Middlesex Graduate Fashion Show 2013

Helping out at the graduate fashion show was a really valuable piece of experience and I am so glad I was a part of it. Overall the show went smoothly but in order to have it that way a huge number of tasks needed to be undertaken, many of which were managed by the first years.

As with most shows the morning was infinitely less busy than the afternoon and evening but there were still plenty of things to do. My tasks began with fetching rails from the fashion studios and setting them up in one of the two lecture theatres that were being used as backstage areas for the show. After we had completed this the third years came to hand in their garments on the rails.

Meanwhile I had been tasked with looking after the other lecture theatre which was to be used for hair and make up to ensure that all the equipment there and the food for models was not tampered with or moved by other members of the university. I helped the hair and make up artists to set up which involved moving tables and chairs as well as wiring up light-up mirrors.

I was selected to dress a male model, Mikey during the show. This meant I was required to dress for the final fittings before the show so as learn exactly how each garment was to be applied to the model and whether any accessories were to be worn and how these were to be worn as some designers had such specific requirements as to what needed to be buttoned and unbuttoned, whether socks were required, how the shoes are tied and even how a scarf is folded. Due to these specific requirements it was important to speak to each of the ten designers who outfits I was dressing during the show and to take notes and pin them to the garment bags so there were no mistakes in the show when pressure would be high but time would be short. The fitting is important as three models (one for each outfit in a designers collection) needed to be coordinated and it needed to be ensured that outfits would be going out in the right order to as to achieve maximum impact.

After the fitting was completed and any outfit changes were confirmed and the rail I would be using was finalised we moved the rails into the back stage area and prepared them for the show. This means removing the garment bags, ensuring fastenings were already open, shoes were aligned with their outfits and and matching socks with them ready. Also it was of vital importance that the garments were kept in show running order so as to ensure there was no confusion as to which outfit was going out on the runway when.

Durring the show the pace was hectic but manageable and everything managed to run smoothly. There were issues with some zips but every outfit went out on time and to the correct specifications as laid down by the designer. Pictures of some of the looks I dressed can be seen below:

After the show there will still tasks to undertake as it was down to the first years to leave the rooms we had used spotless. My first priority was to ensure that the garments I had dressed were back in their garment bags with any accompanying shoes, socks and accessories so that it was all returned to the correct designers. I also ensured that each garment was on it's correct hanger with any buttons and zips fastened to ensure that the outfit was as neat and presentable as possible for assessment. I then ensured that the garment bags were left in the correct order as specified on the list attached to the rail and returned the rail to the third year studio.

Design Assistant to Jisselle Pineada

Jisselle's project was a really interesting one to work on because her style and method of working is so different to my own that it gave me a chance to experience new and previously unknown techniques. Her project takes a very minimalist approach to construction where pattern pieces are cut specifically to minimise the number of pieces needed to construct the garment. For example her trousers  despite being detailed and complex looking upon completion only required 4 pattern pieces including those needed for the lining. This meant that there were less visible seams and the fabric was allowed to fall more freely to create an uninterrupted flowing effect.

Her taste for simplicity extended to her colour palette also as her garments were cream with the occasional splash of black lining for contrast. The way in which this was done was highly effective as any kind of print or bright colour could distract from the form of the clothes which was the designer's main focus.

My first tasks to help Jisselle were mostly preparation based. She had a lot of fabric to be prepared for cutting which we elected to steam rather than iron so as to remove the creases but to minimise shrinkage in the fabric as it was silk based. She also had a crepe which I began steaming but then decided to iron as the heavier fabric meant the creases were harder to remove.

After that we looked at the notes from Jisselle's previous fitting and started applying the alterations to her pattern pieces. Her patterns were all organised in one bag per garment which was labelled. Then each pattern from the first version to the third was colour coded. We began the last edition of the patterns by tracing off the previous versions and then coding the new patterns in blue. The alteration I helped with was to create lining to the trousers.

Due to Jisselle's trademark of minimising pattern pieces the facings needed to attach the lining had to be integrated into the two initial pieces required to construct the main body of the trousers. This meant tracing off the pieces exactly then mirroring the top 10cm section from the waistband. We also had to alter the fly in order for it to lie flatter against the body of the wearer.

Once all the pattern pieces were adjusted they needed to be cut out. Jisselle's cute her pieces with a rotary blade as opposed to scissors which was a new method to me. It was difficult to master but the cleaner line and greater control were obvious advantages.

Most of the work on Jisselle's clothing was within the pattern cutting so when it came to construction she completed most of it on her own. However I did attend her final fitting. I helped to dress the models  and give them shoes as well as assisting with pinning and alterations throughout the fitting. I then took photos for Jisselle before helping to undress the models again and store all the garments away in their garment bags to avoid them coming to any harm.

The end collection was beautiful and seamless. It had a light airy feel and was highly cohesive without being boring.