Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty

Ballet, in my opinion, is one of the worlds greatest art forms and I just find it amazing how much it emotion it can bring to the audience and how it can manage to tell a story with dance, set, costume and no words.

This Christmas BBC2 played the New Adventure’s Sleeping Beauty. Although I went to see this last year with some girlfriends it was also lovely to watch it in my sitting room with family and to me it really showed a dramatic difference between live viewing and TV. On one hand I would say going to watch it live, like anything, is so much better in the sense that atmosphere from the audience is buzzing and there is nothing more dramatic than listening to a live orchestra play Tchaikovsky’s score- it never fails to give me goose bumps. However, watching it on TV was great as it allowed me to see the close up details of costume which, as a student studying costume for performance, is something I really appreciate. The costumes really do look different close up and from a distance which is helping me understand more why there is such a difference between designing for theatre or film & TV.

A few months ago I went with my classmates backstage to see the costumes (designed by Philip Prowse) for Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Sleeping Beauty and then to see it live the following evening. It was fun to see the costumes in the flesh and then on stage but also incredibly interesting to see how different they looked from a distance. The classical ballet costumes were stunning but completely different compared to Lez Brotherston’s for Matthew Bourne’s choreography.

Birmingham Royal Ballet's Sleeping Beauty.
Note the use of block colour in the costumes to create distinctive shapes that can be seen from a distance and that compliment the choreography.

Birmingham Royal  Ballet's Backstage Costume Department.
Even in costumes for stage, designers include stunning
embellishments and trimmings that are picked up in the light when
on stage.

Birmingham Royal  Ballet's Backstage Costume Department

Matthew Bourne finally finished his trio of Tchaikovsky’s ballets with Sleeping Beauty last year and his interpretation of The Nutcracker 1992 in and Swan Lake in 1995. I went to see was Swan Lake I think in 2007 and I was absolutely blown away by his innovative and genius choreography combined with Tchaikovsky’s score. Instead of the classical female swans in pretty white tutus he uses male swans in tasselled breeches to resemble feathers and a bare chest which not only adds a particularly raw quality to the performance but enhances the dance moves as the lighting reflects on their muscles as they move. This one of his in particular is a must see!

Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake.
Tasselled breeches are cleverly used to resemble feathers and the bare chest adds a particularly raw quality to the performance.

His take on Sleeping Beauty involved vampires and fairies with a gothic twist that spreads from the Victorian era through to the 21^st Century in three acts. His contemporary choreography isn't too out there so it is good for a younger audience. I couldn't help but notice elements of Michael Jackson's Thriller in the production, particularly in the third act! It is elements like that which makes Bourne's productions so easy and fun to watch and suitable for any audience.

One of the things I love most about Matthew Bourne is the comedic element he brings to all his productions. It must be so difficult to make people laugh at a ballet without it coming across as tacky so I really applaud him for that. So often when I go to watch ballet I usually don’t follow the story and I find myself distracted by the set and costumes – how can you not?! But I always find that I understand the story line a lot better for any of Bourne’s productions.

Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty

Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty
Costumes by Lez Brotherston

If you are new to ballet or have never been that interested by it, going to see one of the performances by New Adventure’s would be a great place to start. Swan Lake is on at the moment at Sadler's Wells until January 2014. Buy tickets here quick as they sell out fast! Their production of Lord of the Flies (choreographed by Scott Ambler and adapted and directed by Scott Ambler and Matthew Bourne) starts touring in Spring 2014. Check their website for more details.

I leave you with a clip from the BBC with Matthew Bourne and the history of his work.

V&A membership: Pearls; Club to Catwalk

Today I had an interview at the Royal College of Music for my work placement at the beginning of 2014 so I will be working there for a few weeks along with a Bridal company based in Bristol so I'm super excited!
Whilst I was in Kensington I decided to go to the V&A for the last time in 2013 to abuse my membership as I'm going to the Isle of Wight tomorrow for Christmas and to work for a few weeks.

The V&A membership is fantastic, especially for students who live in London. The standard price is £64 which is still great value but if you are under 26, for £35 you get unlimited entry to all V&A exhibitions, a discount in the shop, the V&A magazine (I think it's seasonal) and access to the members room which is very exciting! I personally think it is such a good deal as you need to go to approximately 4 exhibitions to get your money's worth. My boyfriend got me mine as a gift last Christmas - such a great present!

Buy yours here.

