Tailored Cashmere

So this week I'm working on another creation for Escape, a 100% worsted cashmere men's tailored jacket. The fabric is to die for; so lustrous; however, welt pockets are not. I already had to re-cut an entire panel, and I now no longer have cloth left over for mistakes. I'll post a related illustration shortly. In the meantime, wish me luck...

Jessi

Escape

Thanks to my dearest friend Nina for reminding me to post my first range movie, Escape, also made by Ross Charnock. It gives a very good feel for what my range is overall all about. My third year range (surprisingly, called Escape) is an exploration into the psychological experience of the clothes wearer, and what I've done is really tried to create a range that subconsciously gives off vibes of cool, calm and collected and allows it's wearers to feel like they are ecsaping the chaos of daily life. Unfortunately, it doesn't feel like much of an escape to the designer (myself), who has spent countless hours making patterns, sewing, writing theses and rushing around town to numerous fabric shops trying to find bits of this and that, cloth, buttons, etc. I must admit... I can't wait for the end.

Anyways, have a link: http://www.vimeo.com/12291524

Enjoy!
Jessi

It's Ready!

Check out my mohair fashion film here: http://www.vimeo.com/14173250 Comments and feedback are welcome.
Thanks again to the brilliant Mr. Ross Charnock

Jessi

Eight Weeks

My lecturer just waltzed into class and announced that there are officially only eight weeks left until our graduate fashion show, The Collective NMMU (Insert very perturbed face).

That means I have eight weeks to deal with two more outfits, two tailored jackets, a design journal, design thesis, range photoshoot, two presentations to Mohair SA, range mascot and a whole load of other time wasters like tests, assignments and organisational meetings. Maybe I shouldn't be blogging right now...

Fashion Film Update

My fashion film is nearly ready for viewing! In the mean time, check out these stills from the shoot.

Jessi

After the Shoot

One thing I've learnt about the creative industry, is that things never seem to work out the way you imagined them.

The location we chose for my fashion film was an open-air theatre in St. Georges Park, a quaint botanical garden in PE. The theatre area is simply gorgeous, with wind-beaten white pillars and cracked, faded brick steps laid into the grass. We chose this location to make subtle commentary on the fact that cloth architecture played a big role in the design process for the two particular outfits being featured in this film. The outfits are dresses made entirely out of mohair cloth, and I've really explored the capabilities and boundaries of mohair as a textile for this project. Anyway, enough design babble.
We arrived, film equipment and two mohair enrobed models in hand, at the location to find that our fashion film haven had turned into a hobo hotel overnight. The comatose man slumped in the corner; beer bottle still in hand; didn't quite lend us the mystic atmosphere we were hoping for. So it was back to the drawing board. We traipsed back to the car, slightly discombobulated and disappointed, but on a mission to find a new location before the models' make-up faded.
About an hour of driving around the outskirts of PE (with, from my side, only half a clue of where we actually were) led us to it. The Spot. An abandoned building project, which Stacy (one of the models) says has been in this condition for the past few years. It was quite breathtaking actually, seeing two white, soft and fluffy mohair creations placed curiously in this empty, discarded and saddeningly gray cement home. The contrast speaks volumes, and somehow the beauty of these two inquisitive models brings out the shy charm of the dutsy rooms and broken rafters, most of all the experience left me with a bee in my bonnet about the depths of inspiration potential to be found in unexpected places like that one. It was really something to behold, the flow of creativity from all of us in that lonely shell of a building.
While we wait to see the film, here is an illustration I did a few months back of one of my mohair dresses. It's drawn in chalk with a bit of editing in Photoshop.

Bucketloads of thanks to Ross Charnock; cinematographer and editor; who as I type is putting together this mini cinema masterpiece. Also thanks to my enthusiastic and beautiful models, Stacy and Phee, as well as Stuart who tagged along to look after camera equipment. The film will be posted as soon as it's ready! I can't wait!
Jessi

Saturday Morning

...very early. In a few minutes I'll be off to shoot a new short film for my third year range. Why do photographers like working so darn early in the morning? Anyway, I'm excited. I'll post the film as soon as it's ready.


Jessi

I'm a Newbie

I guess I should begin with something like this... Who am I? I'm Jessi, 21, a fashion design student living in the desperately small town of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Who do I want to be? Jessi, fashion illustrator, living the high life in Paris, New York, Milan, or some similar fashion capital of the world. So I'm here to show the world my drawings. Next year, when I have more time, I'm going to be doing an Illustration a Day project. For now, here's my most recent fashion illustration. Enjoy.