoy every aspect, but I am hoping that second year will be a lot more smooth sailing. From the sound of things, it seems like this year is set to be more creative, and since I prefer a more hands on learning experience I am looking forward to it!

We have already been given our 3 briefs for this term. These are:

New Directions For My Blog | Music

I am someone that has many interests, but one of my main ones is music. I cannot go a day without it. I am always playing music, whether I'm in the shower, doing work or just chilling out. Also, when it comes to genres, I listen to almost anything. It goes without saying that music is such a crucial part of my life, and since this is the case I want to make it a part of my blog. 

Key Fashion Trends For Autumn/Winter 2017

As you can see from my previous blog post, I wrote about 3 key makeup trends for a/w 17 and my opinions on them. I really enjoyed doing it, so I thought it would only be fitting to pick 3 of the trends that I think will take over the autumn/winter fashion scene for the upcoming season.

So Scandalous | Kendall and Kylie 'Vintage' T-shirt Line

The Kardashian/Jenner sisters are known for being culture vultures but this was a step too far. We are used to seeing them profiting off of black culture and rebranding it as if it were their own and a ‘new trend’, and their new line of t-shirts is another example of this. The Jenners, Kendall and Kylie were branded 'disgusting' and 'disrespectful' after the release of their new t-shirt collection which features their faces plastered over the top of images of legendary musicians such as Notorious BIG and Tupac Shakur.

Abstract Episode 2 | The Art Of Sneakers

Abstract: The Art of Design is a new Netflix original series that profiles eight designers representing various different fields within the design industry. From architects like Devlin and Crawford to graphic designer Paula Scher, each episode goes into detail about 1 designers occupation and how they have contributed to the industry. 

MTV VMAs 2017 | 3 Of The Best Dressed Celebrities

It's that time of year again for the MTV VMAs. The show most definitely continues to shock and excite us each and every year. From jam packed performances to controversial acceptance speeches, the VMAs never fails to disappoint. Whilst the music is the most important part of the awards, the red carpet (or blue carpet in this years case) is just as important.

Key Makeup Trends For Autumn/Winter 2017

Winter is quickly approaching, meaning that trends are beginning to change. From the fresh faced highlighted look that was very popular in the Summer months, the trends for this autumn/winter are the complete opposite. From the runway, designers have showcased a variety of different makeup looks, but here are 3 trends that I think are set to take over:

Luxury Meets High Street | Balmain X L'Oréal Paris Collaboration

Balmain X L'Oréal Official Lipstick Collaboration Ad Campaign

Speculation about this collection started back in May when L'Oréal Paris said that soon the public will be able to "Wear Balmain on their lips". Instantly hundreds of magazines documented their thoughts on this potential collaboration and whether it will definitely happen. However, yesterday to our surprise, the ad campaign for this collaboration was officially released, and might I say it looks amazing.

True Faith Exhibition | Manchester Art Gallery

After receiving our summer brief, we also were given activities and recommended reading to do over the summer so that we could be as prepared as possible to start year 2 of Fashion Communication and Promotion. One of the recommended activities was to visit the 'True Faith' exhibition at the Manchester Art Gallery. Before I went to this exhibition in Manchester all I knew was that it was about an iconic punk group in Manchester. I don't listen to this genre of music therefore it was all new to me. Therefore I had no clue what to expect.

Louis Vuitton X Supreme | Streetwear Meets Luxury

This collaboration is probably one of the most anticipated and important collaborations of the year and if not fashion history.  With Louis Vuitton and Supreme being at the top of their categories, this paring truly breaks the boundary between streetwear and luxury by creating an all encompassing collection of clothing and accessories.

Where I get inspiration

A lot of the time when I am working or have projects that at University, I often find that my mind goes blank and it is hard for me to gain inspiration. Even thinking of different topics to blog about is difficult. I know there are the typical social media sites to look at such as Instagram but everything that I generally see on my timeline is very similar, so it is hard to think of something new. 

Studying FCP | A Year Overview

As you know from my previous blog posts, I study Fashion Communication and Promotion at Nottingham Trent University and I have just recently completed my first year. I have to say that this was probably one of the most challenging years of my life both personally and work wise, but overall it was a pretty positive experience. 

Task 3 | Big Idea Stage

As you know from my previous FCP posts, Task 3 was coming up with a final fragrance idea. As a team we took all of our ideas from task 2 and analysed our insights and creative concepts. However after weighing up the pros and cons of each idea, we finally came up with our big fragrance idea. 

Our Final Idea

Our final big idea is an energising and health promoting body spray for women that are 70+, that will help them to feel energised and motivated to rebel against modern stereotypes. We wanted to promote the importance of strength and power of women. 

Coachella 2017 | Best Dressed

Its come to that time of year again where all of us who are less fortunate stay up into early hours of the morning to watch live streams of the worlds most prestigious music festival, Coachella. This year had one of the best music line ups I've seen yet, with the likes of Lady Gaga and The Weeknd. 