Club to Catwalk
Today I went to the Club to Catwalk exhibition which is open until February 16th 2014 and a student ticket is £5 which I think is a good price for what it is. The exhibition shows London fashion from 1980s showcasing many innovative designers. I partly love going to exhibitions to learn about all the talented artists and designers out there and I personally think this is the best way to learn. Some of my favourite designers featured were: Chrissie Walsh, Michiko Koshino, Willy Brown, John Galliano, Anthony Prince, Zandra Rhodes, Pam Hogg and Georgina Godley.

John Galliano - The Lucid Game Collection

Georgina Godley - 1986
1987 Vogue: 'Stretch is fashion's dynamic force, a challenge for designer and wearer alike... It's the sexiest dressing yet, hiding the body and at the same time showing its every movement.'

Chrissie Walsh - inspired by the Ballet Russes

Willie Brown

Pearls
I also went to the Pearls exhibition which is on until January and is £7 for a student. I really enjoyed learning about the process behind harvesting natural pearls and how the beauty of them is that they are simply natural and need no further enhancements unlike any other jewel.

At university I study costume design and have been studying visual culture as well in my past term. So particularly when studying period costume I do a lot of looking at paintings and thinking about symbolism so I particularly liked learning about what the pearls symbolised in different centuries. For example, in medieval times they symbolised perfection and purity. In the 'Portrait of an unknown lady' (shown below) from 1595 the pearls symbolise fertility. In Victorian times Queen Victoria was described to be having a 'gladiatorial contest with jewels displayed as weapons.' and in 1861 she wore black mourning pearls upon Albert's death.

Portrait of an Unknown lady
1595

I didn't get around to seeing Masterpieces of Chinese paintings but that in open until January 19th so I intend to go in the new year. I am also very excited to see future exhibitions such as 'The Jameel Prize 3' (an art prize for contemporary artists inspired by Islamic traditions) which opens tomorrow and 'Wedding Dresses 1775 - 2014' which opens in May. I think once I do my placement at the Bridal company I will be even more excited for this one! Who doesn't love wedding dresses?!

Fashion and Science!

At London College of Fashion we are lucky enough to have an exhibition space which holds regular, free exhibitions based around global fashion, photography, and installation.
Currently the Fashion Space Gallery is holding an exhibition on glass in contemporary art: Glasstress: White Light | White Heat. It focusses on contemporary artists working in glass for the first time including Boudicca, Lucy and Jorge Orta, Hussein Chalayan, and Helen Storey.

Helen Storey- 'The Dress of Glass and Flame

 "The visible, gaseous part of a fire is caused by a highly exothermic reaction, taking place in a thin zone. Heat is so intense it excites the molecules enough to produce light."

Tim Noble and Sue Webster - Glass Narcissus

Koen Vanmechelen

This sort of work is the kind of work I love: exploring the boundaries with different materials. This work crosses somewhere in between fashion, art and science which makes art more like an experiment as opposed to something that is stereotypically appealing to the eye.

The exhibition is open until 23rd February 2014 located at London College of Fashion, John Prince's Street - just off of Oxford Street. Something you can just pop in to have a quick browse after doing a bit of shopping! As a student I feel very lucky to be able to pop into the exhibit in between lectures. Do go and have a look for yourselves!

Dangerous Liaisons - 18th Century Menswear

So I have had a particularly hectic term at LCF! The work load has increased and I learnt lots of new skills which I had to take in in such a short space of time. I enjoyed learning how to do men's tailoring where I learnt how to make an 18th century shirt, breeches and frock coat. I know my costume is not perfect but I am pretty pleased with it as a first attempt.

I designed for one of the main character's, Valmont, in Christopher Hampton's adaptation of the novel Dangerous Liaisons. My interpretation of the play involved making Valmont a schizophrenic who is being controlled by Merteuil to seduce women. In scene 10 Valmont reveals that he has gotten one of his lovers pregnant so I decided to use feminine shapes such as the ovaries to inspire my fabric design. I have appliquéd and embroidered them subtly into the brocade coat. Throughout Act 2 Valmont's costume looses colour as he is beginning to realise that he is loosing his mind. I have designed and realised the costume for scene 16.
I will post more about the design side of this project soon!

A massive thank you to lovely Harry for taking the time to come out to see me for fittings and making such a fab model. I really hope 18th Century comes back in fashion soon as he looks pretty fantastic!

Alexandra Palace - The Knitting and Stitching Show 2013

Alexandra Palace

The Knitting and Stitching Show

This weekend just gone there was a fantastic event at Alexandra Palace called the knitting and stitching show and I was lucky enough to be asked to go and help out a friend at her stall.

