FMP PROPOSAL

PROFESSIONAL FASHION AND TEXTILE PROCESS - EMILY IVES

FINAL MAJOR PROJECT PROPOSAL

Brutality. Violence. Fear. These are words that spring to mind when Hells Angels is discussed. For my FMP, I hope to capture the essence of biker gangs, with their morals, dress, and tattoos, while challenging the concept of beauty and femininity.

The collection will suggest the grimy nature of the biker gangs teamed with a feminine element- introducing a more tailored/ cropped approach. The outfits will be made up of deconstructed garments (leather jackets/denim jackets/jeans) and material found in charity shops, off cuts etc. The found materials will then be taken apart, aged, manipulated to create panels, details, and reconstructed garments for the overall jacket.  This second-hand approach will give the collection a vintage, aged feel. The idea of using material from other garments to create new is much like the process a shed built bike would be built in- taking old parts, revamping them and creating a new more exciting outcome. Rough and ready. Through doing this and reconstructing typically male garments, I will be able to play around with the silhouette and create something more typically feminine, but still including the grungy, edgy feel.

The main elements of the collection will include deconstruction, tying and knotting, and garments made from scratch.

I hope to be able to develop my own drawing/ painting style throughout, from primary research, to then be painted onto the back of jackets, with the inspiration coming from biker gangs and their patches on the back of their jacket. The artwork for painting onto jackets will be explored through drawing and developing, such as blowing up images and drawing and painting only a section large scale on the garment. This is where the tattoo element comes to play. I want to use tattoos as a way of suggesting the modern change and evolution of beauty, how it’s now seen as beautiful or sexy for women to have tattoos. But can their beauty be disrupted by how many tattoos they have? I will intend to suggest that they have evolved from being a biker/gang symbol, to something that can be more accepted within today’s society. The tattoo idea will take place in the form of painting on the back of jackets- more is more- I will go all out, painting extravagantly, studding, embellishing and embroidering. It will be mixing pretty paintings and battered leather.

Embroidery will be used in a creative and exciting way, perhaps by exaggerating stitches found on biker wear, using different materials to embroider with or building up a more solid image with embroidery. I could even consider creating patch style embroidery. Found embroidery may also feature, with it being cut up and stitched back on.

My primary research will stem from the Tom Brannigan ‘Everlasting’ exhibition at the Minories, in which he created typical tattoo groups using 3D objects. I will explore form through drawing skulls and roses, things typically seen on biker gang members, however take a different approach using different inspiration for the tattoos. Detail and shape will be explored through drawing big skull jewellery, chains, biker wear and details on existing garments, and motorcycles (shape, engines, text etc), but contrasting it with the feminine floral shapes found from tattoo inspiration.

Secondary research will stem from Biker gangs, the Hells Angels, particularly in the 1960s when the gang was especially well known. The element of rebellion will be explored, but also their loyalty to the gang. It will also come from tattoos, and the stigma attached to them. How they are now becoming more accepted and seen as art forms, seen as beautiful. These elements, teamed with florals and flower shapes to suggest garment ideas, will be the starting point of my collection.

Through experimentation and developing on the skills already learnt, I will be using embroidery and embellishment. Different materials to embroider will be used, thicker thread, leather cord, string, to create a more exciting approach. Pushing the boundaries as to what can be used for embellishment, keeping in with the theme of bikers- bolts, keyrings, eyelets, studs. It will be about building up the garments, and for the dramatic look I intend to have, the more on the garments the better, it can’t be halfhearted. Trims, lacing, frills, tassels. New skills will include reconstruction, and having a vision to create a new garment from old. Styling will also be key, it’s going to be a lot of hunting for garments and fabrics that could potentially work together, and adding embellishment, painting and embroidery to really make the collection stand out.

The idea of deconstructing may be more difficult than first thought. It is difficult to design a finished outcome without already deconstructing the garment, but through experimentation an idea of silhouette and the nature of the garment will be explored. It will be very much a hands-on project, and ideas of final outcomes will be gained from actually doing, and then recording the process. It will also take imagination when sourcing the vintage materials- I will have to have vision and idea as to how the garment could be transformed and the boundaries pushed. It will be a completely different way of working, but one I am excited about.

Budgeting will be considered throughout FMP. Fabrics purchased new for the made garments will be at a lower cost (still maintaining quality), however the vintage garments sourced will hopefully be kept cheaper. This is down to a personal choice, but the use of second hand and vintage clothing to be transformed is one that fits with the running theme. I aim to spend around £250-£300 on my final collection – a fraction of what other collections could cost. It will not affect the quality of my final pieces, I believe it will enhance my collection as everything will be thought out and considered.

My audience/ target market

-    Female

-    20-30

-    Grunge, vintage style, but also has a passion for dressing up extravagantly. Has a unique style but likes to push boundaries.

-    Prefers second hand to shop bought, they are one off but it is also a more conscious approach to buying clothing.

-    Loves her music, gigs, festivals

-    Lives life to the fullest, dreams big, has no fear, risk taker

-    Motor head

My Market

-    AW17