Wednesday, August 31, 2011

food . fashion . styling . updated . finished


t h e   f e d i s a   c o o k b o o k

The cookbook was our first look at food styling and using unconventional elements for fashion. The problem was not creating garments out of food, the problem was using food that you could make garments out of. We had three weeks to create a cover and a starter meal, 1 page each and then next cycle of three weeks we have to do a double spread of a main course and a dessert. 

after a lot of research, chopping and changing, pun intended, I ended up using pasta. I felt that I could trick it and mold it into pretty much any form I wished. Which in the long run, would make for hot pictures. 






My model was the lovely Emily George, an old family friend, who gave up her Sunday for me. Thanks deary.

I styled the fashions && took these picture myself, only having to edit them slightly using photoshop. . . 


{ peace && love }

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

tough week? bring it.

t h i s   a r t   t h e   e n d 

don't want to chat, just want to blog.
  
such a long week . . .  already and it's Tuesday. sneaking away ten minutes from my assignments to sneakily sneak in a outfit post. Stressign about next year and what's going to happen . . . but just want my Graduate Collection to pull together now. One more outfit, and a couture wedding dress to go, then DONE!

The very last ART week ever at fedisa.
Being a Third Year is pretty intense, but it's almost over now. BUT I'm in a bad mood because all the work is coming thick and fast, and I feel that nothing is getting finished.





tough week . tough people . feeling a bit hurt by 'friends' but looking forward to a very special group of Triplets 21st birthday event on Sunday. Glad to have some true friends surrounding me that make me happy with just a cup of filter coffee with foam :)

Thank for the love, okes.

what I'm wearing

denims - RE:Jeans, Woolworths (DIY Distressed over the years)
Floral patterned shirt - Mr Price
Black Satin Blazer - Mr Price
Leopard print heels - Luella
peacock feather necklace - Diva

{ peace && love }

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

PETA: Fur or Faux


Furs and exotic skins in fashion have always been a very sensitive issue, that spark controversy. Fur flows into fashion trends and many a famous face is framed by a stole or mink jackets, whilst swinging an endangered, exotic skin handbag on the arm. There has recently been talk of animal pelt being named a ‘eco-friendly and green’ design aspect, though it questions the ideas of ethics and morals for fashion. Thousands of animals are mass slaughtered for clothing every year, and there are only a few laws guide lining some of these houses, as not all of them are governed by ecologically advancing governments.
PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, is an international organisation that. The project is based in Virginia in the United States of America, and has opened international branches. In 1980, Ingrid Newkirk and Alex Pacheco, animal activists, started this organisation to create an awareness to the cruelty going on in the world revolving around animals. The organisation has over two million followers, internationally.

Their motto is that “Animals are not for us to eat, wear, experiment on or use for entertainment”. They run a large “No Kill Movement” regarding lost and found animals in pounds or animal shelters, and encourage “adoption” rather than euthanasia. They promote an overall ‘animal-friendly’ lifestyle, including vegan and vegetarianism, non-leather wearing and definitely no killing for fashion. The main branch of PETA is the “The Cruelty-Free Lifestyle” they promote. The people of PETA are known for are their exaggerated protests, consumer boycotts and anti-cruelty campaigns.

“I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” was launched in the 1990’s and was a huge success. Many celebrities such as Natalie Imbroglio, Pam Anderson, Holly Madison, Khloe Kardashian and Eva Mendes pledge this lifestyle choice. Another big PETA Celebrity Campaign Movement was “Ink Not Mink”. Waka Flocka Flame, Duff and Susan McKagan, Tommy Lee and Dave Navvarro were some of the faces behind this campaign. Other famous campaigns over the last twenty years have been “Save The Seals”, “Here’s the Rest of Your Coat” and “Your Wouldn’t Wear Your Dog”. The names of the anti-fur campaigns are used for the maximum effect, are catchy and roll easily off the tongue. The posters have personalised slogans from the naked celebrity, and this makes the direct, personal contact with the viewer. The print adverts have made a big impact in the fur industry, because people look up to ‘stars’ and famous faces for advice on life and lifestyle choices.
 


Elizabeth Hurley shocked the PETA group and animal activist world when she appeared in an advertising spread of the world renowned American fur house, Blackglama. Gwyneth Paltrow, who is an apparent “green-Activist”, fell claim to a bad contract agreement and was photographed in a fur stole for a commercial of an unnamed Italian fashion house. Jennifer Lopez has recently released a new fashion line, Sweetface, that contains furs and pelts of exotic animals. As celebrities of the modern day are the trend setters, why don’t they make the move into the new age of faux furs?