However, lets all admit that we weren't just there for the unreal music line up... we all wanted to see what outfits celebs were rocking to the festival. I have to say, this year was a bit disappointing as there weren't as many show stoppers as usual. But nevertheless, there were some amazing outfits. So here are my best dressed from Coachella.

Brand Narrative and Fragrance Stories

In a recent seminar, we were looking at fragrance stories and brand narratives. The aim was to go more in depth and analyse why fragrance advertisements are the way they are.In order to do this, we had to bring in five magazines. 

For our first task, using our magazines, we had to choose a fragrance advert that we particularly liked and spend 15 minutes analysing it. We had to look at aspects such as:

Colour/Tone
Image/Filter
Narrative/Story
Location/Background
Composition/Crop
Prop/Motif
Casting/Celebrity
Provenance/Inheritance

The ad that I decided to analyse was Marc Jacobs Divine Decadence. This was an extension of the original fragrance 'Decadence'. I really liked this image as well as the fragrance therefore I chose this advertisement. 

MARC JACOBS 'DIVINE DECEDANCE' PRINT AD 

New Year New Brief | Introduction to the Fragrance Project

I can't believe that I have completed my first term at University already! The time has flown by and we have been given a new brief. Unlike last year, we are working on one subject that will last for the rest of the year. We will work through each stage of the FCP process based around this subject. 

Pantone Colour of the Year 2017 | 'Greenery'

Pantone announced their colour of the year a while a go, yet I wasn't going to write a blog post on it. However, I have been noticing it becoming a popular hue in trends for S/S 17. 

'Greenery', compared to last years soft pastel colours 'Rose Quartz' and 'Serenity', this colour gives a sense of vibrancy and freshness which is perfect for going into a new year. Pantone say that when choosing a colour of the year, they take time making sure that the colour will reflect the current events that are taking place in our global culture. So since 2016 was not a good year in terms of current affairs and world issues, a vibrant boost of Green is the type of fresh start we need for the new year. 

On Pantone's website they describe 'Greenery' as: 

A Game Changer for Gucci

It is a common fact that iconic fashion houses only cast popular and well known names in their campaigns and 99.9% of the time, these are white people. As well as this, when casting models for runway, there is always a predominantly white cast of models. 

Gucci is known for their lack of diversity and they were even called out publicly at the Business of Fashion's VOICES Summit by James Scully (famous casting director) and said that "It’s time you really investigate what these people are doing on behalf of your company...Gucci gets two thumbs down for lack of diversity."

Well, it looks like Gucci listened to this critique and decided to stray from the norm and cast all black models for their pre fall ad campaign for 2017. 

Milan Fashion Week | Jil Sander Menswear Collection Spring/Summer 2017

 So as you know from my last two FCP posts, for my summative brief I had to research a trend a trend, and the trend that I was given was 'The Purist' trend. After I researched into the historical and the cultural influences of the trend, I noticed that this trend was very prominent in a lot of Spring/Summer 2017 shows. 

My favourite show was the Jil Sander Menswear collection for S/S 17 at Milan Fashion Week. I thought that this collection was really effective as the colour palette and different structures worked really well with each other. Jil Sander was one of the main pioneers of minimalism in the 90's and she has adapted these classic pieces and created a modern twist on them which I think is really effective and striking. 

Backstage @ Jil Sander Menswear S/S 17 show 

New Year New Trends - Fishnets

A new trend alert for 2017 is fishnets. They are completely taking over the street style scene with major designers from Moschino to Alexander Wang incorporating them into their designs. 

To most, this material is very intimidating and one of those things that most people ponder only to come to the decision that "I'd never be able to pull that off." However, fishnets are coming in more and more variations from the classic tights, tops and dresses. This means that there is something for everyone. The classic tights are having a major comeback this year and all you need to incorporate these into your wardrobe is the right outfit and some inspiration. These differ from the standard tights as they can add a fashion forward and street edge to any outfit. 

The Purist | What is it?

For my summative brief, I was given a trend that I had to research. I had to research into the visual, historical and cultural background of the trend as well as look at origins, connotations, developments, updates, subversions, connections of your trend.

The trend that I was given was The Purist. Initially I was discouraged because I had never heard of it and thought it would be hard to research but after starting a Pinterest board for the trend (previous post), I became a lot more confident in what the trend is and what it promotes. 

What is The Purist?

A mood board I created using secondary images

The Purist  a trend focusing on providing a futuristic and modern twist on wardrobe essentials, by exploring beautiful asymmetric lines with a slightly relaxed and oversized silhouette. In this trend, garments feature sculpted shapes, which add to the elegant and effortless aesthetic resonating with minimalism. Despite The Purist portraying simplicity, the architectural stature of the garments as well as luxurious materials and the variety of understated print and pattern, enable wearers to convey a sophistication.