V&A gallery / fashion and photographs.

I have visited the V&A gallery and take some photographs of different traditonal wear and of the patterns designs on some of the fashion dresses.

Fashion Industry V&A

In the 19^th century fashion benefited from advances in technology. The development of spring steel led to the invention of the ‘cage crinoline’. This frame of light strong steel wire replaced heavy layers of petticoats and women’s dress became even more voluminous. Although ridiculed by the press, crinolines were very popular and produced in their thousand.

I have putted this little information about the dresses back in the time because it’s interesting to know more about the women’s fashion and especially I do agree that women’s dresses are replaced with the heavy layers dress to became more voluminous because that’s how the traditional dresses are looking like and I can kind of match all this information together and compare the dresses back in the time together with the traditional dresses from different countries in the world.

I had difficultness to find any bar, shops in London with Mexican traditions instead of Nando’s Restaurant but I haven’t seen anything interesting that could catch my eye in there and I could talk about, instead of food which it’s hot and spicy. I know that the main dish in Mexico its called burrito which it’s a wrap with the meat, vegetables and chilli sauces inside it. By the way I would like to focus on fashion mostly by trying to link up all the information which I have collect so far by looking at the Colombian Shop Market, Restaurants, and Museum in London. Because I couldn’t find exactly the Mexican Restaurant with the tradition decorations I have visited the V&A gallery.

I have research for the clothes that could look similar or kind of remind me of the Mexican and South American wear. I have gone to the Fashion exhibition in the gallery and I have founded many interesting dresses with the flowers designs and especially colourful dresses which I was looking for. Because I have chosen difficult Subculture I have to work harder to find as much information as I could to write about it and develop my research more forward by visiting the galleries shops and restaurants. I could not travel to Mexico to get all this information so I have to collect them all in London which is kind of easy because we got mix of cultures and we can get to know more about them and their traditions.

I have visit V&A gallery and went to look at Fashion or any South American exhibition but I couldn’t find that much and I have focused on the traditional dresses.

I have found some interesting dresses which had the flowers design made by the weave technique. I have seen other interesting dress which was sewn with the sequins the whole dress and the flowers design. I found it interesting because it was shiny and the flowers design was sewn into different colours which were interesting. This dress has been exhibit on the manikin with the wallpaper on the back which has the flower design on it and which has remind me of the South American design patterns.

I have also look at the Wedding Dress 1851, which was made in England and it was made with the cotton muslin lined with linen and trimmed with bobbin lace. The dress is linked with the marriage of Eliza Sneath to Joseph Candlin in Sheffield. This dress got my attention because it was white and it has the flowers design fabric next to it. I really like the shape of this dress because I could see the connectivity with the traditional wear in South America because they got this kind of shape and colours of the dresses.

I have looked up the other interesting garment which was the blazer and the wallpaper behind the blazer. This garment looks like it has the print making on it and weave techniques. Leafs design could be done with the print making technique because it has light colours on it and it looks like it has been printed on the fabric. The other flowers design with were very colourful and bright could be done with the weave technique because I can see the thread very closely and sewn into the fabric. I like this idea because I can see that this garment has been created in many ways by using different techniques which is interesting and especially the wallpaper which have the same colours and the techniques as this garment. I like the whole idea that has been presented because it shows the clothes back in the time and the traditional designs and colours.

Photo Shot / South American Style

I have create my own photo shot which will show all the colours and South American wear.


Stylist & Make up - Joanna Betlinska 
Model - Dagmara Drzymota
Photographer - Anna Betlinska

Photos from the interview / food / traditional birthday and wear and house decorations.

Interview / South American Style

I have made an interview with the Colombian family who live in London for many years and who still love their country and still keeping their traditions till to now days. I have asked them 20 questions about their culture and I got interesting information about them and more knowledge and understanding about South America culture, traditions and fashion.

These are the questions and answers below:

I - Hi Claudia I am going to ask you few questions about your country and traditions for my Subculture Research for my university work.

Claudia – No Problem.

I – Ok can you tell me what are the main South American colours?

Claudia – The colours are Red, Yellow and Blue.

I – Which pattern design are the most common in Colombia?

Claudia – The most common patterns are the flowers.

I – What is yours traditional wear?

Claudia – The women’s wear are Black long skirt and white big t-shirt and red flowers on the hair.

Men’s wears are white hats, red tie, white shirt and black trousers.

I – How is your traditional wear different to a man and a women?

Claudia – Women’s have a dress and the man has trousers and this is the only difference but the colours stay the same.

I – What is the name of your traditional music?

Claudia – Cumbia, Horopo and Bambuko.

I – Who is your president?

