Jewellery puts on it's fashion face - Sourcing inspiration

As part of our next unit, Central Saint Martins asked our jewellery course to collaborate with fashion womenswear. 

Because fashion design was initially what I wanted to study, I was so so excited but also (admittedly) very fearful at the prospect of dealing with all the intensity that the fashion world can bring...

But I always like challenges. 

I've learnt that every challenge and experience is a good one (despite finding it VERY hard to see at first). Whether it be a disaster or success, they really will make you grow somehow, learn something new about yourself and also about the world around you.

The brief consisted of producing a series of six fully styled, dramatic and creative outfits (all incorporating some kind of jewellery piece) for a shop window of our choice to essentially promote British fashion and jewellery during London Fashion Week. 

Meet the group:

I was put into a team of  4 fashion students and 4 jewellery students and all girls might I just add! (Get the claws out...) just kidding!

Being a people person I didn't find it awkward at all introducing one another, and to my surprise everyone seemed really nice! Maybe I was just extremely lucky...(or perhaps extremely naive? It was only the first day after all...)

Having discussed and shared our individual interests and  thoughts on how we might first approach this project, we all finally decided to venture off to a couple of exhibitions for some group inspiration as well as to help to get to know each other better. 

With the Gagosian gallery just being a 5 minute walk away from our Kings Cross campus, we decided to start our journey there. Having had a little gossip and chat on the way (typical) we were all soon hit with the hugeness of Georg Baselitz' gutsy creations. 

Baselitz’s witty and unique method of training our gaze by turning his self-portraits literally ‘on their heads’ left me smiling...

I liked how it actually allowed the viewer to see each portrait as an energetic and exhilarating explosion of gestural marks rather than as a mere description of the artists face.

Yet on the downside of the upside....(and especially for a small person like me) it also left me feeling very sore after craning my neck so high as to fathom every detail of his monumental paintings. Furthermore, with the additional adoption of such an obscure upside-down orientation, it created even more of a strain, as it had my head bending at all kinds of awkward angles!

Ok, so moan and groan over now... 

What was particularly interesting, (having read a little bit of background on Baselitz) was that it was just as much about the process for him as it was the final product. Apparently he painted his canvases on the floor and even used his body as part-paintbrush! 

If you looked close enough, you could see the subtle pigment-smeared footprints or the circles of paint-pot bases sandwiched in between the more obvious toddler-like swathes, smears or the stronger more serious linear strokes.

Sometimes (ok for the majority of the time) I find myself over-thinking things and taking life a bit too seriously. So I guess it was no surprise that I found the exhibition to be ultimately, so refreshing. Baselitz’ radically loose, unintentional and spontaneous acts of mark-making gave each painting a kind of freeing quality - one which I think my whole group and I truly admired and wanted to explore further. 

After leaving the Gagosian, it was clear that 'process and mark-making' were two themes which had each member of the group excited and enthusiastic. 

But upon entering the RA's 'Sensing Spaces': Architecture re-imagined (our next stop off point), we all promised to still keep open-minded to any other theme or focus that might direct or influence our project. We had to keep telling ourselves that it was still the first day and thus it was important that we did not just dive instantly into anything we came across immediately (however thrilling it may be). 

What was truly brilliant about this exhibition was the fact that it was all interactive. It actually proved to be a great way to start off as a group as well, because it was so socially involving – a real ice breaker…

It let you walk, climb, sit, touch as you moved through the winding spaces.

Peek-a-boo

We all admired the repeated patterns of precisely measured-out wood whilst childishly giggling through each structure, feeling like we were 'kids' again…

What was amazing was to also witness the encouragement given to visitors to leave their own mark on each structure. 

We couldn't help but notice that there was a real emphasis on the directness and immediacy of human mark-making much like in the work of Baselitz. 

For example, architect Diébédo Francis Kéré allowed visitors to essentially create his architectural piece. We were allowed to insert straws into his white plastic honeycomb structure in whatever way we wanted...

The result was a somewhat shrine of colorful scribbles...

It was so exhilarating to take part in creating a piece of architecture with complete strangers.  It made the whole process that much more unexpected and unique. 

It was also a nice surprise to bump into some familiar faces as other groups coincidentally arrived at the same exhibition. Who knew that a simple bunch of plastic straws could shape a space so magnificently or even create so much laughter and enjoyment in people?

There was a sense of touch and a playful physicality to the piece here- much like Baselitz' tactile works made through bodily movement. 

Similarly, they were both so wondrously messy with colour. 

Despite having so much fun at this exhibition, it actually made me realise how you are kind of never really 'off-duty' as designers. Inspiration is everywhere and every moment of your life becomes work. But I guess I'm so lucky that I love what I do!

Furthermore, what was amazing was how ‘Sensing Spaces’ not only prompted people to gape upwards in astonishment but also encouraged people to look down and be more sensory-aware.   

We all discussed and pondered over the idea that each time you would revisit the exhibition it would become a totally different experience – it could not possibly be replicated...For example, the sounds of people in the spaces would be entirely different, the mark-making would also become more layered and more intense and the lighting of that particular day would forecast unknowingly the atmosphere of each room…

As a Virgo, organization and perfectionism (kind of) naturally run in my veins, so it was no surprise that I found myself craving to ask the group what they thought our next step should be so that we could start the project right away! We all took a seat within the architectural space and brainstormed some ideas, finalizing some key words as well as writing up a timetable of our next couple of meetings. This was only a three week project after all - and I've definitely learnt how quickly time can pass...

(To be continued...)