Pastels Photoshoot: Becci Short Photography

I originally started my blog to update you guys with my modelling, and I don't think I've posted about one photoshoot I've done yet! So here I start, with the most recent studio shoot I did with Becci Short photography. It's a start, and I'll keep up with it now, promise!

I was excited when Becci contacted me about collaborating on the shoot as I love working in a studio. There's just you, and a white backdrop and it's up to you to bring character to the shot. The theme was inspired by pastels, intending to be quite pretty and girly, but with a harsher facial expression to add an edge. We were kindly given some clothes by Huddersfield boutique Sitting Pretty. The mint green dress I wore was gorgeous, the detailing on the front was so different!

I was also excited to work with Becci as I had seen some of her work beforehand, and word had recently spread that her photos had appeared in Tatler magazine, very high profile indeed! She was a great photographer to work with, I definitely recommend her. Precision was of high importance, to ensure the composition in the shot was perfect. She knew exactly what she wanted to create and gave strong and clear direction. Not all serious though, her instructions at one point was 'Right go mad, give me everything you've got!'

The make up was to be pastel colours, to coincide with the concept. From the picture you can that my eyes were insane! A blend of orange, blue & pink, with a white highlight showed up wonderfully on the final edits. Carlee used an airbrush to apply foundation, something I hadn't experienced before. It was a weird feeling, like someone blowing cold air onto your face, then I open my eyes and wahla my base was done!

The shoot was a mixture of solo shots and group shots with two other models, Rachael and Imeerah. The girls were lovely to work with and made for a really fun shoot. Can't wait to see the final edits and hopefully work with them all again!

Travelling to the shoot on the train with no make up on. :O

My trusty travel bag.

Credits

Photography: Becci Short

Makeup Artists: Carlee Causer & Liza Mooney

Models: Rachael Pitt & Imeerah Ambrose

Location: Leeds College of Art

Civestism: Womenswear by Emily Walton

When fashion designer Emily Walton set out to create her university project, she didn't just want to make a collection, she wanted to establish a brand. From that, Civestism was born.

Interesting prints, silky fabrics and defined silhouettes are the essence of Civestism's identity. However there is much more than meets the eye in terms of what exactly inspires Walton to create her bespoke pieces. I spoke to Emily to find out why domed roofing, the world, and circles are at the forefront of her mind when she's at the sewing machine.
 

So I have to ask, what actually is Civestism, what does it mean?

The word Civestism means 'strange and obscure clothing.' A concept known as circular cut is what I heavily lean towards when designing. It is a concept that was derived and developed through research into architecture. Architecture is taken into consideration when designing, ensuring each design is unique and has an element of circular cut. It is reflected in the clothing in the form of carefully placed seams, raised hems and informed drape. I take this whole concept into consideration when designing for Civestism. Inspired by circles, I'm about creating new silhouettes without distorting or misshaping the body.

 

When did you start your collection?

I started it in October 2012, from my penultimate university project. I'm hoping to continue and develop it into my final collection in 2013 and then hopefully even further after I graduate.

 

How did you get to where you are today?

I got to where I am today due to my love for fashion and art. From a young age I was always drawing and colouring, and when I took up textiles in high school I instantly fell in love. When I turned 16 I joined a sewing class and bought my first sewing machine, so I could pursue my dreams of making my first garment. Continuing textiles through college, I made the decision to further my passion and study at university. Some people laughed at first, which just made me want to work harder and prove them wrong. I obtained a place at my first choice university, which has broadened my knowledge, enabling me to know most of things I know today.

 

How would you describe your label?

Civestism has its own identity. It is both unusual yet traditional, taking inspiration from the natural world. It is dark and mysterious, yet playful and adventurous. I aim for my clothes to be subtle, yet eye catching.

 

Who is Civestism aimed at?

My clothes are aimed at anyone who is fashion forward and dare to wear something different. The market level I am designing into is he designer diffusion level.

 

Where do you get your inspiration from?

My inspiration has come from several places. The shape of my clothes originally came from architecture, and in particular domed roofing. I am currently working on designing my own print to reflect Civestism. This is inspired by the natural world, but not necessarily just pretty flowers. I look at the world as a circle in itself: It's born, it lives, it dies. Taking this into account I set about on various trips to places, where nature is free to grow in it's own weird and wonderful ways. From this I have derived a series of photos which I am in the process of photoshopping together to create the print.

 

Is there anything that your particularly proud of?

I guess I'm proud of most things that I've done, it's all been one big learning curve. But I think I'll be most proud when I see my final collection go down the catwalk. I'll probably cry!

 

What do you enjoy about fashion design?

I enjoy the final result when it comes to designing. The process between the initial design and the finished piece is usually quite long. Seeing the end result is always so rewarding. When I hear someone say they love a garment I've made, it makes me feel amazing!

 

Do you have a favourite piece?

I do have a favourite piece, although it isn't actually made yet. I've practiced making a jacket, but not in the final fabric. I want to use real leather that has a foil effect, in a bleached gold colour, it's going to be a key piece in the final collection.

