Log Twenty Six- Almost At The End

I am here adding the finishing touches to everything. I am so excited to how everything has come together. I am relieved yet a little sad it is all coming to an end so soon, it only feels like yesterday I had signed up on this adventure in my career and education.

I won't reflect to much in this blog entry as I am saving that for the Critical Reflection, but I will say this; the course has taught me so much more than I had imagined it would. It has opened my eyes on my path into my career and even made me realise there is so much more to my industry.

This course has really inspired me to research more into the field of fashion from  different aspects. I am seeing fashion in a more academia light and have begun researching and reading on current and future trends, various materials used or will be more widely used, the different terms and extensively the history a fashion which has sparked my interest more than  anything else.

Reading on fashion history has been very interesting in itself. It is fascinating how fashion has changed or even shaped our society and our past. I have even started to share my findings with people on Facebook and my SIG group. In particular I discovered about the origin of the trench coat...

"Did you know... Burberry which was founded in 1856 by 21 year old Thomas Burberry who introduced gabardine in 1880 to his line (a water resistant yet breathable fabric where the yarn is waterproofed before weaving), was commissioned by the War Office in London, England in 1914 to make coats which could adapt to the harsh conditions faced by the soldiers in World War One? Hence their name the "trench" coat. That day the iconic coat was born and after World War One went from a staple to every soldier's life in the trenches to a staple in every fashionista's closet."

Another post I did via my Facebook that I hoped you spawn some interest in not only my current fashion colleagues and friends, but also to those not in the fashion industry was about the first Haute Couture designer...

"Did you know... Charles Frederick Worth is considered, "The Father of Couture"? Born in Bourne, Lincolnshire, England, he not only redefined women's fashionable shape but also the views from that dressmaking was a low class business to a elite and luxurious art form. He displayed model dresses at fashion shows four times a year, he was the first designer credited to putting his labels into his clothes and he was the first of the couturiers (a business or person who makes original garments to order for private clientele). 

It all began in 1846 when Worth made a few simplistic dresses for his wife who was the model at the Parisian drapers' shop, Gagelin and Opigez, that he worked for. Soon enough customers began requesting copies of their own.
When his partners refused to join him into the dressmaking business, Worth ventured on his own with the help of wealthy Swede, Otto Bobergh and together established Worth and Bobergh in 1858. Quickly the aristocratic, royals and celebrities of the time came pouring in, so much that Worth began to turn away customers which added to his demand and allure. After a hiatus during the Franco-Prussian War, Worth reopened his business without Bobergh in 1871 as the "House of Worth".
Worth died in 1895. After the establishment had been passed down from a long line of kin, relatives and descendants it finally closed its doors in 1956. But the House of Worth brand saw a resurgence in 1999 where it has been thriving ever since. Still focusing on the Edwardian corsets that made Worth the fashion success that it was in the 1800's, while giving them a modern twist. But will this brand fair any better in a day that the constricted corset could be overlooked with the 1920's revitalized "flapper dress" trend fast approaching in the horizon ("The Great Gatsby" movie anyone)? I for one would love to see a rebirth of these lavish and decadent designs despite my love for the 1920's, and maybe not so much the terrifyingly tiny waistlines produced by those clinching corsets."

I am so thrilled to see how my research and studies has encouraged to go beyond the rim of learning, has made me so inquisitive about my career and that I will constantly be learning and discovering far beyond this course.

Log Twenty Five- The Results Are Flowing In

Finally I am receiving the results I need from surveys. Unfortunately I could not really do much with results I had since the first batch of people responding to my survey had skipped a few questions which were very relevant to my research. Now I have 62 responses and still counting, mostly from emailing people directly rather than simply posting on my Facebook. I have also posted my survey on Facebook Groups that are directly linked with people working in fashion and have not only received a huge response that way but have been able to get responses from those who are not models, MUAs or photographers. It has enabled me  to broaden my reach to such people in fashion as buyers, stylists, graphic designers, magazine editors and bloggers. I did post on Twitter as Emily Jay was kind enough to suggest but it actually did not make much of a difference as I had hoped.

The responses are really varied but very fascinating. Most are people in the age ranges of 18-24 or 25-34. I have had no responses to those 55 years and older, I'm still wondering why that might be. Another thing I noticed which is quiet strange with the results is that the majority of participants put "Agree" to "Education in fashion is important in the success of one's business in this industry." But when it came to "In the fashion industry success depends primarily on who you know, not how talented/educated a person may be." The majority put "Agree". I have also been putting these results together on Excel to see the correlation between the answers with those who have obtained different education levels.

From what I've discovered everyone firmly believes hard work determines your success, after that opinions differ. Most with Graduate degrees believe the next important step to success in fashion is talent and mastering the latest technologies equally. Those with a Bachelors believe financial support is the next key to success while those with higher education believe highly on connections you have. Again, all very interesting responses and results. Below I have placed a chart compiling all of these results based on education level. Bare in mind these are from the first batch of responses.