There has been an outburst after Paris Hilton as flour bombed at New York Fashion Week by PETA representative protesters because she was wearing fur. The fashionistas, pro-fur designers and fur farms are leading investigations into how fur is perfectly environmentally friendly, as well as fully sustainable. It has been said by many, for years, that fur should be accepted into daily life and that it should no longer be seen as animal cruelty. Welfare laws have been introduced into constitutions all over the world.
 
The economy of many countries rely on the fur trade industry. Ice-bound countries, such as Greenland and the Northern parts of Canada and Russia depend on fur for warmth and protection from frostbite. This creates a difficult situation for organisations such as PETA and Greenpeace.

The argument of “Fur or Faux” has been controversial for decades. As harmful and inhuman as mass animal slaughter for fashion is, the production of Fur Alternative is extremely harmful to the environment, as it is biochemically created in factories. The fumes and emissions that are released into the air during the process of creating the fibres for the faux fur strands are harmful if inhaled by humans and animals.
 
Many people are misinformed as to wear the fabric materials come from. Down Goose feathers, that are used for bedding, are the quill-less feathers that lie closest to the birds skin. The retraction of these soft feathers is imposable while the bird is alive. The cocoon a silk worm produces that is spun into silk is the soft casing for the metamorphic stages of the worm. Without these pods, the worm cannot live. It takes 1580 silk worm casings to create one kilogram of useful fabric.

PETA encourages it’s followers to boycott all animal products, by-products and designers who are pro those things. Leather, being a ‘left over’ from the food industry, included. Unfortunately, some of the by-products include wools. The animals that are in this group of material are regular sheep and more exotic creatures like llamas and alpacas. Research has shown that that, if done correctly and at the correct times of the year, the animals do not suffer any traumatic stress for the actual shearing the fur off. The trauma comes from the shearers who have been recorded punching sheep that wriggle and whinny, in the side and have even gone so far as to hit the animals in the nose with the shears until they bleed. This too is unnecessary and cruel. If this process was regulated and correctly run, with the animals rights closely monitored, this would not be harmful to animals. Wool could replace most of the need for fur, especially where there is a need for warmth.

If the world was run by organisations such as PETA, no animal would go harmed unnecessarily. Though this is an unlikely haven that is only welcome to be in the minds of the animal lovers of the world. The two million vegetarian, animal lover followers of PETA are greatly outweighed by the remaining meat eating population of the Earth. Fur is a reoccurring fashion trend. If celebrities stopped wearing fur, fur farmers created an ethical way of life for the animals and designers used alternative fabric materials, the people of fashion would not have to be flour bombed or bomb-barded with campaigns to “Save the Seal” and “Ink not Mink”. It should be an everyday thought process in the minds of the world, politicians and all social movements.

I’d rather go naked than wear fur.
{ peace and love }

sources: www.peta.org . Fur Fashion Dilemmia: Sustainable Product or Animal Cruelty: Lucy Debenham . http://www.culturefeast.com/fur-fashion-dilemmas-sustainable-product-or-animal-cruelty/

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

meeting new people

j u s t   a   l i t t l e   i n t e r v i e w   w i t h   K o b u s

I have been trying for a while to get these interviews rolling, but with college and such taking over, It's hard to sneak in sometime to spread the love about who I have unearthed.

Was meant to be the beginning of Rapid Fire, but this gent was just to interesting to only weasel short answers out of him.

Kobus Snyman .


Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Jacobus Snyman and I'm a photographer.


Favourite part of what you do?

The favourite part of what I do is to create an idea. Sometimes its a mirror, for the viewer to put themselves in relation to the subject and in some cases its a window, where the viewer gain insight into the subject's being/life/-style/character. For the ones who look close enough, photography not only comments on the subject, but also on the photographer and its this dynamic that I thrive on - how much is the subject and how much is the photographer?

Where's 'hometown'?

I'm from a small town called Prince Albert. Its in the Karoo, located at the foot of the Zwartberg mountains

Lifestyle/Fashion Icon?

the photographer Mariano Vivanco does my head in. I wish I had his eyes and Mc Queen's rock star lifestyle. Give me another 10 years - I'm going to be raging :)

Tape/CD/MP3/Ipod?

Definitely ipod.

What's your favourite artwork/picture and why?

