Lee Thomas, a freelance designer, also works as a communication lecturer at UWIC. His designs have appeared in many well know companies such as Topman, Burtons and White Stuff. The lecture we had with him was mainly directed at recruitment agencies in the creative industry and careers. He strongly stressed the need to get yourself known through agencies and to have a point of contact through technology such as a blog or website so that your name is considered for future work.
Potential Agencies:
Trends:
If you were to work as a freelance designer, keeping up with trend forecasts are imperitive to the success of your designs. Unfortunately, many of these trade resources are too expensive for an individual to afford. Therefore, such trend sites as the WGSN are very desirable sites to have access to. The WGSN or Worth Global Site Network is an internet based company which dictates the trends for all companies including the high street stores Topshop and River Island. With subscription costs of 12,000 a year, WGSN client base is limited to the big names in the fashion industry.
However, there are sites out there to help those that cannot afford such sites. Mudpie Trends is a trend website that allows for a free trial and free newsletter but the trendbooks start at £700!
Drapersonline.com - fashion news, jobs and trends.
How this lecture helped....
I found Lee's lecture extremely helpful in preparing us on how to look for graduate jobs. Although I am not entirely sure what designer pathway to continue on as yet, one thing I do know is that you have to keep promoting yourself all time in order to be seen.
Relating this to the Warm Weaves business, my group set about researching appropriate colour trends and designs that would fit in for summer 2011, the release of our scarves. We also wanted to strengthen our identity so we decided to limit our colour palette to the ones seen on the Bliss website thus reducing production costs. Below is a summary of our colours.
Our three designs for the scarves have been designed individually, reflecting our unique style. As designers we had to be aware of our client base - mothers. Within my design, I took a more contemporary approach following a feminine path appealing to a more modern mum, who likes the abstract. Helen's design chose to follow the folk trend for summer 2011 exclusively working with owls and foliage appealing to an older generation. Mair's design also followed the folk trend but uses russian dolls, buttons, ribbons, birds and cup cakes appealing to mothers and children alike. To view these designs please go to warmweaves.blogspot.com.
Potential Agencies:
- Smith and Pye
- In Design
- ESP Recruitment
- Aquent
- CVUK
- Absolute Zero Degrees
Trends:If you were to work as a freelance designer, keeping up with trend forecasts are imperitive to the success of your designs. Unfortunately, many of these trade resources are too expensive for an individual to afford. Therefore, such trend sites as the WGSN are very desirable sites to have access to. The WGSN or Worth Global Site Network is an internet based company which dictates the trends for all companies including the high street stores Topshop and River Island. With subscription costs of 12,000 a year, WGSN client base is limited to the big names in the fashion industry.
However, there are sites out there to help those that cannot afford such sites. Mudpie Trends is a trend website that allows for a free trial and free newsletter but the trendbooks start at £700!
Drapersonline.com - fashion news, jobs and trends.
How this lecture helped....
I found Lee's lecture extremely helpful in preparing us on how to look for graduate jobs. Although I am not entirely sure what designer pathway to continue on as yet, one thing I do know is that you have to keep promoting yourself all time in order to be seen.
Relating this to the Warm Weaves business, my group set about researching appropriate colour trends and designs that would fit in for summer 2011, the release of our scarves. We also wanted to strengthen our identity so we decided to limit our colour palette to the ones seen on the Bliss website thus reducing production costs. Below is a summary of our colours.
Our three designs for the scarves have been designed individually, reflecting our unique style. As designers we had to be aware of our client base - mothers. Within my design, I took a more contemporary approach following a feminine path appealing to a more modern mum, who likes the abstract. Helen's design chose to follow the folk trend for summer 2011 exclusively working with owls and foliage appealing to an older generation. Mair's design also followed the folk trend but uses russian dolls, buttons, ribbons, birds and cup cakes appealing to mothers and children alike. To view these designs please go to warmweaves.blogspot.com.
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