 

What does the future hold for Civestism?

In the future I would love for my label to be desirable. To see women wearing it on a day to day basis. Although I know there's a long way to go from now until then.

Finally, what advice would you give to other aspiring fashion designers?

To follow your dreams, don't let anyone get in the way and don't ever look back...

 

I must say that writing this piece, for me, was incredibly interesting, I feel like Emily has taught me something I didn't know about before. I'm not a fashion designer myself, but I see the way the design process works in a whole new light. The obscure and odd items that some may see as nothing, become a whole concept and act as inspiration in a person's label. I wish her the best of luck in completing her final collection, and when the time comes, have tissues at the ready!

 

The Big 21!

It's 7am, and I'm running the shower, intending to wash off my fake tan from my birthday meal the night before. I look out of my living room window, our street is glistening with a light coat of frost. The thermostat reads 10.5 degrees. Not sure I can be phased however, as it's my 21st birthday tomorrow, and as a present I've been given a week away to the Canary Islands. As mentioned in my previous post, I've never really travelled anywhere so my excitement is naturally through the roof. The kettle boils and my breath, visible due to the coldness, erupts from my mouth like a fire breathing dragon.

I remember being younger, just before leaving for our holidays my Mum would clean the house from top to bottom. 'I don't want to come back to a messy house' she would tell us. We had to make sure our bedrooms were tidy, something I never understood. Now I do. The post-depression of having to come back from holiday is one thing, but having housework to return to is another. Hence me spending some time repeating my Mother's standard ritual before we left.

Boarding pass: check. Passport: check. Hotel booking confirmation: check. We were good to go.

I've only been on a plane twice, once was when I was 6 and then earlier in 2012 when I went to Paris. So I'm not really accustom to the whole flying process as of yet. Every noise makes me jolt in my seat. It's the taking off and landing that I'm not really a fan of. Being mid-air is fine, and having a window seat is a must. Luckily we didn't experience any turbulence, only slight pain from our ears popping upon descent into the islands airport.

Staying in the south of Tenerife, we quickly understood that we were slightly unfortunate in terms of the location of our hotel. 'Laguna Park 2, up Cardiac Hill?' would be people's responses once we told them where we were staying. After a couple of days it became second nature, we called it the daily climb.

The first couple of days were spent lounging on the beach or by the pool. The heat was ridiculous to say that it was January. It managed to reach highs of 28 degrees during the day, and a respectable 17 in the evening. It was odd to see that the locals were layering up during the early mornings. Obviously used to a more extreme level of heat, they found this time colder and less bearable. Tourists could be seen walking around at 8am in shorts and t-shirts, baffled to see people wearing gloves and fleeces.

My fair skin stood no chance against the relentless blaze of the Spanish sun. By day 3 I found it hard to sleep on my back, as I had caught so much sun on my shoulders. The feeling of getting a cold shower at the end of the day, followed by plastering myself in after sun quickly became my evening routine.

My actual birthday was on Monday 14th. Even though it was still humid and warm in the evenings, I had to put a light layer of make up on at least! I had been so good all holiday, but I was determined to have a little bit on. The night started with taking advantage of the all inclusive drinks at the resort. The cocktail of the day changed from Sex on the Beach to Pinacoladas. After a few of these we were well on our way. Alex's sports bar was our next pitstop, to meet up with some people that we'd met in the hotel. It was a popular choice for many tourists as it had free Wifi, oh and pints for 1 euro. After talking to a few people we found out that the place to be in Tenerife was 'The Patch.' It was like a mini Vegas strip, of pubs, nightclubs and strip bars.
The group we had formed made a habit of telling everyone that it was my 21st, resulting in more and more drinks flying my way. By 1am, it was karaoke time. Unbeknown that I was next, I was ushered onto an X-Factor mark on the floor of a British bar, and a microphone put into my hand. 'Thank God she's not shit' the guy commentated as I opened the first line.
A cocktail was waiting for me after I had finished. The DJ had it on the edge of the booth. 'This, has a very special name, for a very special reason.' he warned. 'Its called the Oooh Ya Bastard. Which you will find out is rightly named after you down it in one.' So I did it. In front of a bar of strangers, all chanting 'Down in one! Down in one!' Followed by a cheer afterwards. I do not remember much after that, lets put it that way.

The following day resulted in me feeling extremely fragile, and so not much could be done in terms of activities. It was a day of relaxing in the sun, sipping water and topping myself up frequently with paracetamol.
 

Siam Park

Coming to Tenerife is all about the water park. Everywhere we went, the air was buzzing with the sound of people talking about Siam park. We couldn't not go. An Arabian theme nursed the park, with warm water and music, the atmosphere was amazing. Everyone, no matter what age, were seen getting giddy and releasing their inner child. Once they had got off one ride, running back up for round two. Due to visiting the island out of peak season, it meant that we didn't experience any queuing for rides. It was great!