Pieter Hugo did an exhibition in New York a few years ago about men and hyenas from Lagos.

This image captivated me. The man in the photo looks strong, confident and masculine - to me the low angle makes him look important, even royal, like an African king, however his immediate surroundings shows that he is poor and pretty much only owns the shoes on his feet. I love how the photographer managed to capture this contradiction.

Why photography/image styling?

This is how my brain works, this is how I think, how I process, who I am. I think in pictures.  

Words of wisdom for those to follow?

Words of wisdom? Just do it. Jump!

What next in life?


Ha! I'm 25 and it feels as if it hasn't even started yet. To me it feels as if I'm not even on the board yet. I'm still just on the outskirts, observing the game and taking notes ;)
 
Website/facebook/twitter/snailmail? 
 
twitter: @thatjacobus

thoughts on summer by Jacobus Snyman, 2010













these pictures where how I found out about Kobus, hot hot hot work! I love his styling and fluidity of the photographs. They work as single shots and as a series. he has lots lots more, but I'll leave some for you to discover on your own. Just remember you saw him here, first ;)
ya digging it?

{peace and love}

Saturday, August 13, 2011

The Rosary

R E L I G I O U S   J E W E L R Y   I N   F A S H I O N :

So. happy Weekend, to those who are not studying a fashion deign degree and actually get weekends. For us at fedisa, it's just a longer day to work with more hours. Which is always useful.

We are in the midst of writing our seemly last dissertation of our degree with the theme being Trends in History . . . we were given topics and we must find a trend in said topic and elaborate.

One of them caught my attention more than others because I have had personal experience with this. I am openly open and aware to all religious, beliefs and faiths around me. I love fashion, trends and people what make themselves known through these things.

THE ROSARY AND SAINT BRACELETS

A Rosary is a strand of prayer beads that are used during the Catholic Marian Devotion, during which Hail Marys are recited. The number of beads provides a physical method of keeping count of the Hail Marys said. They are kept in the pocket of Catholics to remind them to pray. A Saint Bracelet is to the same effect.

The word comes from the Latin term, rosearuim, which means “Rose Garden” or “Garland of Roses”. Tradition says that Saint Dominic, a Carthus monk, was given the first rosary by an apparition of the Virgin Mary. The prayer beads can be made from wood, jade, amber, stone and precious metals. Simply, the rosary is a long loop of small beads in groups of ten, and ever tenth small bead, there is a bigger one. There are about nine of these ‘decades in a loop, and then a crucifix hangs off the end of a ‘decade’

In recent fashion, the Rosary is being worn around the neck, as a necklace. In the 80’s, Madonna was photographed for her cover and during her video of Like a Virgin and in the movie, Desperately Seeking Susan, wearing a silver Rosary. This was the first look at religious symbols being used as fashion accessories.



In the popular recent movie, Twilight, Kristen Stewart is seen wearing a Saint Bracelet, as her character Bella.


Other celebrities to push this religious jewelry fashion are the Gotti Brothers of Growing Up Gotti, The men of Jersey Shore, Britney Spears, popular music and rappers such as Justin Bieber, 50 Cent and Jessica Simpson and sportsmen like David Beckham.

And let's just be honest, once the Biebs has done something, it's going to be a trend.

The Catholic church is appalled at the sacrilegious use and blatant lack of respect that people portray by wearing the religious statement pieces, and they say it is devaluing the history and traditional religious value those rosaries have. It is a hot topic of interest at the moment, with my bloggers and online magazines posting polls about whether or not this trend should be allowed.

this picture is one of some good boys I've known for years, 16 years old, sporting a fashion that has such huge connotations behind it.
It looks pretty good, and it's good to see men/boys accessorising, but is this the way to do it? I'm not sure where they saw it, but that is my point - it's everywhere.

The Christian Orthodox version of these is a Prayer Rope. It is very similar in that the rope is simply a long stand of knots and beads, with a tassel of rope at the end, where the crucifix on the traditional rosary hangs. It will only be a matter of time until this too will be seen in fashion. 
I have this general idea for things like this:

understand what you are doing and take the consequences that come with it.
Religion is huge, and with so many people these days having open ideas behind what they believe, eventually people are going to forget the actual meaning behind the styles.
 what is your take on this trend? Do you follow it? Get it? Hate it?

peace & love

pictures: 1 / 2 / 3

Friday, August 12, 2011

food . fashion . styling

t h e   f e d i s a   c o o k b o o k 

for the past three weeks, things have been CRAZY! workload in over drive and working hard to get everything done . . . six projects at once and no of them coming together well enough . . . 

