FRANCESCA BENNELL

Fashion Communication & Promotion NTU

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STOP, START, CONTINUE

Strengths & Likes - I strive better at the creative side of the course, I learn quickly when using Adobe Software Photoshop and InDesign, this is because I am eager to better my skills and produce good work.  I noticed after last year that I enjoy teamwork a lot.  I feel I am good when it comes to brainstorming ideas for the Big Idea and  Execution.

Where I need to improve - My essay writing has always resulted in my final mark not being as high as I anticipated because of the time and effort I put into the visual features of my work.  I still feel I need to work on my research and applying references more efficiently, once I have organised my time better, my writing will improve also and I won't be rushed and stressed to meet the deadline.  

How I am going to improve - To improve I will plan ahead starting with the writing before the visual work.  I also intend to use the library more often than I did last year to widen my resources for my projects and improve my reference list.  

How I will keep my passions alive - I thoroughly enjoy visiting exhibitions and they never fail to inspire me whether it being art, fashion or film.  I find documentary films very interesting and inspiring and like to watch them when i’m getting ready in the morning before I go into uni. This year we have a reflective journal and sketchbook which I can't wait to use, this means whenever I am brainstorming or have an idea I can log it in these books and in a visual way which is how I work best.  

What actions are you taking to make sure that you reach your goals in the future?­ - I understand the importance of self-promotion and applying for work experience. This is something that I always keep an eye out for.  I am getting better everyday at understanding how to apply for different internships depending on the specific brand. I need to improve on my online blog, but I would hope to think that my Instagram account is a reflection of my personality and interests and visually appealing. 

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Work Experience 2015 - assistant to the supervising graphic designer on the feature film ‘Florence Foster Jenkins’, starring Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant, directed by Stephen Frears.  

My job entailed doing research, design, organising and graphic prop making for the set. 

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Brand Me, porfolio 2015

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Origin - Advertising campaign Summer 2015

[skeletaltales]

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b & w minimalistic cara 

[fashion-streetstyle]

(via Oasis in Paris - Frassy)

[leeminho-s]

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refreshing

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Advertising campaign ideas for our fragrance ‘Origin’  

Body:

Body: Skeletons - genderless. Masking tape – Taping over gender specific body parts. Multi-media.

Not conforming to traditional fragrance advertisements which often include over-sexualized attractive models. However, the neck and positions used can still add a feeling of sensuality or desire but on a personal level, not to necessarily use fragrance to attract potential partners. 

Distortion: 

Mirrors: Smashed. What is normal? Breaking down barriers that say men and women should look certain ways. 

Bubblewrap/Cellophane: Concealing gender specifics.

Camera effects: Movement. ‘Blur’ ‘Noise.’

Hair: Backs of heads – Ambiguous. 

Focus (Blur, Window condensation): “Trouble seeing gender equality” “It’s time to start focusing” – Glasses, Gender neutral sign. Bottle incorporation: Out of focus face with bottle in front of eye in focus. Creating a clearer view. 

Paint: concealing gender specifics. 

Body: Skeletons – Skeletons are genderless. Masking tape – Taping over gender specific body parts. Multi-media.

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ORIGIN - GENDERLESS FRAGRANCE

After successfully presenting our fragrance Origin’s concept, we began concentrating on our target market.  The market for genderless fragrance can be incredibly broad and we needed to make the product suitable for a niche market.  We wanted the fragrance to stand out as if it were a limited edition at a department store, an example that fits this perfectly would be ‘Agender’ at Selfridges.  We also wanted the fragrance to be luxurious, modern and strong to make a point and to meet the consumers needs.  We met with graphic design students with sketches of how we wanted the bottle and packaging to look.  We wanted Origin to embody a minimalistic style by using a glass gender neutral sign as the bottle and elemental features within the packaging.  The graphic students were incredibly helpful with bringing our product come to life and made us a mock up box that the fragrance would sit in, this gave us a good idea on measurements, shelf space and we were able to see it next to the other unisex fragrances.  The collaboration successfully communicated our product how we had designed it. 

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‘MADE BY YOU’ - CONVERSE 2015

“Its a shoe that constantly reinvents itself”

The ‘Made By You’ advertising campaign was launched in several cities on the 2nd March 2015.  The 98 year old Chuck Taylor brand highlights the customer’s creative spirit and self-expression around the world.  The campaign enables people who love the brand to share stories and encourages them to get involved on social media, such as Instagram.  The idea was originally thought of after customers shared their pair of converse on these photo sharing sites.  This is a great endorsement and form of advertising for the brand. Converse have invited their customers to be involved by emphasising the personality and simplicity of the advertisement. The signature below the shoe reflects the fun nature of the brand and portrait style of photo. Celebrities have also joined in, Andy Warhol has a pair which proves to to the consumer that anyone can be involved in the advert. 