I am hoping the results from interviews will begin to help answer why certain groups believe in certain results for success rather than others. This has definitely been a very interesting adventure.

Log Twenty Four- The Business of a Modeling Agency

So it has definitely been a few weeks since I have written my last blog. I got very ill with the flu for a good three weeks and could hardly bring myself to do anything except try and get some castings out for my guys and girls, making sure they got to their shoots and shows. It is so hard to not only sort out your schedule but fifteen other people. I am back to the grind now though.

In my last blog post I mentioned how I wanted to discuss the issue of having the same looking model in your agency could be an issue for your business. I would like to rephrase that now I have been experiencing and seeing a little more of how the industry in Toronto works.

Toronto Fashion Week has come and gone. I was not able to book any of my girls for the onsite shows but I did get some of them though a private off site fashion show. One of the main things I noticed from all the official shows was they picked all the same looking girls and guys. Caucasian blonde with blue eyes and 5'11 plus. This bothers me because when I have talked to designers they always congratulate me on not having the same looking model. Do you not want each of your models representing every single client you have or potential client? Do you not want your client to see themselves in your clothes?

I don't understand who they are trying to appeal to especially since there are no buyers. Toronto Fashion Week is always put together when all the other fashion weeks are done so all the buyers are gone. Yet they still have the same looking model walking down the runway for each show. I then found it hard to book my models due to this fact. They only wanted the same looking girl and guy, so I began to think maybe it is bad for business to have a diverse and wide range of models on your roster. Until I saw David Dixon's show.

David Dixon is one of the most successful designers in Toronto. His designs speak to every single one of his customers. I noticed though for his show he used a wide variety of models, each one representing his customers and Toronto women. I even spoke to him about this and he told me never thought about making sure his models were diverse. As someone who grew up in Toronto this is who he recognizes and this is his customer. It gave me hope about what I am doing and that I am taking my career in the right direction.

I can't believe I am almost at the end of this, it is making me very nervous but everything seems to be coming together nicely. More blogs to come soon!

Log Twenty Two- Update in Career

So it has been an awfully long time since I have done an update. I have been vigorously writing up my Critical Review and running around trying to hand out my surveys but new items in my life have been keeping me very occupied from blog updates, which is bad news for my blog but great news for my career and progress in the fashion industry.

I am extremely happy to announce that I am now a junior agent with TrueColours Model & Talent Agency here in Toronto. I have only been an agent for a month and I already have a solid roster of girls and guys who have also already been booking. The best part is the agency has exactly the same values and ideals as I do when it comes to models. They have a very diverse roster and give all their models different opportunities and experiences in the fashion industry, even finding jobs for acting and theatre.

There is so many different races, sizes, heights and ages that there is no restriction on what is considered beauty. I have been following this guideline while still making sure that my models meet some of the requirements that a high fashion model would meet as well as commercial.

Toronto still has a very outdated view on what a runway model should be. Blonde hair, blue eyes, Caucasian, 5'10 and overly thin body type. I am so proud that my models are so very different but so interesting which may not necessarily help me book them jobs in Toronto, but there is huge opportunity for places like Europe which are constantly trying to be different and look for something new. I would like to help change Toronto's view though. I have also been picking girls who are the trend or standard (blue eyes, blonde hair, tall) but are alternative (tattoos, pink hair) that are actually not considered "standard". Alternative models I have find make the best models, they are so creative and dramatic. They put so much passion into the photos and they have a no fear attitude.

I have really been enjoying it so far but it is a lot of work and does sometimes get in the way of my Critical Reflection progress. Although it has also helped because now I am getting a greater insight and understanding of this industry than I ever did as a model, jewellery designer or stylist. This can definitely help me progress further with the project. I just need to start focusing better on time management.

I will be posting another blog momentarily discussing more about agencies and body images/looks of models. My arguments about why sticking to the standard is not only harmful to your models' health but how it can be harmful to your business (the agency).

I have also attached a collage of some of my girls (and guy) on my roster, I am just extremely and excited to find such a beautiful, talented and interesting group of people. I am looking forward to the progress of this, where it will lead and how much it will impact this Critical Reflection. I am glad I did postpone the due date, this turn around in my life will make for interesting material.

 

Log Twenty One- Pushing On!

Happy Holidays and New Years everyone!

I hope everyone is well rested and ready for 2013! I am finally getting back into my Critical Reflection and survey after these hectic last couple of weeks.

I am glad I took the extension because I must admit I am finding things a little difficult right now. My job hasn't exactly been the dream job or "stepping stone" in my career as I thought it would be. It has been very difficult and not at all fulfilling. But as Paula has said back at the in campus session in October, I just need to put it down to experience.  I have since gone part time so I can once again focus on my Critical Reflection and lower my stress levels, which has helped a little but my work still does not make things easier.

