Screen printing and Heat press

About you can see me doing the process of creating a screen print however after several attempts of trying to create screen prints using the prints I had created digitally you can see below it has not worked at all the pattern does not show. I tried this out on three separate occasions, each time we reduced the time that the screen was exposed yet the print continued not to show. After several failed attempts I decided to try out heat pressing my prints on to fabric as you can see further below. 

Heat pressing on to Calico worked really well I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome and decided I word use heat pressing in some way to create a bag as part of my accessories collection. However below you can see it has not quite worked as well as it did on calico therefore I will now have to think of a way to add to it possibly by adding embroidery or embellishments. 

Drapping & Projection

Above I tried using an overhead projector but unfortunately the colour did not show up as well  I had hoped for so I decided to try out a digital projector which can be seen down below.  

Draping different styles which can be seen above and adding projection it create a variation of shapes and ad shadows which would help me create a range of different and unique designs as you can see below. Doing these different draping designs have helped kick start my design process and from these designs below I have managed to create around 30 strong designs which fit well within my theme. 

Interview

Interview with one of the owners of DAR BEIDA MOROCCAN LIVING Bushra Mansoori.  

Questions;

What inspired them to start the business? 

Do they have a mission statement? 

What are the most important areas of the business? 

Customer profile, what is it? Price range? 

How do you design for accessories? Who is it aimed at and why? 

How do you translate your ideas and designs from morocco to the UK? 

What obstacles do you face within the business?  

Has brexit effected the business?  

Recording of the interview: 

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Aq1LldlnWjq1hzq6cqCgQWWO6_11 

Some of the items that were spoken about throughout the interview. 

Link to website is below.

Evaluation of interview  

***Please watch using headphones***

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39xaTPFK5Jw&feature=youtu.be

http://www.darbeida.com/

Diffusion Lines Research

Many fashion houses and designers create diffusion lines, allowing them to sell to a wider audience and not there usual client base for example in 2016 Balmain did a diffusion lie with high street store H&M. doing this enabled a wide variation of people to be able to purchase something from such a well established designer. creating a lot of interest and high amount of sales.

Burberry have a selection of diffusion lines such as Burberry Prorsum, Burberry Brit, and Burberry Sport, but unlike other successful diffusion lines according to huh magazine burberry are considering shutting down these lines and merging the styles back with burberry as the company believes that there customers did not take interest in these lines. 

http://www.huhmagazine.co.uk/10733/burberry-is-scrapping-its-diffusion-lines

Fashion Progression In Morocco

Moroccan fashion design progression. 

The first generation of Moroccan designers were mainly women of the Moroccan elite who had no actual fashion training. They simply were privileged to have experienced growing up with the luxury of quality craftsmanship which allowed them to learn how to sow and embroider at a young age, this was considered as an important part of their education. These women were products of the nationalist movement, as they attended school, wore European clothes and had the opportunity to move to Casablanca once married to live a cosmopolitan and active lifestyle. Although these women had inherited a Moroccan fashion that consisted of heavy fabrics and many layers, which made it difficult and uncomfortable. As garments were wide and long with large belts, this restricted the women in their movement. Therefore Moroccan fashion was no longer considered suitable, and in many ways these women did for Moroccan fashion what Coco Chanel did for European women's fashion some say they liberated women by creating elegant yet comfortable clothes look modern and suitable for a active lifestyle.  

Zina Guessous is one of the designers from the 1st generation born in rabat 1925. Zina Guessous was one of the first designers to modernise the jellaba (kaftan) by redefining their shapes and finishes. what made her most successful was she was able to combine comfort with elegance, as this was something new for fashion in Morocco.

Guessous, Zina, born 1925 - died 1998 (Designer)

In the second generation moroccan 1990s is known as the caftan generation, were the second generation of Moroccan designers emerged. These designers were very different in comparison to the 1st generation designers, due to cultural, political and economical developments starting in the mid-1980s. Moroccan fashion went through the process of professionalisation, designers not only received training in fashion design but also the profession became accessible to the wider public since it was no longer required to study abroad. Although students were mainly taught how to create European fashions such as, trousers, skirts and revealing neck lines there was a longing for modernising Moroccan clothing. So designers began to re-introduce moroccan craftsmanship by mixing the european designs with traditional moroccan materials, patterns and decoration. These designs became very successful within morocco so much so moroccan designers were turned into national celebrities. 