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LINDA FARGO - BERGDORF GOODMAN

Linda Fargo, senior vice president and fashion director at Bergdorf Goodman’s, was brought up in the suburbs of Milwankee.  As a teenager she made collage boxes using inspiration front the artist Joseph Cornell. Famously known for her style and window dressing she says she always had an early artist impulse creativity and electricism always came naturally.  After completing her BFA she moved to New York where she began a job as a window dresser at Macy’s.  After eleven years she worked herself up to become the visual director of the 1 million sq-ft store.  

“I’m a collagist at heart, I wanted to make little worlds” 

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KATY ENGLAND - STYLIST

Katy England grew up in Chesire, the youngest of three girls.  England studied fashion design at Manchester Metropolitan, after she graduated she worked at Elle magazine as an intern where she began her career as a stylist.  She recalls: "Up till then, I didn't know what a stylist was. But as soon as I did, I knew that was what I would do." England then went on to work as a stylist at the Evening Stand and for Dazed & Confused magazine. In 1994 she met young designer, Lee McQueen who invited her to work with him. She agreed to style his next show and they became loyal colleagues and friends. 

‘Stylist is a catch-all job description which can mean everything or nothing; for England at McQueen, it was very much everything. "Lee pushed everybody. He always wanted everything to be interesting. He made you work harder and think harder. I was involved at every stage: researching collections, talking and talking, working on fabrics, doing fittings, casting models, everything. It was incredibly intense." Especially because, as England points out, history has rewritten how the young McQueen was reviled by much of the media. "Everyone said he was shocking, and vulgar."’

England took a break from McQueen to bring up her family and never got the chance to work with Lee again.  She now works on Givenchy menswear for designer Riccardo Tisci, and with Tom Ford for his London fashion week show. Katy has a close relationship with Kate Moss and has worked with her on all her collections for Topshop. Katy England remains pretty low-key to people who aren't in the fashion industry however her career is incredibly aspiring and she has had incredible power in styling the public’s wardrobe’s for two decades. Katy has recently written a foreword in Gary Wallis’ book ‘McQueen Backstage - The Early Shows. 

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GARY WALLIS: McQUEEN BACKSTAGE - THE EARLY SHOWS

Gary Wallis is a fashion and portrait photographer. Wallis went to Central Saint Martins, and received a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design specialising in Photography. His work has been featured in international publications and media. Wallis is now the course leader of the photography course for the Visual Communication program at Central Saint Martins.  

His photographs are currently on display at the ‘Proud Chelsea’ gallery on Kings Road. His work of McQueen was immediately recognisable and drew me into the shop. Wallis happened to be there signing copies of his book at a private function for the exhibition and I was lucky to have a conversation with him about his work and McQueen.  

http://i-d.vice.com/en_gb/article/gary-wallis-takes-us-backstage-at-lee-mcqueens-controversial-early-shows?utm_source=idtwitter 

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S/S 2000 

McQueen stages a shocking and memorable show. It begins with the audience sitting around a mirrored cube, forced to look at themselves for two hours before the show begins. The mirrored box was then lit up from the inside revealing a mental-hospital holding cell, where the ‘demented’ models began walking around.  The collection consisted of gothic and theatrical pieces, amongst the disturbing insanity the show was startlingly elegant and reflected McQueen when he was at his very best.  The show ended with another cube being revealed. The box then opened from its sides, smashing as it hit the floor and reveal a portly nude woman, her face covered by a mask, breathing through a tube, surrounded by fluttering moths. The show was shocking included some of McQueen’s most iconic and beautiful pieces.  

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ISABELLA BLOW

Isabella Blow was born November 19th 1958.  In 1992 she sat in the audience of the Central Saint Martins graduation show where she was amazed by McQueen’s talent.  Following the show she bought the entire collection and began wearing and promoting Lee McQueen’s collections. Throughout the years Blow worked aside McQueen, she believed he had incredible talent and helped him get the recognition he needed.  Blow had a unique eye for beauty and talent before others did, she noticed Philip Tracey and Julien Macdonald and helped them in their careers too. Isabella or Issie as she was known was born into a rich aristocratic family, however the family’s past was ridden with scandal which continued haunt her through her life. Her individuality through her personality and style made her a fashion icon, later becoming a muse for extravagant stars such as Lady Gaga.  Blow showcased her talent in fashion magazines, throughout her career she worked for Tatler, American Vogue and The Sunday Times but was sacked from all three magazines. Blow suffered from depression and McQueen encouraged and paid for her to get help.  In May 2007 she committed suicide, leaving McQueen stunned.  In summer 2008, Tracey and McQueen collaborated in a beautiful fashion show as a tribute to their friend Isabella Blow. 

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A/W 1996 - Alexander McQueen holds Dante collection fashion show at Christ Church in Spitalfields.  The show was very successful, he proved he could make women look beautiful in his clothes.  McQueen went on to win British Designer of the year and was branded the ‘future of British fashion’.