The weightlessness feeling when flying down a water slide on a foam board, face first puts butterflies in your stomach. Although it was the Power Tower that defined your bravery. Climbing the stairs puts an airy feeling inside you. When you finally reach the top you are greeted by two instructors. One with a visual board. 'English?' he would ask. I nodded in agreement. 'Okay, lay fully down, legs and arm crossed tightly and head back. Yes?' Again, the only movement I could muster was a nod. From the top you can see the whole park. The feeling of adrenaline, slowly begins to elevate your heart rate. Lying down at the top you are put into position and then gently pushed down using your shoulders. The initial whoosh of adrenaline is incredible! You literally feel a surge rushing through you. Straight down at an impeccable speed, the tunnel goes through a pool of sharks and other sea life. I didn't see any of this, my eyes were shut so tight. The huge build of suspense, the burst of adrenaline was over in a matter of seconds. You come out in a pool at the end, surrounded by the people who only dared to watch those going down.

Loro Park

The other main attraction of the island is the wildlife park. Loro park celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2012, and is like a sister park to Siam. The first animal we were greeted by were the gorillas. Three of these magnificent beasts were free to roam around a very generously sided enclosure. Further into the park was the aquatics centre, which was home to penguins. Emulated conditioned allowed them to swim freely and bury themselves in an imitation of their natural habitat.

I recently adopted a meerkat and was scurrying around looking for their enclosure. When I finally found them, I got so giddy! They are my favourite animal and so were photographed twice a much as the others. Nobody else could get a look in!

At regular intervals there were shows allowing us to see just how wonderfully intelligent these animals really are.

First was the dolphin show, a spectacular array of talent from the oceans most clever sea creature. Orca whales and sea lions were to follow, showing how the trainers can develop a truly unique bond with the animals. Sitting in the Splash Zone, we were put up onto the big screen when inevitably we were soaked by one fancy flick of an orca's tail.

The rest of our time was filled with wandering around, stopping every few meters to get a picture in front of something touristy. That's what I love about holiday. Getting dorky pictures, cheesy smiles and not wanting to go home. Meeting strangers in bars on nights out, and bar hopping like you've known them for years. Exchanging stories of what you do, where you're from, where you're staying and who you're with. Going on holiday creates an atmosphere of a whole new you. You encase yourself in a foreign bubble, allowing yourself to let your hair down, and you can't help but feel saddened when it's time to go home.

Our plane landed and it was minus 1, the complete opposite end of the scale. I hadn't had goosebumps in a week, I get off the plane and I'm immediately covered in them!

Oh well, back to normal day to day life. Except for the fact I have an insane story of how I turned 21!
 

Panic Packing and Holiday Reminiscing

Am I the only one who leaves packing until the day before I go!? I find myself scrambling about at the last minute, stuffing things into my suitcase, after kidding myself for the past few days that I'd have loads of time. I do it every time!

Plus, I always seem to think that I have to take everything! I try and muster up uses for outfits that I really like, even though they're absolutely not going to be suitable. I've just bought a pair of suede leggings from Mint Velvet, and desperately want to wear them. Although I don't think that Tenerife at 22 degrees is going to be the best climate. Unless I want to replicate Ross and his leather pants fiasco.

We weren't big on travelling as a family when I was younger. We were campers. We'd haul up to a campsite, roll onto our designated patch of grass, and literally set up camp for a week. We were practically pro's by the time we were in our early teenagers. We had a 13 man tent! Except for the fact that there were four of us, not sure what really lodged that idea into my Dad's head. After a few hours of putting up the tent, unpacking our clothes into a pop up wardrobe and blowing up our air beds we were set. I loved camping. When we went back to school after the six week holidays, all the other kids were really tanned and had stories of how long they spent in the pool or on the beach, me and my sister told our friends we had been camping. 'Oooh where? France?' No, in the Lake District. It rained and we stayed practically outside. But our stories we had to tell we're better.

My Dad is a very 'hands on' person when it comes to holidays. There's no sitting around and letting time pass, he would find days out, mountain walks and climbs. One day we were greeted with 'Right up and at 'em, today we're going to climb a mountain.' The look of utter horror on my Mums face was our hint that he wasn't lying. So in 2007 I climbed Mount Dodd with my family. It took us five hours up and then about 4 back down. The atmosphere and scenery when we reached the top was enough to silence all of us. I class it as one of my greatest achievements.

So to be going away to the Canary Islands, as a gift from my boyfriend for my 21st, is exciting. I'm not used to packing sun cream, and anti-bug repellent as it wasn't really necessary for our family getaways. I'm in a whole new ball game.

Reverting back to the whole packing problem, how do you know you're not going to need every pair of shoes you own? The only thing restricting me is my partner banging on about the baggage allowance. I didn't even know there was a restriction! I thought it was, if it could get in my suitcase it was allowed. As in I'm restricted to one bag, I didn't know the weight mattered!

So I'm a total newbie when it comes to going away. But to be somewhere where the temperature isn't going to be a minus number in January is a big bonus! When I turn 21 I'll be sunning it up, sangria in hand, wearing my sunnies and probably not even touched half of what I packed.