Claudia – Is a man and his name is Juan Manuel Santos.

I – What is the women’s law?

Claudia – No equal right but many years ago women’s main to be a housewife and a man should work and women’s couldn’t vote.

I – How is woman different to a man in Colombia?

Claudia – Many years ago man was above women e.g. job title, the women was not allowed to work but now a days women’s are above the man’s (laugh). 

I – How is your traditional weeding looks like?

Claudia – We don’t really have the traditional weddings but the main tradition in Colombia is 15(anos) it means 15^th birthday ( girl’s only).This tradition it’s a main one because on that day  girl’s became the women’s and on the celebration day the father its changing his daughter shoes to the heels and that’s how the all celebration works with the dance, food and long hours like celebration on a weeding day. Mexico does do it too.

I – Ok Claudia what is your traditional dish?

Claudia - Sancocho - it’s a soup made with potato with vegetables and meat. It’s a big dish. 

Bandeja Paisa – it’s red kidney beans, rise, mixed meat, fried eggs, plantains ( looks like a green banana) salad and avocado.

I – Which sport is the most common in Colombia?

Claudia – Tejo and Sapo.

I - Which car is the most common in your country?

Claudia – It’s a Jeep.

I – Which instrument is common in Colombia?

Claudia – It’s guitar, maracas and acoredon.

I – In which religion do you believe?

Claudia – Catholic

I – What is family relationship in Colombian culture?

Claudia – The family are very close together.

I – Which animal is the most common in Colombia?

Claudia – The animals?? Hmm are horses and Cows.

I – Are you allowed to marry your cousin in your culture?

Claudia – They do married cousins but not in the church because the church it’s not giving the permission only civil marriage it’s allowed.

I – Which drink (alcohol) is the most popular and what does it looks like?

Claudia – It’s a Aguardiente it’s kind of like tequila shots. 

I – Which drink it’s the most common in your country?

Claudia – It’s a coffee (puindio)

I - Which part of the body does Colombian piercing the most?

Claudia – Eras.

I – Thank you Claudia for your help and for your time and everything that you have shared with me today.

Claudia – No problem I hope I have gave you enough information.

Waikki / Styling documentation.

American Fashion styling and photography documentation.

Directed / Shot/Cut - Tim Jieh

Photographer - Mel Tjoeng (awaywiththebirds.com)

Model - Momoko Mezner  (www.kathymuller.com)

Hair & Make up - Zarriah (www.zarriah.com)

Styling - Geremy Campos (www.geremycampos.com)

Kenzo Takada

Takada is a Japanese fashion designer, who is the founder of Kenzo, a worldwide brand of perfumes, skincare products and clothes.

Kenzo loved fashion at the early age, particularly through reading his sisters magazines, he got interested in to fashion by that time.

Kenzo success started in 1970: during this year he presented his first show at the Vivienne Gallery; his first store, "Jungle Jap" was opened; and one of his models appeared in the cover of ELLE.

I was interested in the designers who come from South America and who are creating South American fashion garments.

Accidentally I have found this designer on my seminar class, I though that he have very rare and fascinated creations and I have founded out more about him. In his work I can see the passion and the whole power he uses in his garments. What I mostly like in his creations are the dresses because each of them has an art inside of it.

Takada is using different type of shape in his garments it seems that he is trying to join the fashion back in the time with modern fashion together.

I can see the relation between his Japanese creation with the South American traditions style because of the colors and shapes he uses in his work. 

In this garment I can see the similarity between the Japanese and Mexican Traditional wear because of the covered head and long dress down to the feet’s. 

This is another interesting image which presents different type of garments and colours at the same time. I like these creations because they are unusual and interesting how other cultures can have similar style but they are still different in the way of their culture, language and different story.

This is the traditional garment in Japan, I have look at this example because I wanted to compare the difference and the similarity with the Mexican traditional wear. The difference between this traditional wear and Mexican its because the shape of the flowers are drawn into the small size and the flowers have one red colour , the flowers are linked on the tree which it’s really traditional in North Asian countries because these kind of tree only rise in their countries such as Japan, China etc… . 

 

I have chosen this image because I like the way Kenzo has created this dress in different colors, patterns which seems like a village style because of the squares patterns light colors and the frills.

This dress has very bright colors but still interesting shapes. I like the way this garments it’s create because when I am looking at this creation I can see straight away that Kenzo is using the traditional wear with out using only modern fashion style which is the most common now a days. It is interesting to see some other clothes like this because we can all get some different ideas and create our own clothes in many different ways by being interesting and looking at different designers work who are going with their creation more through the history and the traditions in different cultures.

Haider Ackermann

Ackermann it’s a French designer who comes from Colombia (Bogotá).

