My Golden Ticket :D

Creating a runway collection is no easy task. I knew there will be a lot of challenges along the way when I decided that I have to fly before I could crawl and the first challenge I had to get over was of finance. I simply cannot afford to spend what little income that I have into this collection. Sure I could take things slowly and buy things that I need when there happens to be some money I could spare, but that was not nearly good enough for me. Besides, if I did that, I will never be able to finish my collection on time.

When I was in high school, my art teacher telling me about a design competition in which the first prize was $500 gift voucher for fabrics, but at the time, I was sure that I was going to London so I really didn't take it seriously. I remembered it one day and wondered if that competition was annual event so I went on to the internet and voila! I had two days before the deadline. The theme of this year's competition seemed to fit what I was doing for my collection, so I selected four designs I thought would be suitable and sent it off.

I was picked as one of ten finalists and I was announced as the winner on the opening night of the exhibition. To my surprise, the Academy of Design, awarded me $2600 scholarship to study fashion course there. I was also very happy to see another Korean win the first prize in secondary school category. The prize could not have have come at more appropriate time for me.

-Seph-

My golden ticket :D

Chanel 2010 Fall Haute Couture Wedding Gown

Image captured by me

I love Chanel for their HQ videos. Chanel is the only house that uploads HD videos of their every shows, Interviews and making-of on their website. I especially love accessories videos. It only goes for about 2 minutes, but it gives you a rare chance to see the masterpieces upclose to truly appreciate the details and the craftsmanship of the garments (HQ photos are also good, but seeing the garments in motion is so much better). For example, I knew that the wedding gown had more than 2 million hand-sewn camellia paillets but I never realised it had such a breathtakingly intricate details on the train. God! I really want to see these wonderful garments upclose, better yet, I want to be able to design something like this and be able to realise it.

-Seph-

Illustration

Before I realised my calling is in fashion, I wanted to become a painter because I drew and paint very well. When I do a sketch of my design, I used to spend a lot of time on it perfecting even the smallest of details. I would draw each strand of hair individually and every glint and shadow of each sequins, pearls, and crystals in a ball gown that I designed. Because of this, I often noticed that my drawing and painting techniques distracted people from seeing the design so I stopped spending time on my drawings and people seem to focus more on my designs. Since then, my drawing style changed from extremely realistic to more simple and stylised. After reading the blog entries of CC Wai in her blog Mixed Matched Media, her wonderful illustrations reignited my passion for drawing and inspired me to pick up my pencil again. I wanted to revisit the moments when I was absolutely at an orgasmic awe with beauty to share the joy and the excitement and hopefully to relive that moment. Hopefully, I will be able to create collection of illustrations and post them here on more or less regular basis.

-Seph-

Here are two unfinished teasers of what's to come.

Dior 2007 Fall Haute Couture finale wedding dress

Chanel 2007 Fall Haute Couture finale wedding dress

Collection Diary No.4- Sketches

I don't usually sketch the designs that I am actually going to create. They stay on my head or in the corner of my diary page where I doodled the idea. One of my friend asked me if it was a security thing, if I am afraid someone might see it and copy it, which happens in surprising frequency (of course it is not 'copying' for the people who do but 'benchmarking' or 'inspired by'), and the answer is no. Once I have a design in mind, I cannot be bother to do anything but to see it realised. I guess I am just like Madeleine Vionette and Coco Chanel who didn't believe in sketches. I tried to do the sketches after the designs are finished but once you have wrestled through a design (and wrestling is exactly what you will do if you decide to make a garment), you are so over it and you want nothing more to do with it. All you would want to do is to bask in the design's glory and quickly put it into your closet before you start seeing tiny errors you have made so that you have no chance to think about spending more time on the design.

This being my first full collection and because I may need to pitch my ideas to some people, I wanted to document every step of the way in my visual diary and do proper sketches but I found it extremely difficult because of my spontaneity. Now that I have sometime before my fabrics arrive from Korea, I have perfect opportunity to bring my visual diary up to date and do sketches of my garments.

One of the sketches I've done for this collection. The jacket is likely to be made with different fabrics; I'm thinking baby blue wool with gold satin as the collar, pockets and cuffs. I would really like someone to make that shoes for the collection.

-Seph-

Alexander McQueen 2011 Resort

Everyone was holding their breath Sarah Burton's first womenswear collection for Alexander McQueen. I guess it was expected of her to design a collection that continues the legacy of the genius at least for few seasons until everyone had a chance to get used to the idea that Alexander McQueen is really gone. Sarah Burton's resort collection is completely faithful to McQueen aesthetic with feminine woman's touch which can only do good.

I think with this collection in mind, Alexander McQueen may be able to rest in peace.

-Seph-

Full collection in MQ

Valentino 2010 Fall Haute Couture

Although Valentino Garavani's design aesthetic was not something that I responded to, I appreciated and acknowledged his place in the fashion world. Valentino's restless pursuit of classic elegance and glamour, which many designers abandoned for designs that are more conceptual, at least allowed the fashion house to stand out. After very ungraceful sacking of Alessandra Facchinetti only after one and a half seasons, and appointment of the designing duo Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli as the artistic directors, their effort to 'modernise' Valentino aesthetic actually led the house to lose its signature. After last Haute Couture season's misfire, the designing duo of Valentino opted for more romantic, classic Valentino approach.

The collection had its eye on younger generation of clients. As style.com's Tim Blank puts it, this was 'Haute Couture collection for the Twilight generation'. Many of the looks had adolescent silhouette with short skirt, dropped waist, and baby doll which evoked somewhat sinister side of Lolita.

Most garments had air of simplicity and although this collection looks very much like Alessandra Facchinetti's first and only Haute Couture collection for Valentino, it was great to see something more Valentino this season.

-Seph-

Full collection in HQ