Shoot

Most fun photo shoot I had been involved in so far. The shoot started at 11am but I arrived with the garment around 1 pm (I informed the team about my lateness beforehand and I was excused, I am not that tardy, usually). The whole shoot was so spontaneous. Preben, the photographer of the day kept on shooting and the model screamed, growled, frowned, roared and cried while she ran, jumped, walked, and danced all around the studio space we occupied. The images had amazing play of shadow, and the shapes layers of the shadows looked like something out of a kaleidoscope!!

Unfortunately, the best and the most fun part started right after this video was recorded. I have not bought a SD card for my new HD digital camcoder yet so I was only able to shoot for about 2 minutes.

-Seph-

Another Photo shoot

Yeah~!!!! Finally a chance to a Lady GaGa shoot and use my new HD digital camcoder!!!!

-Seph-

Model-Sofia Fisher

The fashion world is so rapidly changing every season. You would think that 6 months in between the seasons is long enough, but it isn't. If you count cruise and pre-fall seasons as well as the Haute Couture seasons, there really is only about 1 and a half months between each seasons. As well as the trends, models' careers are also short-lived in most cases. Female models usually start when they are 16 ( No more than 2 years ago, models used to start at the age of 18, which still seemed quite young then the obsession with youth, the one thing that is unchanged in the fashion world, has been the driving force behind this frightening age decrease.) and by the time they are 20 to 21, their career would be drawing to its close except for those who manage to become a 'top model'.

One model that made very strong impression this season was new British model Sofia Fisher represented by Models 1 model management. I expected her to have an exotic yet impossible to pronounce European name or a name that sounds like everyday name that is spelled in incomprehensible way like many of the models but thankfully, she didn't.

She has mesmerizing baby face that is slightly quirky; pale skin, large and expressive eyes and beautiful lips. Her slender figure is long and lean. She looks like what a fairytale princesses should look like, a high fashion fairytale princess!

Although I could not find any editorials since this is her debut season, Sofia has an amazing look and it excites me to see more of her.

Sofia Fisher

Mother Agency: Models 1

Age:16
Height: 5’11”

bust: 81 cm / 32"
waist: 60 cm / 23.5"
hips: 84 cm / 33"
From: Oxfordshire

Sofia at Chanel 2010 Spring Haute Couture show, where I took notice of her.

Large eyes, nose and lips in such a tiny face of Sofia remind me of Anne Hathaway, one of my favourite actress.

Amazingly slender and super long legs and perfectly proportioned body.

-Seph-

Welcome to Dystopia

Looking for people to do a shoot with is very fun, finalising a concept for the shoot and organising a team is extremely exciting (although this takes very long time and it is usually the time most disagreements occur) and the actual photo shoot and seeing your team's vision realised is orgasmic but waiting around for the editing to be done is a pain. I had very bad experiences with two of the photographers I worked with before. I had to wait more than three months to get the images from the shoots. I had to constantly pester them with text messages, e-mails and phone calls. One of the photographers was actually immature and unprofessional enough to say that since he was not paid (although he was the one who contacted me for the shoot) he can give the images anytime he wants (although that was not what we agreed on) and forgot that I, as well as the model and the make up artist worked on the shoot and was part of it as much as he was.

Josie was very quick to finish editing the images and they looked stunningly realised.

I was ecstatic when I saw the images and if I may say so myself, it looks like a couture editorial from Italian Vogue :D.

The title of this story is 'Welcome to Dystopia'. Dystopia is a vision of furustic world and society. As you would have guessed by now, it is the negative and opposite image of the Utopia. It perfectly suits the post-apocalyptic atmosphere!

Another big around of applause for everyone involved in this shoot!!!great work everyone :D

-Seph-

Welcome to Dystopia

Photographed by Josie Lee

Lauren Aitken @ FRM

Hair and Make up by Jess K

designs by Joseph Jang

Alexander McQueen 2010 Accessories

I want to buy those shoes, put them in glass cases, and place them around my bed so that they are the first thing I look at when I wake up :D

Collection Diary No.1-Fabrics!!!

Fabrics are extremely expansive in Australia. It's generally cheaper in Korea, and there is also a huge department store selling only fabrics. If you are imagining a bigger version of Lincraft or Spotlight stores, you are dead wrong, it will be more appropriate to think of it as the Chadstone shopping centre for fabrics.

What is great about this fabric department store in Korea is that not only there are near infinite numbers of every kind of fabrics (even if you are looking for a fabric you only imagined, the chances are, it's there), the prices are very competitive. Like Chadstone shopping centre, this fabric department store is made up of hundreds of different stores selling fabrics so you can imagine how competitive the prices must be. There is no sale seasons, but that's only because you can bargain anytime you want. To give you an idea how cheap you can get things in this department store, last year when I visited Korea, I was able to buy top quality fine tulle at the price of $1 per meter, where as in Australia, it will cost you up to $10 per meter. I could have asked for discount but I was so happy with the price that I really didn't feel the need to.

With $300 I decided to spend on fabrics in Korea, I was able to buy more than I could carry back to Australia and still had some money left.

The fabric department store in Korea.

Knowing this, it's very hard for me to buy fabrics in Australia. Even if there is a fabric that I was looking for at amazingly low price, I know it will still be lot cheaper in Korea. I used to ask for friends or relatives coming to Australia to bring some fabrics for me but this means that I have to plan months ahead, which isn't very economical because I might end up changing the entire concept while i'm waiting, and this meant that I had to stick with what I asked even if I manged to find something far superior. Also, I cannot always rely on the taste level of people I know. It's very hard to explain the exact shade of colours that I need and even if I managed to explain everything completely, if they do not know about fashion the way fashion designers do, they will be most likely to bring me the wrong thing. So after few let downs from friends and families, I decided unless I go to Korea myself, it is far better to buy fabrics that I want and need in Australia.

