Cut & Paste

(Photography Damien Blottiere, Styling Robbie Spencer, Models Christian Ochsenfahrt at Major, Victoire Macon Dauxerre at Elite)

Cut and Paste -Dazed & Confused.This is a shoot that Robbie Spencer worked on for Dazed and Confused - Calvin Klein - with photographer Damien Blottiere. Each image is merged by two separate shots in a collage manner, creating shapes and gaps that unveil a little of the other. These days images appear flawless and almost perfect with little need for physical alteration, but I think that the beauty of these images lie in the simple, old fashioned medium of cut and past. They're abstracted by this practice, creating another dimension to each image. Although these images are highly modified and very abstract, I do not intend to replicate this visualisation entirely through my own work. I do however aim to experiment with this idea of manipulating two images together to create one. I explained previously that I lacked whole outfits with the samples I wanted to photograph, so the idea of manipulating the two together could ensure than my idea goes further.

(Photography, Bela Borsodi in Cut & Paste" by Richard Brereton)

Bela Borsodi.I came across an amazing book called "Cut & Paste" by Richard Brereton which brings together over 250 images from more than 40 contemporary collage artists. In the digital age that we are living, most images are created using computer based programs, that tend to look very "computerised" and sometimes obvious. When exploring the idea of cut and paste in Fashion photography it became apparent that traditional methods of visual art are fading I aim to try and use the medium of cut and paste in my final imagery to create new ideas based on the smaller samples I have collected from my designer. I came across graphic designer and photographer Bela Borsodi, through combining aspects of fine art, graphic design, craft, and psychology, his work offers a surreal imagery that makes clothing and accessories 3-dimensional. Borsodi says of his work “I love making things and putting things in an unusual context incorporating various visual languages coming from art and graphic design–eroticism is also a fascination of me that I love exploring". Borsodi does in fact use a meticulous method on a computer based programme like photoshop to create these amazing cut and paste images, but they still have a traditional feel about them. I would like to experiment with the idea of cut and paste and play around with scale and proportion in the same way.

(Authors own, experiments with samples)

In the images above I have tried to capture the diverse nature of the garments that I intend to use, and how would like them to be portrayed. The green garment is curvaceous and and quirky and works well with the female body, whereas The pink garment is fun and bouncy and has a lot of volume and character to it. With this in mind I think I have already achieved depicting the green garment in this way, and the plans I have for the pink garment coincide with its characteristics. I recently discovered the concept of using one garment and displaying in two very unique with ways, and as I now intend to use the idea of cut-and-paste in my work, I have come up with an idea that can transform a small orange sample into a finished garment. A problem I initially faced was not having enough samples to create garments suitable to cover the body, I was also in doubt as to how I could use one of my models for a second time throughout the editorial. But with my recent experimentation with the idea of cut-and-paste I aim to use the same sample that appears as a collar in one photo and transform it into a dress for another. I have suggested way I could display the collar as a dress on a miniature figure, but a problem I have faced is finding out ways in which I can display it on the body without making it look too sexy. I aim to re-photograph the orange sample and style it in ways in which I think is suited to my model.

After researching various artists that use the technique of cut and paste I decided to roughly try it out myself. As I have only photographed head shots of my model (that I would like to be seen in the longer garment sample), I had to improvise with images on Google to create the rest of the body, which I would like to avoid in the final outcome. For my final outcome I will have to re-photograph the models body in tightly fitting clothes e.g. a leotard or underwear, so that everything is in proportion and looks realistic. As you can see above I have experimented with with scale, I photographed some of the pieces in a studio so that the quality was of a professional, usable standard. I think the idea is progressing but it needs a lot more attention to detail so that the final outcome will appear more professional.  I aim to re-photograph the models body in in a studio So that I have a realistic backdrop with realistic shadows etc... Below shows how I have experimented with repetition using cut and paste with a sample or garment. I think the continuous flow of the curvy samples is effective, and in some cases works really well e.g. the shoulder piece that is presented in image one.  This idea could also help me to create a final image, depicting  larger garments that can cover the entire body, to work alongside a full body shot but I aim to capture. 

Knitting in Culture

Following my visit to the Fashion and Textiles museum I decided to look further into the idea of culture and knitting. I studied three varying knitting traditions from contrasting cultures to look at the differences and similarities. Colours, styles, patterns and shapes differ somewhat, but what really interested me is the variety of ways the human figure can be “decorated”. Linguistically, all evidence implies that knitting is a fairly recent invention. There are no ancient legends of knitting like there are legends of spinning and weaving. There are no ancient gods or goddesses who knit, no legend of how it was invented or given by the gods. That lack implies that it is a recent skill, developed after mythologies were established around the world.

