Week 14

Having chosen that Ralph Lauren as the company i wanted to work for as part of my 'Live brief' for Dash & Miller, i set about doing some research into the company and how it designs / works.

Ralph Lauren home is an entirely different avenue when compared to the apparel side of the company. With collections being designed around specific title,

Statement taken from Ralph Lauren Home - Online, talking about the fabrics on sale;

'Ralph Lauren fabrics are woven by skilled artisans around the world, ensuring that they are of heirloom quality. With thousands of fabrics in the collection, including everything from Italian jacquard to Scottish wool tartan and belgian linen, a wealth of possibilities for the interior has been created'

Ralph Lauren. (2014) Mission Statement. Ralph Lauren Home. [Online] [Accessed 19.01.2014] http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/products/Fabric/?haid=19

Examples of Ralph Lauren Swatch samples.

Ralph Lauren. (2014) Fabric swatches. Ralph Lauren Home. [Online]
[Accessed 19.01.2014] http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/products/Fabric/?haid=19

There was one collection that i found myself particularly drawn to, entitled Ticking Library. 'An extensive collection of timeless stripes'. Created using the highest quality cotton and linen mixes, the fabrics are introduced to a classic palette of deep blue hues, with shots of bright red, black and classic sepia.

Ralph Lauren. (2014) Ticking Library Ralph Lauren Home. [Online]
[Accessed 19.01.2014] http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/products/Fabric/?haid=19

Week 13

A new year marks the start of a new section of the Practice unit. Having spent the last 12 weeks focusing on my minor project elements, now begins the major project.

Working to a live brief set by Woven textiles company Dash & Miller, the aim is to create a wealth of samples for a chosen designer / client. There were two categories, apparel and home interiors. Having already shown a strong interest in the interiors market this seemed like a natural choice for me. 

Choosing between clients however proved ever more tricky. Designers guild, Missoni Home and Ralph Lauren home took my eye in particular. Each company has something different to offer. The nature of my work is currently quite graphical. The three companies mentioned are very much about the linear stripe, something that i feel will be a positive influence on my own developing work. 

Designers Guild work for many different companies, i looked into the company in depth and found that the way the it runs is a way in which i aspire to work like in the future. Clients range from fashion houses to interiors and the company, based at a shop in London cater to all tastes.

Designers Guild work off collections. Each collection is based on a theme and it is from here that colour palettes, shapes, and ideas are generated. Below shows an image taken from the website, marking out colours and names (left) to different moods as it were.

Left - Designers guild. Colour chart. Designers Guild Online. [Online] [Accessed 12.01.2014] http://www.designersguild.com/

Right - Designers Guild. Unlimited Collections. Designers Guild Online. [Online] [ Accessed 12.01.2014] 

http://www.designersguild.com/fabric-and-wallpaper-showroom/designers-guild-unlimited/