My Final Major Project journey
My Final Major Project journey
After three years studying BA (Hons) Fashion Design, I recently submitted my final collection. Looking at mine and the collections of my colleagues on the course, I was amazed by how different all of them were and that everyone expressed themselves in such a unique way despite all of us starting out at the same point.
So how do you go from concept to garment?
Making and designing journey
Creating your own fashion collection is an exciting process, it starts with initial ideas developed through research.
You spend usually a month researching deep into chosen concepts. That is the time where your first mood boards, colour pallets and sketches are emerging. The research stage is where you outline the story of your collection: decide on the direction and the ambience.
You then move on to experimentation, sampling and draping. First sketches are now becoming more real and you can start to see how it takes the form of a garment.
After the first patterns and toiles are created, there comes a stage of perfecting a design and choosing the right materials.
When your happy with the toiles and patterns there comes a stressful moment when you make the first cut into your chosen fabric.
From experience I know that only the first few scissors cuts are so nerve-racking. Making processes can be very challenging, but seeing how your own ideas are coming to life conceals all the worries caused by design obstacles.
Marketing and promotion
After the final stitches are done and all the garments are ready, a professional photoshoot is being planned. In a nutshell you have to prepare styling boards, arrange fitting sessions with models and collect any needed prompts.
The last stage is marketing and promotion – a very rewarding stage for all the hard work. BNU supports the promotion of creative student’s work through organising the Art & Design Summer Show, where final collections can be viewed by a wider audience and potential employers.
Final year students can also have their garments exhibited and sent to a range of competitions and on top of all that, BNU fashion students’ collections are featured in Aesthetica Magazine.
Designing a collection is definitely a long journey, that takes patience, time management and planning skills. However the reward out ways all the pains as you define your own design aesthetic, which is very important while looking for a job in the creative industry.
