Sophie Hay 107-506-6803: Manchester Metropolitan University: Fashion (W230)

Following is a selection of work produced over the duration of the foundation course so far.

The first project is based on natural objects. I began by drawing from the collected items; looking at their whole form and then dissecting them into broken down shapes and patterns. I used photoshop to edit my drawings and produce a range of designs.

Project Two is a selection of illustrations I produced working from street style images.

Project Three displays my drawings from life drawing classes. Since attending I have gained a better understanding of the proportions of both the male and female human form and so have really improved my figure drawing for fashion design.

Project Four is a Shoe Design brief based on the course trip to Lisbon. I was interested by the numerous patterns seen throughout the architecture and landscape. This continued through into the 'Museu da Marioneta' which displayed beautiful Eastern puppets with intricate bead and pattern detailing and brightly coloured satins.

During the first week of specialisation I chose to try a textiles project as a way of exploring new techniques. One of my reasons for applying to MMU is due to the facilities available including the opportunity to incorporate textiles into fashion design. Project Five was based on ‘Robots and Insects’. Initially I found this difficult since the two are so contrasting, however I decided to specifically base my samples on the bright colours and materials of retro robots and the intricacy of dragonfly wings.

Since this was my first project it was especially difficult. I quickly came to learn how swiftly we are expected to work in fashion.

Since I am so meticulous I originally found it more difficult to work at such a pressured pace and over the length of the course I have learnt to change this mentality. I understand that fashion is a constantly changing industry and the ability to produce a large amount of work in a short space of time is vital.

When I first started I had restricted knowledge of experimental techniques and didn’t fully appreciate the importance of research and development. My school focused on technical ability within drawing and painting and we were not encouraged to stray from pencil and paint. Being on a foundation course has taught me new ways of working within a project especially when it comes to the importance of researching and developing ideas.

I have lived on the outskirts of Manchester my entire life and so am well aware of the many opportunities it offers as a city, especially when it comes to fashion and art.

One of my main reasons for choosing Manchester is because of the course structure. I like that in the first year we are taught the fundamental aspects of fashion design as well as studying the more academic side of fashion history and culture. Sometimes the contextual aspect of art and design subjects are overlooked and people forget how important it is to learn about the background of design. I also think the opportunity to engage in live projects in the second and third year is important as we are given a real indication of what it is like to work in the fashion industry.

Project One