London College of Fashion Interview

Yesterday I attended a interview at Mare Street in London for Bespoke Tailoring at LCF.

To prepare my portfolio for interview I documented my sample garments through photography, used prepared research boards, life drawing, garment patterns, photography work and illustrations professionally mounted.

Three hours before the scheduled interview I dropped my portfolio at the Mare Street building so I was able to go research fabrics suppliers in the Shepard's Bush area.

At two o'clock all other applicants were requested to leave their portfolios with the two interviews, course leader Jacqueline and Rob Stevens the head lecture for the course, while we extended a guided tour of the building and facilities.

After the the tutors examined our portfolios were asked to attended a private interview and I happened to be the first to be interviewed.

In the interview I was asked a series of questions, such as; 

Where did my initial interest in tailoring come from?

Why I have applied for tailoring at LCF?

To choose a example of work and explain.

Do I know the difference between primary and secondary research?

To answer the first two questions I said that my initial interest was gained in 2012 when BBC news covered a story on CE Barrow Bespoke Tailor closing in Lancaster after 140 years. The BBC did a short documentary and part explained the basics of how tailoring can make the body more aesthetically please and I wanted to learn those skills and be able to do that for people using my natural creative characteristic. 

When asked to show and explain a piece of work I chose the images of the projected dress from my chandelier project. I explained my how my concept of light influenced my design for the dress then how rather then having the model wear the dress, a image of the dress what photographed and then projected onto the naked form so my model was wearing the light.

To justify my understanding of primary and secondary research I explained that primary research is something that you document by using photography or drawing for example, while secondary is something that is already documented and has been published in books or online.

Overall I am unable to gage how the interview went as I was only in there a short amount of time and by being the first in makes me think that they had already made a decision when looking at my portfolio and they were unable to give feedback on my work. However I believe I gave strong answers for their questions and showed my passion for the course.

UCAS Application and Portfolio Submissions

After researching fashion design courses at the UCAS fair in manchester and the LLF Craft cluster day I decided to apply to four universities, Westminster, Southampton Solent and UAL's London College of Fashion (LLF) and Central Saint Martins (CSM), all fashion design based courses ranging from womenswear design to bespoke tailoring. 

The application process had to be completed and sent to UCAS by the 15th January including a finished personal statement, university choices, educational history, results and a reference from our tutors.

In the past week I've been contacted by three of the universities asking for a portfolio to be submitted by post or online all for the 8th February. Each university asked for slightly different work in the portfolios but all showing creativity, experimentation, research, analysis, subject knowledge and technical competence. 

Westminster asked for the completion of a questionnaire testing my knowledge on the fashion industry and how designers are influence from different sources, along with six A4 pieces of work. 

Southampton Solent asked for a portfolio to be emailed to them containing 15 images of work and an essay with a creative theme.

CSM asked for 10 boards to be uploaded to a online album on flickr, three research, three development illustrations, two final illustrations and two boards of other work showing creativity. 

I decided to create a election of boards to be used in all portfolios tot show the development process from research to final designs of my work I'm producing now to be sent off with other work fulling the criteria asked for by each university. 

Now all three portfolios have been completed, sent and received I can now concentrate on preparing my physical portfolio for an interview for LLF on the 25th February.

Design Your Future - Manchester UCAS Fair

Today college gave the opportunity to go to the Design Your Future UCAS fair in Manchester for further university research and a chance to speak to the tutors and university representatives.

While at the fair I had another chance to speak to representatives from UAL about the BA (Hons) Bespoke Tailoring course and how to produce a portfolio that would give me the best chance of entry into the course. I was told that hey want to see the creative journey from the initial inspiration and starting point to final outcomes. I was also told that knowing how to sew isn't directly needed because they will teach all the techniques on the course but it is helpful to know before hand and having evidence in my portfolio wouldn't hurt.

I also spoke to the Ravensbourne tutor who teaches the BA (Hons) Fashion Design course. I liked the idea of the course because it was open design course meaning that I didnt have to pick menswear or womenswear before beginning the course. However after speaking to the tutor I have decided that I will no longer apply to the course because of the way she spoke to me and about her students. The tutor seems a little demeaning and I don't think I would be inspired to do my work studying with her. 

Southampton Solent also had a stand at the event and I went to speak to them because last year I applied and received a place on the BA (Hons) Fashion Styling but after consideration I declined the course because no part of the course gave me the opportunity to produce my own clothing. I wanted to know how if I would be able to apply to the university again after declining my place for styling and apply for design which I was told was fine but not to give up on Fashion Styling and to do more research into it to see how the course had changed but she was not able to talk to me about fashion design because she didn't know much about the course. 

Lastly I spoke to De Montfort University about their BA (Hons) Fashion Contour course to the tutor who teaches on the course. She explained to me all the expects of the course I would learn; research and development, how to produce the final outcomes, fabric and material knowledge. After speaking to the course leader the course seems very in-depth and readies their students for the industry however the down side of the course to me was that fact that it is not in London so it doesn't have the same strong industry links and no opportunity is given to actually work in the industry like a gap year or placement year. 

London College of Fashion (LCF) Craft Cluster day

Today some of the fashion pathway, who are planning to applying to UAL, were given the opportunity to attended a cluster day at LCF John Prince's Street in London. We met the course leaders and were given a presentation on three courses; BA (Hons) Bespoke Tailoring, BA (Hons) Cordwainers Fashion Bags and Accessories: Product Design and Innovation and BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear; Product Design and Innovation.  

The talk about Bespoke Tailoring inspired me the most given by of Darla Gilroy, the programme director for the three course presented, on behalf of Jacqueline Sealy as Jacqueline had lost her voice and could only communicate through typing messages. 

The programme is highly specialist teaching students the handcraft tailoring techniques along with other skills such as design, pattern drafting, research methods and presentation skills.

Bespoke tailoring is clothing made to the individual buyer's specification and traditionally the customer is a man however this course also teaches the skill and techniques for womenswear tailoring which starting to develop a considerable amount of attention. 

Bespoke Tailoring caught my attention the most because it is very hands on course, the traditionality of the skills taught and the fact that the course is an 'open design' course meaning that I am not constrained to either menswear or womenswear.