The other issue I am having is retrieving the results back from the surveys. Normally when I go to castings, shows or shoots I try to bring the surveys I printed out and give them to the people there. But lately due to it being not only one of the slower seasons but the holidays I have not been to any of the events I listed above. I have tried posting on Facebook through Survey Monkey but it looks as though I may have to be a bit more aggressive about my postings.

I am also having some issues with getting my words down on paper. I know what I want to say I just don't know how to get them across. I need to somehow organise the jumble of words in my head to make an intellectual and fluent write up. Is anyone else experiencing or have experienced the same thing? Any suggestions on the best ways of approaching this and getting over this hurtle? Anyone having similar difficulties? 

On a positive note, I am getting some interesting results from the surveys I have received. I cannot wait to share my findings and this has really given me a different perspective on the fashion industry and how it is run.

Off to work on my Critical Reflection now, all the best to those submitting theirs on January 7th!

Log Twenty- My In Campus Experience

Now that I am finally back in Canada, well rested, jetlagg averted and with a free day I can finally blog! For those of you who did not know, I attended the in campus session on the 31st of October with my five day trip back to the UK (as you can see I have attached a few photos from my trip including a photo of myself wearing my new Middlesex Uni hoodie). It was a really terrible morning at first, I was violently ill for some reason. Not sure if it was the jetlagg, if I had a twenty four hour flu or I had simply ate something that didn't agree with me. Whatever the reason it was a NOT pleasant trip from Cambridge up to Hampsted Central. But I made it in time to catch the last part of the morning class and have a chance to talk to Paula before the afternoon session. By lunch time I was much better so I could enjoy and partake in the discussions.

I am glad I was able to attend one of the in campus sessions before the course is over, it gave me a greater understanding of my Critical Review and a better idea what I am trying to research. Paula asked me for my question what I was trying to find out and I responded with, "What it takes for one to be successful in the fashion industry?" Paula pointed out that success can mean multiple things to multiple people and that I need to narrow down the term "success" more. I now know that I want to find out how you can be FINANCIALLY successful in the fashion industry. The reason I am going to look into the financial side is because that is one of the hardest things to achieve in the field of fashion. It's not the amount of magazines/commercials you have/your work has appeared in, it's the size of your pay cheque. Success equals financial stability.

Another one of the main points I brought back from the session is to remember when doing your research, do not be one sided. It's important to get another perspective into your research so there is more information to give. They way it was described in the session to get a better understanding of why it is important was see it as a mountain. If you just stare at the mountain on one side you may never find out the mountain has a river on the other side or forest. You need a lot of views to learn more and have a greater understanding for your inquiry.

This affects my research and inquiry because now it has made me think that people in the GTA (Toronto and surrounding areas of Ontario, Canada) may find connections and networking is the best path to success and financial stability but out West in Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, etc), they may see it as what degree/talent you have earned.

I thoroughly enjoyed the session and it was so interesting listening to everyone else's research plans, what they were trying to achieve from their inquiries, future or current career plans and just getting to know those in general face to face (finally) in my group. I loved seeing the Middlesex campus itself and getting my own Middlesex hoodie (thanks Paula), but most importantly getting a better idea of what direction I want to take my critical reflection into. I just wish my stay had been longer.

More blogs to come! Sorry for the delayed blog but I have been so jetlagged since I have been back and my job was taking up so much of my time and energy. I am now part time at my job so that will make such a difference!

Log Nineteen- Welcome back everybody, back to work!

What a summer it has been! I don't even know where to begin. My summer has been pretty eventful going from one new job to another in a matter of month.

I began working at a consignment store as a ways to gain more experience working with high end luxury clothes. I was also hoping to delve more into the social media prospect of the job as part of their marketing team. Unfortunately I learned more on how NOT to run a business especially in the fashion industry.

Run by a former "celebrity stylist" (although I have yet to find out exactly who she has styled for), the store gave me sporadic and last minute shifts, staff had friends come and hang out in the store for three hours, never been cleaned at least until I think until I had set foot in there and they misplaced clients' clothes who had consigned there including mine.

I ended up obtaining a new job at an upscale boutique called MARLOWE. Not only are the items they sell in perfect quality and handcrafted from Italy but it is more to do with wardrobe consulting rather than retail. It is definitely a huge stepping stone in my career as a stylist or a possible permanent career.

On top of getting this prestigious position within two weeks of working with MARLOWE and after hearing about my education with Middlesex, they asked me to help with the social networking with another MARLOWE employee at the Chicago location. That means myself and this other girl are in control of the Facebook, Tweets and Instagram for them.

Luckily with the BAPP program and everything I have learned from it so far, I have been able to make the social networking aspects of MARLOWE a success despite how new it is. I haven't even finished my program and I already have my foot in the door in the career that I want and have been working so hard for.

The modeling is still going well but I am no longer pursuing jobs. I will have people contact me from jobs I have previously worked with but I am slowly moving out of that part of the industry to do more production and behind the scenes.

I hope everyone had a fantastic summer. I will soon be getting hard at work with my survey and I am hoping to make it to the in-campus session at the end of October especially to meet some of you. All the best!