Autumn/Winter 2016 collections

We've just received Donna Collezioni Pret-a-porter for Autumn/Winter 2016/17! A huge glossy extravaganza of ready-to-wear from major fashion houses such as Gucci, Fendi, and Maison Margiela amongst others, it'll get your creative juices flowing if you want inspiration for your own designs.

My own personal favourites include these from Alexander Wang (x2), Marc Jacobs, Moschino, Rodarte, Dolce & Gabbana, and Dsquared2:

Find it on the magazine display rack, get inspired, and get creating!

Fashion show inspiration

If you need a little help getting prepared for your end-of-year Fashion Show, look no further.

How to put on a fashion show gives all the help you need to plan the show, from financing to casting to promoting - plus how to cope with setbacks along the way. Find it at 391.2 in the library.

Complete the look with the right footwear. Shoe lust (shelved at 391.413) will show you all the ideas to set your image off perfectly. With some of the most extraordinary modern shoe designs from all over the world, and interviews with cutting-edge designers, this will inspire your choice.

Come and see us in the Library for more!

fashion and design inspiration

 

Some new books in the Library include an amazing Alexander McQueen book, and in truth, I am as ever, speechless at his genius. See for yourself in the book to accompany this year's exhibition at the V&A, shelved at 391/M.

Details here.

Also new in are Ballgowns: British glamour since 1950, shelved at 391.0904, and Fashion visionaries, at 391, giving a history of 75 great fashion designers classic and modern.

Where should you start your research?

Fashion Design Research is a great book for showing you all the steps to doing effective research for your fashion collection, including how and where to find information; market, fabric and colour research; and how to gather your research together and use it. There's help with tackling your design brief, and starting your sketchbook, with lots of real life examples.

It's a great book to ensure you make a good start with your collection. But I may be a little biased...
"Your college library is a great place to start when seeking informational research... one of the most invaluable resources to be found in a library is the team of librarians."
I love this book! You'll find it shelved at 746.92, with the other fashion design process books.

New for fashion, plus a couple of reminders...

Click the titles for details:

The language of fashion design, by Laura Volpintesta

This gem of a book came in a little while ago and has not yet been taken out! This is an inspirational and instructional book, showing 26 essential elements of language used to describe fashion design concepts, such as layer, surface, drape, and examples to show the meaning and how the elements can be used.

Vogue on: Alexander McQueen, by Chloe Fox

New in, a beautiful exploration of Alexander McQueen's genius collections, scattered with quotes, and filled with lovely photos.

Basics textile design: sourcing ideas, by Josephine Steed and Frances Stevenson

Sourcing ideas is a book based on developing textile designs, but which could be useful for all sorts of A&D courses. It shows you how to observe and analyse, find pattern, shape, texture and inspiration for all sorts of design, and how to present your research in your sketchbooks and moodboards.

Fashion pattern cutting: line, shape and volume, by Zarida Zaman

Lastly, another book which came in a few weeks ago and still has not been taken out. This book has been designed to boost draping confidence and design creativity. It guides you through creating all sorts of 3-D shapes from your flat fabric.

Use them or lose them!

Fashion is BIG this year...

Some new fashion / fashion photography books. These are HUGE, people. Lovely books, but they don't fit in our shelving! So if you're looking for them, you need to hunt on the top shelf of the fashion books as it's the only place they would fit :) Click the titles for details.

Rei Kawakubo ed Terry Jones

Rick Owens ed Terry Jones

Raf Simons, ed Terry Jones

Fashion gorgeousness

New in for fashion and textile inspiration - click the titles for details:

The dress: 100 ideas that changed fashion forever, by Marnie Fogg

The language of fashion: 26 principles every fashion designer should know, by Laura Volpintesta

Reclaimed textiles: techniques for paper, stitch, plastic and mixed media, by Kim Thittichai

Fashion refresh

Click the pics for details: