MMU Degree Show 2013 Review

Handmade Lingerie

Daisy Sheldon’s bespoke lingerie captured my attention since I explored this context for Unit X Craft Fair, creating my own lingerie collection, and am open to developing this further. Her work encourages an appreciation of handmade textiles, displaying attractive designs as high-quality finished garments. Sheldon’s textiles are directly applied to a context, appearing professional and enticing when viewed as finished garments. Similarly, I like the idea of producing actual products to display my design ideas, following the artistic process through to an end form. The fabrics selected are perfect for lingerie:  luxurious silk with a subtle and feminine colour palette.

Combining embroidery with silk screen and hand painted processes looks very effective, adding intricate detail and texture to the sleek, delicate prints. Dense Irish stitching alongside Cornelly chain stitch builds up an attractive surface, which inspires progression of my techniques on the Industrial embroidery machines. I love her distinctive style of imagery: these begin as watercolour and ink drawings, offering an elegant quality, and develop into unique textiles.

Embroidered Print Design

Blue Tit Illustration -

 Watercolour and Ink

Similarly, Kit Jan Li uses both print and embroidery techniques, a combination which I intend to explore in my project next year.  Her collection of embellished fashion fabrics also appear suitable for interior textiles, as decorative bedding or cushion covers. Scarves clearly show a fashion context, however she could have demonstrated how her other samples fit this area. Jan Li’s designs are well informed from her subject matter; the beauty of skin and its function as a protective barrier for the human body, however it is not an obvious, literal translation. Instead she focuses on patterns found upon its surface through gestural mark-making and abstract lines. Her textiles have clearly evolved from mixed-media drawings, meaning they are original and feature her own vocabulary of marks. 

Display of Work

Mark-making Drawing

 

I like the experimental outcomes, which explore ways of placing, repeating and layering motifs, resulting in exciting and diverse layouts. Printed designs are enhanced with embroidered motifs, which mirror the different line qualities through a range of pin-tuck, satin and straight stitching. Likewise, I enjoy creating varied surfaces by combining different techniques, textures and marks. The colour palette effectively communicates Jan Li’s ideas of fragility, construction and deterioration, as she layers block areas and delicate marks in bold and faded tones.

Experiemental Layout

Embroidery Detail

Anna Whitaker is a good example of developing ideas through a series of processes. Her abstract digital prints are enhanced with embroidered elements and hand printed techniques such as devoré and foiling. I could consider digital print to achieve more precise, complex or photographic results that may be unattainable by hand. 

Display of Work

Embellished Digital Print

 

Repeated geometric shapes are exaggerated and brought to life through additional fabric pieces which provide a three-dimensional, textured surface. Innovative laser processes create intricate cut-out designs, which alongside traditional stitching and beading results in detailed and individual textiles. Her bold juxtapositions of different fabrics and patterns are very effective.

Laser cut and Embroidered Elements

Beaded Digital Print

Whitaker has not chosen a limiting theme, being inspired by all areas of life and the world around her, yet her work still has a cohesive style. The fabric samples are directed towards alternative fashion collections, spring/summer and autumn/winter, which is something to consider since the work would change according to season. There is a strong emphasis on colour: shots of bright, energetic shades alongside more monochromatic, darker tones, which provides a contemporary feel. 

  

Bibliography & Image References:

degreeshow.mmu.ac.uk/2013/DaisySheldon

degreeshow.mmu.ac.uk/2013/KitJanLi

www.annawhitaker.co.uk

www.daisysheldon.co.uk

www.kitjanli.co.uk

[Accessed 22/06/2013]