LAURA LAiNE

Laura Laine is an amazing fashion illustrator. Her drawings are so inspiring...http://www.lauralaine.net/

People Should Smile More - Newton Faulkner

I love this song by Newton Faulkner at the moment. It has become the song I first listen to on the train on the way home from my stressful days. It has become my de-stress and relax song......People should smile more :-)

Print development

Experimenting with taking photos and scanning in pleats and shibori techniques to create repeat prints for all over and placement digital prints.

I am really starting to like the development of my textiles. I am not stuck in Sapa anymore (as Cecelia would say ;-) I am getting out of the village and interpreting it in a contemporary, funky and Rhiannon way.

I am actually starting to see my collection now :-)

Double pleated arashi

Bleached arashi denim

Accordian pleats

Evolution

So this is how my collection has evolved over the last 6 weeks or so.........

Summer evening wear TO ethnic sports wear TO funky day wear using pleats and shibori dyeing techniques TO a summer dressy daywear collection with lots of digital prints of pleats and shibori patterns and now FINALLY to a transeasonal collection using bleached and printed denim, prints of pleats and shibori patterns.

Monday Meltdown to Wednesday all Worked out

So a great start to the week with my 1st major breakdown of the year. I have been stressing out a bit lately and getting frustrated with myself quite a bit. I am usually always relatively on time with all my design projects and can always see the end product when I start to design and as this is my final year collection, probably one of the most important times in my life as this collection will define who I am as a designer, you can imagine why I was getting a little stressed when I couldn't envisage my collection walking down the catwalk. I have been feeling like I have been getting mixed and sometimes conflicting feedback from my supervisors which has been leaving me feeling very confused, undecided and a bit stuck in the middle. So after another week of confusion I think it all just built up and exploded on Monday and Anna had to witness and listen to most of it....Thanks Anna :-)

Taking the advise of friends I went home for the day to take a break, have a bath and relax. I did go home for the day, however, I had another 2 breakdowns (1 to my boyfriend Simon and the other to Mum, who always seems to cop my meltdowns and stressful moments) ate some chocolate and designed like crazy. I finally just sat down, put everything out of my head and asked my self what I could see walking down the runway and what I wanted!

My meeting with my design supervisor went really well today. My toiles are finally working out, I have a pair of fitted jeans and my vision for my collection for my collection is finally coming together.

* Denim (bleached and dyed)

* Shibori dyeing techniques

* Prints of pleats, pleats and more pleats and patterns resulting from various dyeing techniques

* Laser cut out borders

* Sheer silk cotton over denim

* Fitted ankle length jeans

* Printed tights

* questioning of the outfits (is that a dress and jacket or just a dress?)

* Light, feminine, sexy day wear with an edge

* Dresses, jumpsuits, aprons

* Layering and mixing of outfits (dress, tights, jackets, top as a second skin)

* Accordion pleats

Take a deep breath and keep moving forward :-)

Finalists

Yay! Congratulations to myself and Anna Cahill for our entries being accepted as finalists in the Art U Wear competition supported by Bernina Australia. They are now going to be judged and displayed at the Textile Art Festival June 25-27 http://www.textileart.com.au/

Curiouser & Curiouser

Images from Anna's Blog http://dotdotdotwithenvy.blogspot.com/

As Light as Air

'Get carried away by a fanciful array of design details that are a joy to behold, and even more fun to wear'
Photographed by Solvo Sundsbo

I found this editorial last year in a Vogue Australia (can't remember what issue) and fell in love with the fashion, style and colours. It is such a fun photo shoot!