Work Experience: Discover Vintage

I have recently been working with Keeley Harris who has created Discover Vintage and frequently creates Vintage events and fairs all over the country. She focuses on vintage home, accessories and clothing products but also throws a Vintage Wedding Fair on a regular basis. The variety of stall holders displaying their products at these events has allowed me to see trends through the eras and get an insight into event organisation and the choices made regarding venues, clientele and promotional techniques.

The fairs are always full of gorgeous vintage dresses, perfectly kept handbags and lovely linens and fabrics.

Discover Vintage Facebook Group: 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Discover-Vintage/78454983377#!/group.php?gid=74520765489&ref=ts

Discover Vintage Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Discover-Vintage/78454983377

Add them for a list of up and coming events.



Tim Walker

Tim Walker is a fashion photographer who has produced photos for Vogue for over a decade now (for the British, Italian and American editions). Previous to this, he came third in The Independent photography awards and graduated with Photography degree from Exeter College of Art. His style is very romantic and he often captures very ornate scenery and interiors in dreamily glowing light. Recently, he has been working on a film- 'The Lost Explorer' which is based on Patrick McGrath's short story. The film focuses on a girl named Evelyn who finds a Victorian explorer in a tent at the bottom of her garden. He says that he has been looking forward to working with film as it allows him to capture moving moments that photographs restrict. The film will allow him to display his beautiful imagery like an extended photograph. The DVD is out in the new year.

"It's the Cottingley fairy thing, something at the bottom of the garden that shouldn't be there."

Film: A Single Man (2009)

Film: A Single Man

Year: 2009

Director: Tom Ford

Tom Ford has created this film in a way that is artistically creative and disinctive. It takes a poetic influence and draws attention to minute details in a strikingly visual way.

The film is set in 1962. George Falconer (Colin Firth), an English professor, has recently lost his partner Jim who died in a car accident many months before. The film focuses on one day of George's life- the day that he is planning to be his last. The film follows George through his suicide preparations and introduces people who are part of his life and concerned for his welfare. These people include a Spanish male who has recently arrived in America, his old friend Charley and one of his students named Kenny Potter.

Book: The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell

Malcom Gladwell provides a thoroughly researched insight into the moment by which certain concepts, trends and types of social behaviour 'tip' to become popular and from then on continue to spread. He analyses how trends in fashion start and catch on, in addition to the ways in which certain ideas can become rapidly widespread.                                                                                  

He concludes his theories as follows: 

The Law of the Few:

Connectors: These are people who know a lot of people. To them, making and having social connections is a skill.

Mavens: A maven is someone with an extremely deep knowledge for certain things. They like to educate people with their knowledge as a way of helping them.

Salesmen: These are people who have the ability and techniques to persuade people.

In terms of social epidemics- mavens provide messages, connectors spread them and salesmen have the persuasive techniques to make us believe the messages. However, in order for any of these people to have a role to play, the original message or concept must be 'sticky'. It must be so appealing that it is worth learning about, passing on to others and worth persuading other people that it is great. Very often 'stickiness' is not actually dependent on the message itself but instead, the way in which it is packaged and portrayed.

Work Experience: End of Summer Fashion Show

On the 19th August I assisted behind the scenes of 'The End of Summer Fashion Show' held in Leeds. It was organised by Victoria Rossiter and donated money to Cancer Research UK. Various young and local designers showed their clothes on the catwalk. Some of the designers included Blue Rinse, Loela, The Tea Room and Victoria Rosso's own designs were also on show.

I worked as the stage director and so, was in charge of organising the order of the models backstage, sending each of them out at the correct time and ensuring the flow of the show went smoothly.

The turn out was very successful and it was a great oppurtunity to view local design talent. There were numerous stalls held before and during the show which displayed some gorgeous jewellery and vintage finds.

Book: One Day by David Nicholls

I read 'One Day' by David Nicholls while I was on holiday in Tuscany over the summer and I loved it. It focuses on the lives of two people- Emma and Dexter who meet on the night of their graduation and stay in contact from there onwards. The story focuses on their separate lives, in addition to the way in which their lives entwine and tangle together at various points through their adulthood. It captures the ups and downs they both experience and gives an interesting insight into how personality traits can influence life decisions.

