Art by Ineke

[inekeclevencofa]

Sharing skills today

[inekeclevencofa]

Here is some more of our thinking process. We're looking into products/systems in the areas of fashion, furniture, everyday design objects, transport and education

[inekeclevencofa]

Concept Statement

My final work is a comment on our consumer society and in particular, the fashion industry. We are constantly saturated by the market through all types of social media. My project imagines new possibilities of imagining the human by creating a satirical website that mocks the ‘high’ fashion world. The website has been exaggerated with its content to mock and criticise the pressure the consumer market puts on us. Often times we buy into the idea of the product, rather than the objects themselves. Additionally, the value that we place on items is often not the product that we really desire. The title of the brand and webpage is ironic as it is “Undesirable” rather than something socially pleasing. This was used to criticise how even though you can see that you are placing value on something that is undesirable you choose to ignore that to follow the trends. Trend setting is an interesting concept that is achieved through mass communication and marketing. Each season has a theme like minimalism, floral prints, white on white etc. The gods that govern this universe are the fashion designers who themselves have great power and responsibility. These humans are possibly some of the most influential and important figures in society as they determine how people represent and express themselves. Thus, the new way of thinking about humans increasingly places value on the fashion designer to mould and shape their environment.

The outfits are exaggerated to symbolise the ugly fashion trends that have surfaced. The foil dress especially was restrictive. This is a metaphor for the restrictive nature of the industry but also that the level of comfort and practicality is often overlooked when something is considered a trend. Hence, the fashion world had created a new breed of human that is desperate, anxious and willing to loose money, comfort and style only to fulfil their desire to conform and belong. This is a reflection of the persuasive power of marketing and branding. My project employs these persuasive qualities like a professional layout, a section where products are listed with their prices, photoshoots, discounts and a grid format. The Undesirable website also features very direct language like “shop now”, “must have items” and “get in focus”. This kind of high modality language is useful for targeting the audience since “people tend to focus more on material things when they feel insecure” (Tim Kassar.) To create insecurities in their consumers, the fashion industry creates a perfect world with their images. This more often then not, makes the viewer feel inadequate and wanting to belong to this constructed world. These days, Photoshop and retouching are the bare minimum for editorials and other high fashion photoshoots. Hence, my work explores how human beings, especially women have been objectified by their environment. This is reflective in the Style Inspiration page where many of the outfits are skimpy and trashy. This point is also reinforced in the outfits I have created are not entirely modest to emphasise the technique of ‘sex sells.’ The photos haven’t been retouched but have been shot on a very good camera and with makeup and fake tan. This is reflective of how the fashion industry promotes an image that is manipulative rather than the truth. The power of manipulation is so strong that there are so many fashion trends that are undesirable and not aesthetically pleasing. However, these trends are only accepted since they are popular and advertised really well. The repetition of images displayed over and over also cements this relationship with materialistic values. The poster has been used on the home page to represent the notion of a campaign and promotion. With a celebrity face on the home page it also illuminates the power of the celebrity endorsement in capturing the consumer’s attention and creating a burning desire for the product. Thus, contemporary humans are defined as consumer humans that are often subjugated by the economic world we live in. As Tim Kassar points out, there are negative impacts on the human psyche, the planet and our relationships with others when we place too much emphasis on materialistic values. Therefore, my website really challenges the way that we perceive humans and it provokes the audience to consider how we might reverse these damaging structures in society.

[inekeclevencofa]

bibliography

·         http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2012/08/30/jil-sander-produces-most-expensive-paper-bag---vasari-bag

·         http://m.smh.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/would-you-spend-285-on-a-brown-paper-bag-20120831-254c5.html

·         https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/high-price-materialism

·         https://www.newdream.org/resources/high-price-of-materialism

·         http://www.hosewear.com/types-of-bags-a-complete-list/

·         http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/people/worst-dressed-celebrities-in-june/

·         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGab38pKscw&noredirect=1

      ·         http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2015/red-carpet/vma/miley-looks/miley-8-768.jpg

·         http://cosmouk.cdnds.net/15/25/1600x2400/gallery_nrm_1434537103-gettyimages-477359226.jpg

·         http://www.swurvradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/miley-mamdoux.jpg

·         http://media.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx/i/2015/09/747124.jpeg

·         http://uschina.usc.edu/Files/images/201312/2013hoofs.png?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

·         http://www.dv8sussex.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Bjork-in-swan-dress.jpg

