Quite daunting at first I have to admit even although I have been to the college for a number of portfolio, life drawings and painting classes, I found it quite difficult to know exactly where I was meant to be!
MA FASHION at ECA
Very different. Firstly, I don't really have a set timetable, the course is very much self directed which is great as there is a lot of freedom to go nip around the different buildings and not have to sign a register everytime I got to a class! Huzzah!
MA Fashion consists of 4 students...INCLUDING myself! I am also the only British person, the other three being chinese. My friend Anchel, from India is studying Performance Constume and is the only one in her class, so I guess we are lucky!
CALLING CARDS
The first brief, produce a calling card for a "Speed Dating" event with other postgraduates from the design school. We had to make 16-20 so it shouldn't be too complicated...these people clearly don't know who I am! After a lot of brainstorming I came up with a nifty wee thing, which had to say my name, where I'm from, what I did before coming to ECA and what I am here to do. Well I decided to make a sewing kit. The idea being that I do fashion and I sew...quite a lot. After making a paper pattern, printing and re-printing and a LOT of sticking foam to card I finished my first one...another 19 to go! They all turned out great, and they were very well received by my fellow students! Apart from anything else, everyone thought they were very useful so that was a bonus!
I'll take pictures and post them on here so you can have a gander, some of the ones I got were absolutely fantastic.
RESEARCH
Anybody that knows me, knows I love nothing better than sticking my head into a mountain of books, breaking my shoulder carrying round a bag that is full of reading material (don't worry, the ikea bag has gone this year) so research is definitely my favourite part of the design process!
I have a whole 3 MONTHS to do this, so I'm absolutely raring to go. Yesterday and today I have been sifting through the archives of the National Gallery of Modern Art Archives which has been a great resource for me. I'm not sure about the white gloves though...
I have has some battles with the library as I actually have found there is a lack of books here for fashion...I'm really surprised at this as I wouldn't have thought Heriot Watt would come up trumps on this, however I guess Gala is only fashion students so no wonder there is basically a whole floor of research books there...
THOUGHTS...
I really wasn't sure about the place when I first arrived, the facilities are definitely not what I am used to and I was a bit confused as to what is expected of me, but I must admit I am really falling for it. Heriot Watt School of Textiles was a great university and the skills I have learnt will stay with me forever but the amount of contacts I have made here from all over the globe is really refreshing and I think this is going to be a great year for me.
I'm also amazed at the amount of contact time I have with the head of Fashion Mal Birkinshaw, who is such an enthusiastic person and an inspiring figure to have guiding us along the way. All in all, ECA Fashion seems to be a winner.
Photos to follow...
One thing I must say to all those still in Galashiels - It really is true, your facilities and space is UNBEATABLE
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