Film: To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

Film: To Kill a Mockingbird

Year: 1962

Director: Robert Mulligan

The film is seen through the eyes of 'Scout' a six year old girl who spends her days with her brother 'Jem' and their friend 'Dill'. They live in a racially divided town in Alabama. Atticus, their father, is a lawyer in the town and agrees to a case whereby he is defending a young black man who has been accused of raping a white woman. The film tells stories about the children's adventures and focuses around the idea that "you never know someone until you step inside their skin and walk around a little".

Film: Paris, Texas (1984)

Film: Paris, Texas

Year: 1984

Director: Wim Wenders

A man is found wandering the desert with very little memory of his past. His brother then comes and collects him after a call reporting that he has been found. His brother then brings him back home and helps him to remember his life before he left and walked out on his wife and son four years before. As he begins to repair his relationship with his son (Hunter) he then decides to try and find his wife Jane. After a long and emotional conversation with his wife he then gives her the oppurtunity to go and find Hunter and restore their relationship.

Rob Ryan

Rob Ryan also had his work on display in the store at The Yorkshire Sculpture Park. He creates a variety of designs which all incorporate romantic, magical themes. He specialises in intricate papercuts in addition to creating limited edition screen- prints. He has collaborated with Paul Smith, Tatty Devine, Liberty and Fortnum and Mason. My favourite pieces were the range of keys each named 'The key to my heart' which were delicately cut keys containing messages which had been laser cut into them. His greetings cards contained the sweetest messages I've seen.

Heather Leadbetter

I recently visited the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and in the shop I found some items made by Heather Leadbetter, a graudate also from Nottingham Trent University who studied Textile Design. Some of the pieces include handmade books and boxed art pieces. She takes inspiration from the concept of myths and make believe places which results in pieces that are enchanting and whimsical. Through the use of laser cutting and embossing in addition to an experimental use of colour she creates layers and movement within her 2D pieces.

Film: The Graduate (1967)

Film: The Graduate

Year: 1967

Director: Mike Nichols

Benjamin Braddock has recently graduated from college and returns home to California. He begins an affair with the wife of his parent's business partner Mrs Robinson. She warns Ben to stay away from her daughter Elaine but after encouragement from Mr Robinson he takes her out on a date. It then becomes impossible when Ben falls for Mrs Robinson's Daughter Elaine. The affair is then revealed causing Elaine's and his relationship to end. However, he is not willing to give up and pursues her.

Article: Harpers Bazaar: Allison Pearson- Summer Love

"How unbelievably delicious that feeling is, one of the best feelings in the world; a cocktail of anticpation and desire shaken and stirred with yearning. If they manufactured the falling-in-love potion, we would all drink it until we died... so much sun, sex yoghurt and honey. I felt fuzzy as a peach with pleasure."

Film: Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

Film: Breakfast at Tiffany's

Year: 1961

Director: Blake Edwards

A struggling writer called Paul Varjak moves into the flat above Holly Golightly. To the outside world Holly is a glamorous, sexy, sophisticated and stylish woman but alone in her appartment, she is ditzy, quirky and clumsy. After a while Paul Varjak falls in love with Holly but she continues to form relationships with millionaires and rich men until eventually she falls for the writer.

Film: Lolita (1997)

Name: Lolita

Year: 1997

Director: Adrian Lyne

A British teacher called Humbert comes to the US for work and rents a room in a house owned by Charlotte Haze. After losing his summer love at 14 and never fully getting over it, he becomes infatuated with Charlotte's daughter Delores (Lolita). He marries Charlotte as a way to get close to Lolita, despite the fact he actually dislikes her. The mother then dies which results in Humbert becoming Lolita's Stepfather. They begin travelling through the US pretending to be stepfather and daughter despite the fact a romance has started. They suspect they are being followed by the police, but, their follower turns out to be a man that Lolita then falls for. The mixture of guilt and jealously then turn Humbert to become emotionally unstable.