LeTS StarT WITh WHY!

In a recent lecture Mike Press mentioned the theory by Simon Sinek, the 'WHY' discovery! Normally people start with WHAT there going to do, then think HOW there going to do it and finally, WHY there doing it in the first place. Sinek encourages us to ask ourselves WHY first of all. You can discover why by thinking about the times you felt things were totally right and why this was. If things aren't going well then we need to understand WHY? Steve jobs said just before he died, "your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life". This statement really struck a chord with me. It reminds us that we only live once and not to spend it doing something we hate! I'm also quite a home bird and a cautious person and I think I often need reminded to seize the day and take risks in life. He also said, "Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." This is all related to the previous lecture and ties in well with 'Make a job, don't take a job'.I really believe that doing something your passionate about is the way to be content and happy. Like Steve Jobs said, there is no point in carrying on with a situation your unhappy with. Ultimately only you can change your life. I know too many people who have not done things or carried on trudging along for the sake of what others will think of them and probably a fear of starting again! I think I have the potential to be this kind of person and I have to keep reminding myself "To change one's life:  Start immediately.  Do it flamboyantly.  No exceptions."  ~William James.

Design and the market - 'this is not business studies!'

This module is all about introducing us to an enterprising way of thinking and eventually creating and analysing our own business vision. Prof Mike Press spoke enthusiastically about the world of business and design and how if we embrace this ever evolving world then our future as T shaped designers is bright. He mentioned a few graduates that had gone on to create successful businesses out of there deign ideas. How textile designer Johanna Basford and Jeweler  Kate Pickering have created there business models were particularly interesting to me. Johanna has become successful as a commercial designer through effective self branding. Also Kates big online pressence has helped her set up her company Vanilla Ink and her new jewelers collective. All the designers that Mike Press featured were very inspiring and showed what can be achieved by using design and business knowledge together.

A few comments and phrases that stood out from todays lecture were-

• Make a job - Don't take a job
• How do you stand out from the crowd? 
• How do you brand yourself successfully?
• Reinvent yourself when things are going well
• Takes risks 

I am looking forward to this module and the different skills it will teach us about networking and being entrepreneurial. Our 1st task is a group project to create a presentation on a successful designer or company about how they developed their business into what it is today. Some designers I would love to learn more about are Orla Kiely and Celia Birtwell. In a way both of them are similar with their nostalgic yet modern feeling designs and highly successful companies. 

Celia Birtwell has an amazing new book out at the moment. It includes an archive of  her drawings and prints and pictures of her 60s and 70s bohemian lifestyle. Beautiful! Can't wait to get my hands on it.

Orla Kiely has worked her way up through the industry starting as a junior designer and building her business up to the international company that it is today. She is an inspiration.

First things first though, learn how to spell BUSINESS! 

ThE END of the RSA

We were told at the beginning of the RSA project that it would revolutionise the way we approached a design brief and thought about a project from the outset. In the beginning, like everyone, i was confused and daunted by the task to solve an issue through design. However after the initial research my concept came to me quite easily and i ended up creating my range of stylish cycle wear fabrics. I wanted to create something that the cyclist could wear on and off their bicycle with confidence. 

I took my inspiration from the tyre tracks and mechanical workings of the bike itself. I also found this company called 'Dashing Tweeds', that specialise in jackets and capes that have reflective yarns woven in. This is a perfect example of the kind of piece i wanted to create, something safety conscious that doesn't scream reflective.

This board shows some of my development  work, the zig zags taken fro the tyre tracks and my colours taken from traditional tweeds. I got the idea for my colour scheme from the charity cycle ride, 'The Tweed Run'. There catch phrase is 'A metropolitan cycle ride with a bit of style'. It encourages people to dress up in their finest tweeds and ride through the city on there vintage bikes. Its a nice contrast to the neon Lycra of typical cycle wear and this is what attracted me to the idea.

                                                     

                                                        

Here is some of the samples i produced based on my sketchbook work. I printed on silk organza, cotton lawn, jersey cotton and Lycra. The jersey cotton was particularly successful because of its stretchable quality. It would lend itself well to active wear. I looked into reflective dye and after little luck finding the right product and price i had to settle for using pearlescent dyes and silvers foils to show where in an ideal world my reflective sections would be. This did however enhance my skills in using these. I did add reflective ribbon to some samples, for subtle reflective strips.

                                                       

These are some pictures of my designs in context. 

I LIkE tHE WAy i BIkE

 So it's been a while. I can't deny that i neglected my poor wee blog last semester. The RSA project took up all my time and stress but now we're through to the other side i have to say that i really enjoyed it! I chose the brief 'The Good Journey' something to improve your daily commute. I found that studies have shown that the commute is most peoples single biggest stress but cycling is the best way to travel for good well being. So my question was, why do so many people put up with packed tubes and late buses? After doing some research i found that people form barriers towards cycling, one being fear of busy traffic and the other fear of looking stupid. While cycle wear is essential on the bike its often humiliating on foot. So my aim was to create a range of cycle wear fabrics that encompass the right balance of safety, style, fashion and function! I wanted to create stylish designs that included subtle reflective elements, that could be worn on and off the bike.

Here are some sketchbook pages, that show my research and development.