·         http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2342647!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/gallery_1200/miley-cyrus-outfits-2015-vmas.jpg

·         http://img01.ibnlive.in/ibnlive/uploads/2015/09/Miley-Cyrus-2.jpg

·         http://www.ktona.com/images/stories/news9/848/Rihanna-2.jpg

·         https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--7EsfBDDd--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/17xgyej8k3i2njpg.jpg

[inekeclevencofa]

Final Work

http://cofamajorproject.wix.com/womens-fashion

[inekeclevencofa]

This is part of my research on materialism, while not fashion specific the fashion industry is one of the main offenders . This relates to how our modern environment is pressurising humans into a highly demanding consumer culture. Tim Kassar’s book The High Price Of Materialism outlines the effects on the psyche and the planet from placing too much emphasis on materialism.

-  “people tend to focus more on material things when they feel insecure.”

-   “The more exposed to media you are the more you prioritise materialistic values.”

 - “Research consistently shows that the more people value materialistic aspirations and goals the lower their happiness and life satisfaction and the fewer pleasant emotions they experience each day.”

-  “As materialistic values go up, pro-social values tend to go down. This helps explain why people act in less empathic, generous and cooperative ways when money is on their minds.”

[inekeclevencofa]

I've been able to figure out how to select the product colour and upload multiple images for the one product.

[inekeclevencofa]

I'm experimenting with how to create the most believable and realistic website with my products. in the first image I selected the background and used image adjustment- brightness and contrast. in the second attempt I selected the background and deleted it. I thought the first option would blur the background a bit and make it look like a professional photo shoot. I think the second option looks the most professional to be put onto a website with a price tag and image description.

[inekeclevencofa]

Experimenting with tape as a construction of an outfit. I think this was quite successful as an outfit that is both ugly and cheap looking. The tape created a body that is not a true depiction of my real body. Photoshop and retouching Is almost always used in fashion photography.. I will explore these impacts further in my concept statement.

[inekeclevencofa]

Creating the calico dress today- both cheap and not trendy. This dress is a mocking of the boutique Aje who created a hessian dress. Since when is it fashionable to look like a hessian bag? This may seem like a very subjective thing but nevertheless is a comment on the fashion world that is so demanding and brainwashing. http://a-j-e.com.au/collections/shop-all/products/mali-dress

[inekeclevencofa]

Experimenting with ideas for the collection I am creating for the website. The accessories will enhance the project by making it a more realistic fashion website. These are going to be some very expensive outfits:)

[inekeclevencofa]

The work that I reinvented was the work that most people bid on. Little did they know it was a print made by nipples and paint. I used fineliner to continue the lines and small details. It may have been the most popular due to its aesthetic quality. In contrast to this, my artwork that was reinvented by another student, defied aesthetics and was more rebellious. The removal of the drawing was more interesting yet no one bid on it. Therefore, the appeal of something is not always an accurate representation of the value of something.

[inekeclevencofa]

You could go to your kitchen cupboard get out a brown paper lunch bag, print Jil Sander on it and sell it for $285. Another comment on how you can buy into the idea of the product rather than the product itself. http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2012/08/30/jil-sander-produces-most-expensive-paper-bag---vasari-bag http://m.smh.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/would-you-spend-285-on-a-brown-paper-bag-20120831-254c5.html

[inekeclevencofa]

Improving website

The website keeps updating every time I make changes- I have managed to add my own products, choose their price tags, create a discount coupon, add more than 6 style inspiration images in a slide format and create a new page for my sketches

[inekeclevencofa]

experimenting with website creation

http://icleven2010.wix.com/fashion-boutique-1

I did a test run to create my own website. I'm trying to figure out how to put my own images into the lookbook/collection. I also am experimenting with creating a slideshow on the website of undesirable style inspiration/ celebrities.

[inekeclevencofa]

Jimmy Choo- one of the worlds best shoe designers, is teaming up with moonboots to create space age, futuristic boots. While these are hideous creations, the advertising force of jimmy Choo will ensure the new style is popular. Just because something is popular that doesn't mean that it is a great product! This emphasises as humans, we strive to fit into our environment, even if the environment doesn't fit us.

[monisha1002]

Team 2005

[inekeclevencofa]

We captured the popular music of 2005- looking at the groovy so fresh CDs for inspiration. The lyrics reflect the tackiness of the music/culture, although it can be said that this has only gotten worse