The cookbook was our first look at food styling and using unconventional elements for fashion. The problem was not creating garments out of food, the problem was using food that you could make garments out of. We had three weeks to create a cover and a starter meal, 1 page each and then next cycle of three weeks we have to do a double spread of a main course and a dessert. 

after a lot of research, chopping and changing, pun intended, I ended up using pasta. I felt that I could trick it and mold it into pretty much any form I wished. Which in the long run, would make for hot pictures. 



My model was the lovely Emily George, an old family friend, who gave up her Sunday for me. Thanks deary.

I styled the fashions && took these picture myself, only having to edit them slightly using photoshop. . . 

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

these fed dolls know how to work

" Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance. "

college has been on long day blurred into one month of hard, hard work, some strange happenings in class and the occasional FUR or FAUX arguement while we plot on with our assignments. . .

But all work and no play makes Jenna a dull designer.

On Sunday, the 4 September, some of the fedisa ladies took to the clubs of Durbanville for a little R&R. It was The Da SIlva Triplet's 21st brthday party, and them Portugese know how it's done.













DISCLAIMER* this party had nothing to do with fedisa, the lecturers or other students, except the ones photograhed. FEDISA is not a party school, but this is how fashion designers go out in style.

I have made such amazing friends in my time at this college, friends I hope to keep forever.

{ peace and love }

Friday, August 5, 2011

my vintage lifestyle experience

A  L I T T L E   B I T   O F   V I N T A G E

I would never have thought that thirty days would have made such a big impact in my life. This internship has changed my outlook on the future, and opened my eyes to a broad spectrum of industry that I have not explore yet.

I was given many tasks throughout my thirty days. These tasks included researching a topic and writing an article, creating a skirt pattern and sewing it, selling advertising and attending meetings with designers and store owners. I was lucky enough to attend a bloggers event as The Intern, as well as The AFI Foschini FastTrack Day at Fashion Week.










Because I was given the full month to complete my internship, I had time to complete blog posts on the events and meetings. I had to learn to keep certain pieces of knowledge a secret, as any sharing of information could lead to a cancelation of all the work we had put in already.

I enjoyed sitting in on the meeting with the designer that was donating clothing for the photography shoot.
My favourite part of my time at Vintage Lifestyle was being the broad spectrum assistant on the set of the fashion shoot on location. I had not yet been on location of an official magazine editorial photography shoot, with a full team of a photographer, make-up artist and a hair stylist. I enjoyed the styling and watching the shots take place. The photography shoot is kept simple, and down to basic beauty and talent. There are no smoke and mirrors, no reflectors, light shields or flashes, because “that’s just not vintage”.





I loved that, although the magazine has a large target market, the team was young and updated. I felt that this was a leading factor in the Magazine’s success. There were many people involved in making my time at Vintage Lifestyle Magazine a learning experience, full of knowledge in many fields of the industry.

I blogged a lot during my time at VL, so here are the links:
 
so, thank you Miss Nicole :) I had a fantastic 28 days, and have learnt valuable life lessons as well as the important fashion and editorial things . . .

and click on the 'magazine tab'

Monday, August 1, 2011

pretty in my days

College is crippling.
working all hours of the day and night. then there's the traffic in Cape Town . 
fun day today. no jokes about traffic, it's not funny.

so. what's new. have been waiting with baited breath for the Vintage Lifestyle Magazine, Issue 5 comes out . . . so excited to see all the hard work we put in . . . 4 days left. AND then, this weekend, a full detailed post on my internship . . . hope you're excited ;)

Have been so busy with college work, collection is coming together well, with my fifth outfit almost finished to be handed in on Friday.

a lot of happenings going down on Friday . . . cause it's Friday, Friday, gotta get down on on Friday . . . That's a silly song.


















just some pictures of the week . . . the roses around the house, my lil dogs, miniature biscuits, pretty butterfly, sewing, the unreleased Truffle King Cone Ice Cream, delicious! . . . you know, the general.

ONLY 3 months left at fedisa. quiet a scary thought. need a job next year?! AHH! what to do?

have a lovely week, please comment or just say hey, what's up, howzit, just so I know you're liking life . . . send me blog links, want to do an interview? Rapid Fire with Jocobus Snyman, a very very impressive photographer . . .

{peace and love}