Sew La Di Da Logo

Caroline Cottle is the owner of the fab little business Sew La Di Da who I first discovered from having workshops with her in Lyme Regis. She makes sewing seem so fun and easy so I'd recommend her workshops and classes to anyone of any age!


Recently she has designed vintage style patterns that fit the high street sizes as she rightly points out that commercial patterns haven't been updated since 1972. So this idea is great to get real modern women interested in sewing with patterns that need little or no alteration.

Sew La Di Da's dress pattern designs

The stall she had at Alexandra Palace was a big success where she sold her current 4 pattern designs in beautiful little gift bags with clear, easy to understand instructions. She is hoping to go global very soon so it is all very exciting and I am so proud of her and her business!

Caroline Cottle at the knitting and stitching show

Fabric Shopping in London

So I have been living as a costume student in London for just under a year now and am starting to find the best places to shop for fabrics and haberdashery goods. When I first moved to London it was quite daunting as I had no idea where to go and I feel that many people would be in my situation too. So here is my list of places that I have found useful as a 1st year student for fabric shopping.

Goldhawk Road

Circle or Hammersmith and City Line: Goldhawk Road

A road full of independent fabric shops, ideal for dressmaking, selling wide ranges of cottons, silks, polyesters, jerseys etc. and a variety of prints. Most of the shops give fabric samples although some can be quite stindgy. The shop 'Fabric House' are usually generous with samples.

Fabric House

Macculloch & Wallis - Dering Street

Jubilee or Central Line: Bond Street

Bakerloo, Victoria, or Central Line: Oxford Circus

I've heard this shop been described as Aladdin's Cave and I'd say that was pretty accurate! If I ever need something in particular I would usually go here as I know they will probably have what I'm looking for. The shop has 3 floors of fabrics, haberdashery, sewing machines, books etc. Pretty much everything you need! The bottom floor sells fabric and you can also help yourself to a maximum of 5 samples.

Macculloch & Wallis

Atlantic Road

Victoria Line: Brixton

A good selection of shops selling a variety of fabrics and haberdashery bits at cheap prices - good for dressmaking and interiors. I went to the shop Simply Fabrics with my sister and managed to pick up lots of bargains - packets of buttons, threads, fabric bundles from as low as 10p! A few other shops are dotted around that area too and I've been told that their markets sell cheap sewing bits.

Simply Fabrics

Berwick Street

Bakerloo, Victoria, or Central Line: Oxford Circus

Northern or Central Line: Tottenham Court Road

A very beautiful selection of expensive fabric shops here selling lots of silks and high quality fabric. As a student, I mainly would go here to admire and get inspiration. I have never dared to ask for samples but I'd imagine some of the shops might be generous. I have found Kleins a helpful haberdashery shop.

Kleins

Markets

There are some great markets in London that sell new and vintage fabrics and trimmings. I have never been to any myself but I have heard that Walthamstow Market (Victoria Line) is great for bargains. Also, the Vintage Fashion Fair which is on every 4 - 5 weeks (Hammersmith) is fab for unique vintage clothing, accessories, fabrics and trimmings at low prices.

Other shops / Online shopping

Liberty London - Regent Street (Oxford Circus tube station)

John Lewis - Oxford Street (Oxford Circus tube station)

Sew Box

Dragonfly Fabrics

There is also the option of buying fabrics online but I personally prefer to be able to touch and feel the weight of the fabric. Colours can also look different on a computer screen than in real life. Some companies will send out fabric samples to you on request.

I hope this has been of use to you. Hopefully I will be able to update it as I become more experienced in fabric shopping. Happy sewing!

Katie's Dress

My friend Katie and I collaborated together this summer to make a dress for her. Actually she was doing me a favour so I could practice dressmaking! I kind of felt like a fairy godmother though! I was quite pleased with the end result and she looks so beautiful in the photographs.

Designed and Modelled by: Katie Pearson

Made and Photographed by: Bryony Hamer

Chessell Pottery Barns

So I have been working at Chessell Pottery Barns for basically as long as I can remember! It is a pottery painting studio with a lovely adjoining Shop and Cafe. I now just work in the pottery assisting customers when painting their pottery to take home and I work with the production team making the bisque pottery. 

However, after approximately 6 years of decorating pottery I still haven't quite got the hand of it as the paints change quite dramatically when glazed and fired.

My younger sister and I decorated an Emma Bridgewater water jug for our Mum's Birthday and were quite ambitious in terms of design and experimenting with layering paints.

