Traditional African Designs in Fashion.

1. What country are you researching? Africa.

2. What is it like to live there? The climate in Africa is mainly tropical to subarctics on its highest peaks. Its northern half is primarily deserts, central and southern areas have both savanna plains and dense jungle areas. Africa is one of the world's poorest and most underdeveloped continent because of diesease and viruses, even though it has a lot of natural resources. The major exports are: gold, diamonds, platinum. Major imports: machinery, chemicals, petroleum products.

3. What are three elements of the traditional costume designs found in Africa?

element one: Generally, Africans tend to favor durable, natural fibers, and clothing that is both useful and beautifully made.

element two: Headware.

element three: Yoruba Aso Oke.

Logo

My Logo for a fashion line.

I chose somthing simple but it gets the point accross. Its a pink Stilleto, femine and simple. A staple peice in the fashion industry.

I chose my last name for the name of the fashion line because not hard to forget and in the past so many memorable designer used their last names.

My Dress.

I chose to make this dress for myself. Even though I did make it according to my measurements it was, in the end too big for me. This was a very educating assignment, I had never use a sewer machine and during this assignment I learned how to.

Career Research.

Fashion Photographer: To show off clothes and accessories in a creative way that gets the consumers attention. Professional fashion photographers must have a good eye for style and beauty and be skilled at working with models to achieve the best possible poses and photos. In addition to taking pictures, photographers may be responsible for scouting locations and hiring models and personnel for the photo shoot. To produce and preserve images that paint a picture, tell a story, or record an event.

Fashion Stylist: Fashion stylists are responsible for making the photographer or director's vision for a fashion photo shoot, layout, commercial, print advertisement, music video. Fashion stylists often have to scout locations, create the mood for the shoot by setting up the appropriate props, fashions, accessories, and even models to fit the theme. They coordinate colors and styles and make sure that all clothes are ready for the photo shoot, which may include basic tasks like steaming and ironing garments.

Vera Wang, Storybook.

Early Influences & Family Life:

Vera Wang, born and raised in New York city. Raised of Chinese decent.
Her parents were born in Shanghai, China and came to the US in the mid 1940's.
She grew up in the upper east side, and attending the elite Chapin School and the School of American Ballet, before she enrolled in Sarah Lawrence College.
She was a talented figure skater in her teens and competed professionally.
After graduation from college she moved on from figure skating and started working for Vogue magazine. Within only a year she was promoted to senior fashion editor and held the title for 15 years. She left Vogue in 1987 and took a job as design director for accessories at Ralph Lauren.

She is currently married to Arthur Becker and they have two daughters, Cecilia born in 1990, and Josephine born in 1993.

What Inspired Her:

In 1989, she married her longtime boyfriend Arthur Becker. She was disappointed with the slim selection of wedding gowns. So she sketched and designed her own dress and paid a dressmaker to make her $10,000 gown.
The next year she opened her own bridal boutique on Madison Avenue in New York City. Initially she offered couture gowns by designers such as Christian Dior, Guy Laroche, Arnold Scaasi, and Carolina Herrera. Over the next few years years she eventually launched a signature collection of bridal wear.

How her work became Famous:

She designed a hand-beaded ensemble for figure skater Nancy Kerrigan during the 1994 Olympics.

Wang has made wedding gowns for Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Ivanka Trump, Jessica Simpson, Avril Lavigne, Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Garner, Sharon Stone, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Uma Thurman, Holly Hunter, Campbell Brown, Danielle Jonas, Jeri Ryan, Kate Hudson, amd Karenna Gore, among various other celebrities.

Designs:

She is best known for her wedding gowns. But she has many other designs. Bridal party dresses, evening wear, fragrances, fashion accessories, and housewares collections.

Marketing:

Wang has marketed her products in various ways, including: advertisements in magazines as well as on the internet, and also commercials mainly shown in the US.

I think the target audience kind of changes depending on what product that's being advertised. For example, the wedding gowns, obviously aimed at older woman ready for marriage (25+). From seeing the ads for the perfume, I think its more aimed at younger women, because they have young good looking men and women advertising it.

New York Runway-1980's

Research.
1. Significant events: Stonewash jeans introduced - 1984.
Ralph Lauren introduces “retro cowgirl” (fad) - 1981
Sailor theme clothes worn by Chloe, Yves St. Laurent and others - 1981
Michael Jackson’s look widely followed – 1983.
Ray-Ban sunglasses became popular – 1983.
TV shows Dallas and Dynasty inspire shoulder pads – 1984.
T-shirt dress is popular – 1986.
2. Retro cowgirl - fad.
Trends: Grunge look, the Yuppie, Preppy style, and the Fitness Craze.
3. Famous artists: Andy Warhol and others.
4. In the 80s the architectural designs that were popular were more modern looking things.
5. Fashion designers: Gianni Versace, Giorgio Armani, Burberry (famous for trench / rain coats), Ralph Lauren, Yves St Laurent (more affordable things), Paul Smith (huge influence on the way men looked).
6. Materials: silk, polyester, knits, satin, Lycra, lace, leather.I plan to incorporate the stonewash jeans (which are still popular), tights, work out type clothing, blazers (similar to ones they would wear with shoulder pads), and some accessories

Vogue Interview.
A brilliant designer was newly found, known for her fresh take on the ‘80s’. In her line of clothing she brings together a combination of elements, including some everyday wear, with comfort, laid back wear, but also some business wear. And you can dress up many of the items in the clothing line. She has a variety of items that you can mix and match, including accessories.
“My influences came from the 80s as you can tell, it was a really interesting time period, with lots of variety. My line re-introduces many of those things” says the designer.
You said that there was a lot of variety in the 80s, what kind of variety id you include in the clothing line?
“I tried to include most of the trends back then, but obviously there are some things that just didn’t make the cut, I included some of the fitness craze with tights and the shirts. I also used some of the grunge in boots and leather looking tight and also some preppy with blazers.”
What type of things didn’t make the cut?
“Well there were many fads and flops in the 80s such as shoulder pads! The sailor theme, and Mohawks.