Sarah Louise Woodward

My thoughts, inspiration, personal work, development, ideas, and journeys. A recording of my creative and personal progression throughout the duration of my fashion degree, and my life in general. Welcome to my blogging world.

Tuesday, 11 December 2012

DEADLINES

Christmas deadlines coming up!
 
Over my Christmas break I will be posting some of my New York internship developments and working on the styling and photoshoot preparation for my final dress design ready for next semester.
 
 
 
This time next year!
 
Sarah
 
x


Friday, 7 December 2012

CLOTHES SHOW LIVE 2012

 
Attended the Clothes Show Live 2012 today, I have never been before and it was a very long day, but the experience was insightful. The best part of the day for me was collections from graduates, these were the most inspirational and gave me a chance to see what new up and coming designers are creating.
 
Here are some of the pictures I took from both the Britain and Irelands Next Top Model cast as well as the graduate collections.
 
 







 

 

Thursday, 6 December 2012

NOTTINGHAM STUDENT CONFERENCES 2012

 
During the conferences at Nottingham Broardway I noted down a blog for inspiration, this looks at 1920s fashion and posts images of ladies who are still embracing fashion and their own personal style.
 
Take a look for yourself
 
 
 



Tuesday, 4 December 2012

BALMAIN

At the moment I am absolutely loving all things Balmain, the embellishment and detail on the garments are incredible.
 
A Balmain blazer or dress would be my absolute dream right now!
 







Thursday, 29 November 2012

'ALL WALKS BEYOND THE CATWALK'

MY DESIGN STATEMENT
 
Wearing the dress is a strong minded business woman, proud of her feminity, carrying herself with strength and dignity. She is between the ages of 25 and 45 working within the creative industry. In her spare time she enjoys shopping, attending fashion shows, and home decoration.
 
The design combines feminity with angular edges and textural details, designed to capture the persona and aura of a career led woman. The inspiration behind the design came mainly from the characteristics of the woman wearing it, how she carries herself and would be seen by others. The angles are inspired by architecture, weaved fabric with a mixture of ceramics showing cross hatching texture along with woven hair details. The dress is about making the woman wearing it feel special and empowered without sexualising areas of the body. The bodice adds texture to a sleek dress, whilst the detachable cowl and peplum allows the wearer to choose when and how it is worn. The dress is designed for a woman either already powerful or simply wanting to feel empowered.


FASHION IN AFRICA - KENYAN SHUKA

Kenyan Shuka
 
 
- Fabric worn by Maasai people from Kenya
 
- Western designers have used the fabric such as Louis Vuitton
 


 

Thursday, 15 November 2012

WHAT'S HOT?! CELEBRITY STYLE

 
Rihannas style seems to range from grunge to classy and sexy, she has been labelled a fashion icon amongst many other complementary statuses.
Here are some images of her on stage and off stage expression...
 
 






Tuesday, 6 November 2012

BIRDS EYE VIEW

Came across this image of New York.
Print ideas come to mind ?!
 
 


Tuesday, 23 October 2012

KATIE EARY

- Katie Eary is a London based designer.
- Low key collaboration with Kanye West.
- Works with symetrical print and textures
- Now works with menswear and womenswear
 




Sunday, 21 October 2012

PATTERN MAGIC - THE INTERWOVEN DESIGN



Monday, 15 October 2012

DEVELOPING THE GROUP DESIGN INTO MY FINAL DESIGN









Saturday, 13 October 2012

THE DRESS FABRICS 'ALL WALKS BEYOND THE CATWALK'

I am currently working as part of a design group on a dress to be made from selected fabrics, here is the colour palette.
 
The aim is to create a dress for a woman with a strong identity, a woman with confidence but also elegance.
 
Each designer in our group has an input into our final group design, we then take that idea and adapt it slightly to our own design preferences.
 
 


Wednesday, 10 October 2012

NEW YORK, WHERE TO LIVE?

I need to find out as much information as possible ready to move to work in New York for the year.
I have found the website
 
 
This gives me a rough idea about costs and living.
 
 
Sarah
 
x

Friday, 5 October 2012

VIKTOR AND ROLF SPRING/SUMMER 2013

As I have previously stated Viktor and Rolf are high up on my fashion inspirations.
Here are some images from their Spring/Summer 2013 collection.
 
 
Clean mirrored glamour, a checkerboard catwalk and models with long tousled hair.
 
 




 
Hope you find their work to be as inspirational as I do.
 
Sarah
 
x


Monday, 1 October 2012

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Between my second and third year at University I have the opportunity to work in the industry for a year, this is a major benefit to my course, ensuring that I will already have experience and guidence ready for when I leave. It is an extra qualification, called Diploma in Professional Practice.
 
I have known for a while that I want to go to New York and work for some fashion companies. After all I haven't moved away from home for University so why not?!
 
I cannot wait, and my motivation towards this is the hard work I need to put into my development this year.
 
- Collect contact details
- Look into Visas
- Look into living arrangments
- Think about money issues
 
Excited is not the word!
 
Sarah
 
x

 

Saturday, 29 September 2012

CATCH UP

So, I have been extra busy and not posted in a very long time! Its September and I am beggining my second year at University, couldn't be more excited! Ready for the hardcore year of work!

Manufacturing
Placement
Reports
Design
CAD

Show me more!

Sarah x

Tuesday, 13 December 2011

(UN) FASHION - TIBOR AND MARIA KALMAN


Taken from the book (un) fashion these images show how clothing can be completely different in other parts of the world. There is a willingness to change, stretch and dress up the body, the use of actual objects as part of the physical appearance. We tend to be so symmetrical, we keep make up only to the face, we wear matching earrings, these images however push the boundaries, people feel the freedom to continue to paint the entire body as though it is a layer of cloth and use their everyday objects such as keys for accessories.

Monday, 12 December 2011

COMPLETED HALF SCALE BODICE TOILE

Finally... my completed bodice toile. Over 6 weeks this is what I have been working towards in pattern cutting and manufacture. Having never created a pattern before, never made a garment from scratch I am pleased with my outcome, although not perfect I have developed my skills and learnt a lot within this time.


Sunday, 11 December 2011

ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS WATCH ME PROVE YOU WRONG

"EVERYONE WANTS TO DO FASHION, AND WHENEVER SOMEONE SAYS IT... I JUST THINK, AND ANOTHER PERSON. FACT IS ITS TOO DIFFICULT TO MAKE IT WITHOUT MONEY OR LIVING SOMEWHERE LIKE LONDON."

"BUT ISN'T THAT ART, SURELY ITS NOT FASHION?"

The more I mature, the more I realise we all have our own opinions and passions. Sometimes I overhear people make these comments that touch a feeling inside of me. More then anything these comments make me think, because everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Art and design. Encapsulating fashion, drawing, styling, fine art, architecture, graphics, music, photography. For me all these things and many more fall together in the end, they all inspire one another and in my beliefs for something to be 'fashion' it does not mean that someone, the average person would wear it on a daily basis, it doesn't mean it should be comfortable or acceptable within society. For me there are no rules, we can put anything on the body, this is proven with other cultures using every day objects for their own take on fashion. As much as I love wearable clothing and the classical designs I am also forever amazed by the less wearable and statement clothing, whether it be made from cloth or other materials. This type of fashion also stems down into highstreet fashion, by being tamed down into more wearable clothing.

In my mind there are fine lines, at the end of the day they all fall into the same area, they all interest me and they all influence my work. I don't believe in rules of what someone should wear or shouldn't. We should celebrate individuality, and as fashion has such power why not use it to make a statement?