Native American clothing was a main factor in cultural and religious ceremonies. Intricate knit, beadwork and feathered headdresses were also commonly worn during ceremonial displays. Many of the decorations and the objects used by the women to adorn the clothing were significant symbols of stature and power. Family relationships were also honoured through the art of making Native American clothing. Women would diligently work on the clothes for loved ones, and by using objects that represented the occupations of her loved ones. The Native Americans are known for their belief in the respect of nature, including animals, earth and the environment. They also adorned their bodies in a variety of different ways. From designs applied directly to the skin to elaborate ornaments crafted of symbolic materials, Native American body decoration was very important to the religious and social life of tribal members. In many tribes the skin was considered a canvas on which to paint or tattoo designs. Although warriors used paint to prepare for battle, body painting was not only used for war paint. Painted designs

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The Aran jumper is a style of jumper that takes its name from the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland.A traditional Aran Sweater usually is off-white in colour similar to a sheep's wool and is made from 100% wool. One of the most recognisable features of a tradition Aran is its cable patterns on the chest. The jumpers are distinguished by their use of complex textured stitch patterns, several of which are combined in the creation of a single garment. Some stitch patterns have a traditional interpretation, often of religious significance. The honeycomb is a symbol of the hard-working bee. The cable, an integral part of the Aran islander's daily life, is said to be a wish for safety and good luck when fishing. The diamond is a wish of success, wealth and treasure. The basket stitch represents the basket, a hope for a plentiful catch.

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The Norwegian image, as it is presented to tourists, is dominated by moose and polar bears rather than sheep. Nonetheless, clothes that are made from the wool of the sheep generally have a substantial symbolic value at the regional or national level. During the late 19th century, the task of building a nation pervaded Norwegian cultural life. This also applied to the Norwegian handicrafts movement, which strove to preserve and pass on the best handicrafts from traditional farming society. At the same time, such products had to symbolise the essence of being Norwegian.The new suits and national costumes were based on historical folk costumes and formal dress clothes. The tradition of knitting garments with woollen yarn of two or more colours reaches back to the 1850s, and the resulting patterns on knitted sweaters and cardigans are generally viewed as Norwegian. In stories about the Norwegians, woollen garments are strongly associated with the image of Norwegians being born with skis on their feet

Exhibition Visit - Chanel to Westwood

I recently visited the exhibition at the Fashion and Textiles museum “Chanel to Westwood.” It is an exploration of the knitwear clacked up by some of the biggest names in fashion.” The space demonstrates how shapes, styles  and pattern in knitwear changed over the decades, from Coco Chanel’s neat twin sets – which introduced jersey to the world of couture – to the vibrant, multicoloured knits that came out of the ‘make do and mend’ movement in the ’40s. Whether machine-produced for the general market or hand-knitted during wartime rationing, the garments on display give a sense of the emotional investment that went into their creation. That is something almost unique to knitwear, in my opinion.

Dennis Nothdruft, the museum’s curator, believes the “basic functionality of knitwear” loses out against the glamour of couture. But with knitwear, especially if knitted yourself, every step and stitch in construction is known, seen and touched – the very same characteristics of haute couture, which makes it even harder to understand why knitwear suffers by comparison.

Before visiting this exhibition my understanding and passion for knitting was present. My mum had previously studied knitwear design at central saint martins and had produced some amazing samples. Over the years as she saw me follow a similar pathway as her, we began to look at them together and she taught me some basic skills. I decided that my project could become a lot more personal due to this aspect, and could be explored in detail.

Although everything on display was amazing in its own right, something that really grabbed my attention for a potential narrative idea was the traditional knits. In comparison to the other garments they aren't instantly amazing, but they represent cultural identity and tradition. The Fair Isle is a traditional knitting technique used to create patterns with multiple colours. It is named after Fair Isle, a tiny island in the north of Scotland, that forms part of the Shetland islands. Fair Isle knitting gained a considerable popularity when the Prince of Wales (later to become Edward VIII) wore Fair Isle tank tops in public in 1921. Traditional Fair Isle patterns have a limited palette of five or so colours, use only two colours per row, are worked in the round, and limit the length of a run of any particular colour.