Brief
biography
In my early school years going back 11 years from today gave
birth to my specialty in fashion & textiles which I have been pursuing
ever since today. Challenge and struggle was the norm but better described as
the most effective way of developing my skills and experience.
Early years of
Fashion & textiles
Having a passion for fashion, style and creativity but
coming from a working class background placed limits on my interests to buy my favorite high street fashion, which I truly admired.
A thirty year old Brother sewing machine gathering dust
tempted to Re-introduce the “Make do & mend era” to fulfil my interests,
using mum’s old curtains, quilt covers, scarfs or any fabrics I could get my
hands on, this become a habit after spending 6 months on my first successful
project.
End of compulsory
school years
Leaving secondary school in 2003 with a part time job in a
sewing factory and full time Fashion & Arts diploma at college was my first
step in the “Real-Life Fashion World”. Working and studying against time was
more pain then pleasure having completed one year at College and yet working in
the fashion sector left me with no choice but to pick one out the two: Work or Textile Studies, for me real life
experience was the main propriety their for I dropped further education.
My experience and
skills I gained at work
Besides “Blood
sweat and T-shirt” hard work and effort paid back by gaining many new skills
also improving on the existing one. Here are some of the skills I adopted:
- Operating
all kinds of Sewing machines Domestic & Industrial
- Acquiring
a sound understanding behind Pattern drafting or construction.
- Predicting
fabric behavior by knowing their properties.
- Surface
decoration i.e. screen printing, Embroidery, patchwork, applique etc…
- Fashion
illustration: drawing figures and detailed designs.
- Understanding
the human anatomy as a Fashion Design works around it (self study &
research)
Dressmaking hobby
Dressmaking played a great role in my life as someone who specializing in textiles even till this very day I do dressmaking for private
clients once every month or so.
The glamorous world of dressmaking it has and will be always
be a fascinating meeting new people with all types of styles and ideas every
client was a new experience this gave me a great opportunity to express
creativity.
Leather dresses, PVC trousers, quilted jumpers, Halloween
costumes, conceptual dresses etc…
Summary
Over a period of 11 years I have touch on majority of the
categories that fall within the textiles and Fashion industry from learning
about cotton fields to weaving on looms, From Fashion illustration to adding
trims.
Having worked in office and retail environments I have
always held firm onto fashion & textiles, as it’s been a hobby along side work.
It’s the Ambition, interest and hobby what has motivated me
to learning about fashion & textiles hence I have not got bored or lost
interest. I would like to conclude by biography by quoting the famous Artist
Salvador Dali when he said: knowledge without the ambition is like a bird
without wigs.