I have chosen this artist because I was looking for the artist who comes from South America and who creates colorful dresses.

Because I am inspired in South American culture and traditions I want to involve some artist who is inspired in the same way.

I believe that Ackerman it’s one of the good examples because he creates his own collection and he is influenced by cultural differences, his fashion contrast and blends dress codes.

He uses simple cuts in his creations which are often asymmetric and sewn of different materials resolutely modern, dynamic and he uses resources of the high and low culture.  Ackerman is using carefully engineered repertoire of garments, instils the vision of a nomad into his work.

Ackerman also is known as the designer who is creating women’s wear and he has been working together with Chanel and Dior.

I got fascinated with this designer because his personality tells a lot, as a small child he has been adopted by French family and moved to another country and started different life, than he grown up and  started his career in France.

I am interested in this designer because I like in the way he creates his collection because they are looking elegant, classic, and simple but still dynamic. I like the colors he uses mostly in his collection which are the pastel colors. I have founded some interesting dresses too and they are present in South American colors which are blue, red, green and pink.

What else I can see that in his creations they are created with lines, spots and patterns which add this effect to his clothes and when I am looking at them I feel like wearing them.

 

I have found one example of this creation I believe is really amazing and is a really good creation.

 

This is another example of his top, trousers, and the dress behind this model. These colors are working together and they are bringing the South American style to me.

I like this creation because is looking smart and the way the colors are linked together it seems they are working really well. 

I was looking for the collection that could remind me more of the South American tradition and I believe this one is a good example because the jacket is colorful; it’s long and it seems like a dress. This jacket has a lot of patterns which suits to this creation and especially the colors in this collection are relating to my Subculture.

This wear reminds me a little bit of Frida Khalo style because of the colors which are red and black. The shape of this jacket or cloak seems like a dress and I found this creation very interesting, rare and beautiful. 

I have chosen to talk about this image as well  because the shape of the top jacket reminds me of the Mexican Traditional wear , they also have push ups on the shoulders and its really interesting to see the similarity in the modern style.

I believe that I have chosen the right images of the clothes of this designer which shows the similarity to my Subculture research; because of the colors, shapes of this garments has and especially I have used the designer who comes from South America and its was nice to found out more about him because I haven’t heard of him before.

Armando Mafud

Armando Mafud

Armando is the most popular Mexican Designer; his creations have traveled to the most popular fashion businesses in the world. In France he was taking part in world champion with Christian Dior, Ungaro, Delacroix and Mauricio Galante.

Armando said about his fashion; I am trying to show my culture ….

Armando was also taking part in the Mexico Fashion Week in spring 2009.

I believe he is right by saying; ‘I am trying to show my culture ‘because in his creations I can see every detail which talks about Mexico his creations have powerful colors and Mexican patterns design. It’s very interesting to have designers like Armando because we can get to know the other cultures and traditions. I think it is really interesting to see the differences between the each designers work, because all of are having a different way to express them self’s in their own way. I will put some photos examples and talk about them.

As I said before, Mexican fashion is based on the colors and flowers design, this image is a clear example of modern Mexican garment. It has the right colors and designs that talk about their culture.

I like the way the clothes are sewn and how they are working together and how the flowers design are bring to the modern fashion.

I really like the way Mafud transfer his design in to the clothes from the objects that are usually made with the patterns it’s very interesting to see the object and garment design working together.

The colors are powerful and it has the all energy inside of it.

I am inspired in this image because I see it amazing in the way Mafud uses the shape of the dress together with the Mexican hat, I believe he creates his culture really well in many different ways.

Before the Mexican hat were reminding me of the men style,  they were more suitable to men because of the shape of this hat and I couldn’t imagine this hat in the fashion show together with the dress. I believe this all suits together and it’s working really well.

I thought that I will have difficulty with finding the Mexican Designer but when I found about Mafud  I knew this is what I've been looking for because his work talks about everything , the colors , design, tradition and their fashion. 

I like this textile design on fabric because it talks about the tradition and religious at the same time. These prints are nicely done on this dress and I can feel the Mexican atmosphere from it.

This is perfect example of the Mexican Fashion because the colors and flowers are suit to each other and they do not only present the Mexican style I can see the connectedness with the Brazilian parade style.

It’s a great example to connect these both cultures in to the one style.

This is interesting idea of having the similar design on the shoes and clothes together.

These patterns talks about the spring and the summer. The way designs are placed on the shoes it seems like a garden with a lot of flowers.

On this image I like the way design are used on this garment and how the design are transferred from traditional design in to the different fashion wear. I found it interesting how the colors which are seem like a spring and summer can be used in the warm garments for the winter wear.