After my last projects, I actually started to plan my very first runway show. There was no reason why I should not do a runway show and I was amazed how I just assumed that I needed to wait until graduation before I have a runway show without even thinking about it. After spending time doing my own projects, I realised that it is very possible. I am planning about 20 looks, hopefully 30, to be shown around when Melbourne has its fashion week next year as an independent show. I really wanted to break away from using one main fabric and main colour like I did with my last two projects and show more variety and depth of what inspired me.

These are the fabrics I got for two or three dresses I designed as a part of my full collection. I found these on Ebay and despite my friends warning against using Ebay to buy fabrics, I am very satisfied with the products I was able to purchase through Ebay. I felt like a kid with Christmas present when I got this today :)

This boucle fabric is my favourite. It has amazingly rich and luxurious texture, which I always love. The colour is just utterly romantic. I bought 5 meters but after seeing it, I'm going to buy more of it.

This is wool blend suiting fabric in chocolate and apricot hound tooth check. It looks very sophisticated with the feeling of understated elegance.

Very fun candy stripe cotton blend. The print is so sweet and delicious, it looks good enough to eat and kill a diabetic.

I must say I cannot wait to work with more of these amazing fabrics!!! :D

-Seph-

Photo Shoot with Josie

After last photo shoot, I have decided that my garments are in no condition to be used for another shoot. I was so glad that Josie, the photographer of the day decided to use my garments even with all its shortcomings. Josie was one of the first photographers who contacted me for a collaboration when I posted a casting call for my then yet-to-be-completed collection. After she saw my garments, she wanted to something futuristic and post-apocalyptic in a abandoned, broken down place, which I loved.

I had a lot of fun and I can't wait to see the end results. The team I worked with was so great that I felt the need to acknowledge everyone involved.

Josie found an amazing abandoned warehouse and fortunately, there were no homeless people there (although it was proven to be a local meeting ground for kids). The warehouse looked amazing, its broken roof provided great lighting and spacious openness, and its fallen structures creating very interesting and almost sculptural background. The graphic graffiti on the walls added to sinister and post apocalyptic atmosphere of the warehouse. And finally, the burnt car (big thanks to Brett who found this place in the warehouse).

The scene could not have looked better even if we hired a production designer. Everything looked so professionally and fashionably put together! I was so grateful and impressed with Josie's dedications and efforts, she has spent a lot of time looking for the perfect place for this shoot going around visiting any possible locations and making sure every detail is considered.

Photographer Josie and model Lauren. Jess the make up artist was sick and unfortunately had to leave after Lauren's make up was done, but her make up looked amazing and strong.

Lauren on the wobbly boot of the burnt car looking fierce. I am often amazed with the models' transformation during photo shoots. Most of the models I worked with are very nice and somewhat shy but when they are in front of the camera, their characteristic completely change. I guess it's something to do with their versatility. Lauren from FRM model management was our model. I was amazed with her look and figure, she had that high fashion edge. Lauren was also incredibly bubbly and joyful person, it was a pure delight working with her. She had to be standing on top of burnt car, mountain of broken rubbles and debris on a muddy ground with killer high heels for five hours, yet she did not complain once and her energy kept the whole experience very pleasant for others as well. Her willingness to take things further and experiment showed her dedication as well as her professionalism.

The smoke machine!!! I was so excited with it although the loud generator made communication rather difficult, the smoke created amazing effect

Brett operating the smoke machine. Brett was so helpful and I don't know how the shoot would have went without him. First of all, he discovered this amazing place in the warehouse.

-Seph-

Gareth Pugh 2010 Fall Prêt-à-Porter

Gareth Pugh is another British fashion maverick who graduated legendary school of Central Saint Martins in London, of which fashion legends John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Hussein Chalayan, Ricardo Tisci, Stella McCartney also graduated from. His extravagant and theatric designs were met with much critical appraisals, but lack of commercial value and wearability (I mean none, zilch) meant Gareth Pugh was confined to creating his collection in his parents' garage with one dress maker for few more years after his graduation and his debut. After his debut at Paris fashion week in 2009, slow evolution of his design aesthetic has gained momentum and for past couple of seasons, his designs became more romantic and wearable but without compromisations to his signature outer space, alieness warrior feel of the looks. He surprised many with unexpected softness and secured his place in Paris fashion week.

This season, Gareth Pugh presented a show that was quintessentially him but with his new found romantic side. There were a lot of leather jackets with amazingly asymmetrical cuts, which created artistically and masterfully sculpted silhouettes, A-line cut on the square, falling away to points with natural shoulder, which created beautiful movements and draping of fine chains, which emphasised futuristic warrior women feel. Diagonal lines were also one of recurring themes in this show. I also love his simple use, or lack of rather, of colour (come to think of it, I realised that Gareth Pugh NEVER used colours other than black and white in any of his shows up until now except for dusty grey toned colours he rarely uses). I was able to focus on the details, silhouettes and design aspects of the garments. There was contrast between strong femininity and vulnerable masculinity, which I found immensely enjoyable and interesting.

This was another great show from Gareth Pugh, I think he represents new generation of fashion designers and I cannot wait to see his transformation to a fashion legend.

-Seph-

Full collection in HQ image