Fashion Week

I found myself at the Josh Goot show this morning dressed in a fur and high heels. Yes, this lowly little student was lucky enough to attend a small part of London Fashion Week. And it was amazing.

Watching the attendees enter in their designer footwear would have been enough to make any girl swoon. People everywhere with lights, cameras, amazing clothes... being around the energy and style of fashion week was inspiring, even if I was only there for an hour. It just felt right to me. It felt a little out of my grasp, a little too fabulous for me. But I also felt like I was supposed to be there- it felt somehow natural.

Goot's collection was minimal but beautiful. I loved his asymmetrical color blocking and choice of black and nude as his main colors. His prints were colorful, and the fabric moved like liquid over the body. The wasitlines were a little high for my taste on many of his skirt/shirt combos, but his trousers, suits, and dresses were lovely. From where I was standing I could really get a good look at the construction of the garments, and the fabric treatments he used. That was the most fascinating thing, speaking as a fashion student.

He came out and waved to the audience rather sheepishly after the models' last walk, and on his way back, scanned the small crowd and smiled. I think he was pleased. I didn't know Goot's work before today, but he has made a fan out of me (even if it is a skinny girl collection).

So, I have to say that I had what could quite literally be called a FABULOUS MORNING. And on an egotistical note, I feel I must mention that to my surprise I was photographed quite lot this morning. First by a few small London based publications, and then by Vogue. So pick up the London Paper tomorrow morning, and check vogue.co.uk and you might see a certain American girl in London.

Shirt Project Results

It seems the powers that be saw fit to grant me a passing grade for my last project.

40 is a passing grade, and I received a 48. That grade was broken into the following categories: 60 for the actual garment. 40 for research. 45 for design development. 45 for illustrations.

Very few people did well in the research category. The tutor hated our research sketchbooks overall. So a 40 isn't so bad I suppose.

I think I should be happy, or proud of myself. But they waited too long to give us our grades, and I really had been hoping for a more... encouraging mark to help me get through the next couple of days as I finish this massive print project.

Ah well.
At least I didn't fail.
For once.
FINALLY.

Fabric Experiments, Team Project

Today I successfully killed a few brain cells by melting clear PVC in layers to create fabric I can work with. I layered fake hair between the PVC and found a way to cause the plastic to ripple with the heat. My bedroom smells awful right now, though. (Or so I'm told, as I am still very sick and cannot smell a thing.)

OK, before you tell me it looks like pubic hair underwater, let me tell you that the photo isn't doing it justice. In person it's incredibly cool. It is both revolting and enticing when you touch it, which is exactly the look I'm going for....




My fabulous Hair Dress idea has been set aside for another time, and the project has changed into something even more ridiculous and amazing. I don't want to say anything in case it goes horribly wrong, but tomorrow's shopping list includes: heavy duty pliers, wire clippers, protective eye goggles, lab coat, and fake hair.

The project is going to be more modern art than fashion. My team mate and I are both big idea girls, and we tend to aim far too high for our own good. But if we can pull this off, it will be epic.

Whoops

I realize I have been using this blog as a space for venting, instead of actual discussion of my experience as an American in London, at St Martins.

More design process, city updates, and cultural commentary coming soon, I promise.

Care Package

A package from SF was waiting for me when I arrived home this afternoon.

Care Package II from The Boy!

This one contained more delicious bacon chocolate, two comics I wanted to read, Ginger Chews (from Trader Joes, yum!), a San Francisco mini license plate, and a compass that will always tell me which SF neighborhood I'd be facing if I were there.

Best of all, he sent me a mix tape- not an actual tape because um, there is no cassette drive in my laptop... see, he sent a mini usb drive with an mp3 set list nestled into a cute little tape-shaped box! I can't wait to listen to it. I'm waiting for a moment when I can just relax and enjoy the music he carefully chose for me.

It makes my heart swell.

London Fashion Week

Guess who is skipping out of class for one day next week and attending.....LONDON FASHION WEEK? WOO! One of my friends happens to know one of the designers showing, and she gave us two passes to come see her show!

I've never been to a proper fashion show.

I have to look FABULOUS for the show... time to break out that fur coat.

Empty

The flat is empty.

Tumbleweeds are rolling down my windy hallway.

A lone banjo plays a few dramatic notes. (Actually, it's Gary Numan you're hearing, but let's just pretend shall we?)

I draw my... well, I'm trying to draw a new collection actually. Utterly lost in the feverish haze I've been stuck in the last two days. But I propped up on good strong drugs, and hoping that when my flatmates return they will come bearing Ben and Jerry's. Healthy? No. Tasty? Oh my yes.

When I leave my room, and Mr Numan's musical repertoire can no longer be heard, the only sound breaking the complete silence is my oh-so-sexy coughing and hacking. *snifl *kaffkaff *groan

I am considering making a dress out of hair. Not in a creepy way, so much as a Hedwig/fabulous way. But much bigger. And couture-ish. I am not sure if this is an unwise and incredibly difficult route to go down. So I might reconsider, given my time restraints. But how fabulous would it be to have a hairstyle that becomes your dress? I know a few drag queens back in SF who would give their left fake breast to have something like that. And if I made matching shoes... They'd have to cross their legs and stay seated for a while. (Oh and I am actually working a way to incorporate magnificent fake lashes into the dress too. Down boy. Down.)

Still no news on the marks for the Westwood-ish shirt. We are all very irritated about the two week wait. Nothing to calm a stressed student down like having no idea how they are doing on their work, eh?

Now, back to work. Will keep you posted on all fronts.

Aw shit...

Woke up very ill this morning.

I was worried this would happen...I pushed myself too hard and my body shut down.

Tried to go into school, had to turn around half way there because I felt weak and faint.

Went back to bed and slept for a few hours.

Trying to focus enough to do homework, as I am already very behind thanks to my You-Failed project, and this past waste-o-time weekend. But can't sit up for very long without feeling dizzy. Shit Shit Shit.

This is very bad timing, and I am very mad at myself.

Sick

Party at my flat last night- TOTAL DISASTER.

Well it was for me at least, as I spent the whole evening throwing up and sobbing into a towel for no real reason.

I've never been drunk enough to throw up or not remember things. And I didn't have too much to drink, either. I guess something just didn't agree with me.

After my VERY caring room mates sat with me and rubbed my back while I threw up the entire contents of my body (I swear, if I vomited up a lung or my spleen I wouldn't be surprised) they managed to put me to bed. I woke at 6am and thought I was at my boyfriend's house for some reason. I turned expecting him to be there to hold me and warm me up, and felt my heart sink into my stomach when I realized where I was.

Got up, had some tea, sat around in the messy party remains in the kitchen eating slices of cheese and toast until I got too cold and crawled into bed again. Walking back into my room, I could survey the damage: apparently my sink decided to start leaking in a serious way, the shelving in my shower decided to fall, and my room was a giant mess of my clothes which I had managed to take off piece by piece over night. Either my entire flat smells slightly of the acidic contents of my stomach, or my nose has been burned by the acid and it's all I can taste and smell.

Everything is a mess and I just want last night to have not happened. I am so embarrassed I don't want to face anyone today. Even though I am not hung over, the whole evening made me feel really vulnerable and lonely.

*Blushing*

Every year Valentine's Day approaches and I think "psh, lame hallmark holiday that means nothing to me." And every year my boyfriend, always the romantic, sends me flowers even though I tell him not to.

Being that I am half way around the globe from him this year, the last thing I expected was a dozen red roses delivered to my flat this morning.

It made me blush. heehee :) I guess I should just admit that I love them, and that I smile every time I see them.

Now I just have to buy a vase.... ;)