Zineb Joundy is one of these famous designers who is also a member of a well-established Moroccan elite family. Zineb was born in the late sixties her designs were a mixture of european fashion and moroccan decoration. Zineb graduated from a french school in Casablanca, and went on to Paris to study at Chambre Synicale de la haute couture to study french fashion. She also got to work with Karl Lagerfield as well as working in the haute couture of Lavin in 1989. Zineb eventually left and moved back to casablanca to establish her own label which took her two years to train a team and finish her collection which was presented in march 1992. As her background in fashion was french haute couture she initially designed european fashion, but being back in casablanca she began to change her designs by adding moroccan hand crafts and patterns. From this collection Zineb atracted alot of media coverage and was selected for the cover of the first issue of Femmes du Maroc a moroccan fashion magazine in 1996. 

From that  point she began designing all her collections based on local garments and was often asked to represent Morocco word wide. 

Zineb Joundy

Moroccan Fashion & Techniques

Moroccan fashion as tradition. 

When looking at the history of morocco briefly its reveals Moroccan material culture has a long history of external influences due to the import trade routes that fed the local market, as Morocco’s geographical position is on the crossroads of three continents.  In the late fifteenth century After the Spanish inquisition many skilled craftsmen settled in morocco introducing their weaving, embroidery and tailoring skills to the country. 

Moroccan fashion is a huge part of Moroccan heritage and culture and various events in throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries have had a great impact on Moroccan fashion. For example the French protectorate lasted no longer than 50 years yet it strongly influenced Moroccan fashion by introducing the French lifestyle, fashion and culture. This elevated Moroccan fashion as a sign of resistance and nationalism. 

Traditional techniques. 

Moroccan Embroidery; 

Embroidery throughout morocco is not only used on garments and textiles but is classed as a form of art throughout the history of morocco. Young girls were often taught as part of a group under a ma'allema (master crafts woman), they would embroider cushions, throws and fabrics to add character to there own homes and own clothes. Being able to own elaborate embroidered pieces was seen as a status symbol. Like other arts throughout morocco, Moroccan embroidery tend to be abstract, and rarely include figures of a human form. The most common patterns that are embroidered tend to include chevrons, crosses, squares, stars, leaves and flowers. Most floral designs would be quite abstract, some embroidery patterns would be doubled or even quadrupled thread giving a three dimensional look. Historically embroidery throughout morocco would include colours like, black, blue, red and yellow, with white/ivory base so ensure the embroidery stitches would show well. Moroccan embroidery styles are specific and distinctive to certain cities throughout the country. For example embroiderers from the city of Fez are most famously known for creating designs using one colour these designs would also be, detailed, geometric, structured and symmetrical. Yet the embroiderers from the city of Rabat are best known for extravagant, seductive and enchanting  designs that are influenced greatly by the Spanish culture. Most embroidery Rabat is feminine, multi-coloured patterns produced over large surfaces.  

Moroccan embroideries today continues to be very important throughout morocco, particularly for clothing. Moroccan designs nowadays still consist of intricate geometrical patterns used on sleeves and boarders on clothing garments. Although new ways of embroidery have come to light to make things easier and quicker to produce, a lot of the older Moroccan creatives tend to stick to the traditional methods. However the younger generation of Moroccan creatives have now started to use hand guided machine embroidery. This type of embroidery is still beautiful but not as intricate or unique as hand embroidery. 

Moroccan Weaving; 

Weaving is a common form to create beautiful fabrics, throws and rugs. Throughout Moroccan culture it is thought that weaving has Baraka (divine qualities), and the wool used is also thought to be filled with Baraka. The loom itself is believed to be a spirit that has magical traits. Some Berber's believe that the power of the loom begins before its built, for example some Berber's say its bad luck to step over threads before attached to the loom as it may bring a lifetime of bad luck.