Emma Bridgewater Water Jug - Before Firing

After Firing

As usual I'm not completely happy with it but it means I'm still learning! My Mum loves it so that's what matters. We also treated her to Chessell's new High Tea as another Birthday treat, which was delicious. Everyone around us was very jealous! I'd highly recommend it.

High Tea at Chessell Pottery Barns

Visit their website for more info on the pottery and how to book a High Tea yourself! 

Click here to like Chessell Pottery Barns on Facebook and keep updated on offers and events. View my photos of their latest event: The Strawberry Fair June 2013, here.

Bringing Gabrielle to life!

Salador Dali

In term 3 we were asked to work in a group of 5-6 and as a group design a set, costumes, make up, hair and prosthetics for our chosen concept (ours being surrealism - read about our design process here) for the play 'The Madwoman of Chaillot'.

My costume design for Gabrielle

We were then asked to realise 3 of our character designs. I was working with Liz Hedley to design for the character Gabrielle - The Madwoman of Chaillot. She's a sweet, light and fluffy woman dressed in 1880s fashion who keeps canaries and hears voices from her hot water bottle. We decided to play on the idea that she's living in a bit of a dreamland with her head in the clouds.



Everyone on my course is so talented and has a unique style. Here are some links to some of the girls on my course who are on Blogspot for this current project. It's so interesting to see what other people have come up with for the same play! Do take a look.
Charlotte Wainwright
Lucy Calder
Megan Doyle
Sanya Torkmorad-Jozavi

Here are some photos below of the process of constructing and realising my design for Gabrielle with hair and makeup artist Elizabeth Hedley.

The progression of making my final costume.
Fittings with my model, Jessica Foy

Gabrielle's final costume details

Elizabeth Hedley and Aurora Beadle applying the make-up and wigs on our presentation day

A special thank to Stefanie Kemp for being our make up
assistant on our presentation day

Gabrielle
Wig and Make up: Elizabeth Hedley
Costume: Bryony Hamer
The RagpickerWig, Makeup and Prosthetics: Aurora Beadle and Elizabeth Hedley (Stefanie Kemp - assistant)
Costume: Poppy Moorcroft

Gabrielle
Wig and Make up: Elizabeth Hedley
Costume: Bryony Hamer

I'd like to say a massive thank you to everyone in my group. They are all so talented and it has been a real privilege working with them all. I have learnt so much and learnt to appreciate how important it is to create the whole look for a character. Working in a group has been difficult at times but so fascinating to learn about the different sides of the design process and I hope to collaborate further with other students in the future!

Consolidation and Collaboration: The Madwoman of Chaillot

Finally I have a chance to update my Blog on my final term of my first year at University of the Arts: London College of Fashion. It has been very full on but extremely rewarding at the end of it all. I plan to practice dressmaking to fit over the summer and work a lot to save some pennies for my next project in October: 18th Century Men's tailoring. I will probably study this a little over the summer in preparation for it but I'm so excited!

This term just gone was all about consolidating all the skills we had learnt in the first term and being able to make a costume quite independently as part of a group of 3 Costume students and 2-3 Makeup and Prosthetics students. As a group we had analyse and break down the given script (The Madwoman of Chaillot [pronounced "shy-O"]) and come up with an overall idea and concept. 

Salvador Dali - The Persistence of Memory 1931

We decided to focus on the main point of the play: it is mad! This led onto looking into surrealism and the Mad Hatter's tea party as part of our concept. We felt that each character was in their own time period and in their own little world so we really focused on this when designing.

Andre Breton

As a group each costume designer paired up with a makeup artist to design a complete look for one character of the play (3 characters in total per group).

Poppy Moorcroft's Costume design for
The Ragpicker

Anastaysia Hochar's Costume Design for
Josephine (1920s)

We had to decide on a scene in the play we would be designing for and design and build a set box for that scene.

Our stage was designed to have an interactive audience where not only the stage will be dressed appropriately for each act but the audience's tables and chairs as well. For both acts we wanted to create real sensual elements to give the audience a life like experience and really set the scene, eg. Act 2: the tables will be dressed with antique lace, fresh flowers and the audience and actors will be served tea, cake and honey.

I was collaborating with Elizabeth Hedley to design for the character Gabrielle: The Madwoman of St Sulpice - a sweet, light and fluffy old woman dressed in 1880s fashion who keeps canaries and hears voices from her hot water bottle. We decided to play on the idea that she's living in a bit of a dreamland with her head in the clouds.

 As an individual project we then had to design 3 more characters ourselves to go in our portfolio:

The Ragpicker

The Flower Girl

Constance: the Madwoman of Passy