Organic by design.

As a designer choosing the materials to make the garments are key, knowing about the materials, there properties and how they are produced from start to finish is something I feel is very important. Being aware and very focused on Eco fashion, using Organic and recycled materials in the garments I design is very important.

Today a talk was given by Pesticide Action Network UK, I was shocked to be informed just how harmful the pesticides used on cotton was to not just the environment but also the danger to the farmer that grows it due to the lack of protective equipment.

Pesticide facts

* 30% proven to course cancer

* 35% banned in Europe

* Kills 65 people in one season in one area

From the talk I find it hard to take in that companies know what these pesticides do yet there are still wanted Cotton to be made non organic when the cons far outway the pros.

DESIGN DEADLINE & CRIT!

The first year is almost complete, this is some examples of the last project we have completed - Sports V Fashion this has been the first major project we have done which has given us an insight to what will be expected of us next year. With lots to do over the last few weeks I have really been felling the preacher, however now its all over I feel it was defiantly paid off as I'am very pleased with the end result.

At the crit I presented all the work I had completed over the last weeks, questions were asked and I feel I answered them well it was alot less scary than I thought and in fact it was a good experience. I am now looking forward to design and construct garments in the second year.

B&M complete

Today was the deadline for the Buying and merchandizing unit, gathering the work together it became clear how much we have learnt through the short amount of weeks. This unit has been very informative and has given us a view of what happens in the head office of the clothing company introducing me to roles i have never considered in the past one of which is the role of a garment technician this has interested me a great deal so much so that through the summer i will be doing some work experience with Jo the unit lecturer doing similar jobs that a garment technician would do.

Final Post... for now

I have spent the last few hours looking back on this blog looking back from when i started the blog back in September to now. Although initially  I found it hard writing the blog, thinking what to say what is relevant I soon began to relax and as the course went on I found more and more to write about and began to express my feelings and opinions on both course related subject areas, fashion issues and current things going on in my own own life that have an effect on the work I produce etc. 

Recently I have been contacted by a girl that was in the year bellow me at school studying a few of the same a-levels that i had done, earlier in the mouth she had an interview for this course and she was pleased to find out she will be a 1st year next year. Naturally she is a bit nervous about starting and wanted to know all about the course and how i was enjoying it, i found this blog a great tool to show her and from the feedback i have herd she too has found it really useful. 

looking back on the blog it has really hit me how much I have learned, achieved and how different my life is now compared to when i started. keeping this blog has really helped me and given time to think about what is going on and reflect on that in this constantly  busy life. 

I believe i will keep updating this blog as i have found this a great personal development tool. 

Sri- Lanka

   Pictured to the left is my sister Becky feeding a baby elephant last week in Sri-Lanka. It is now here third week out there out of nine, where she had gone to tech and help children many of which have been orphaned due to the resent events such as the suenarme and the war currently going on in the country. 

she is staying with a sri- lankan family there as is really experiencing a new way of life. 

bellow is a recent e-mail i have received from here, i' am so proud of here and think it is such a brave thing to do on your own it is truly inspiring.

o and on a more fashion related theme iv asked here to go go and source some nice colorful fabrics while she is out there. 

Just a quick update. I can't believe its my third week here, it is going so fast! 

The programme I've actually signed up for isn't going to plan exactly! As you know, I was meant to be in the orphange, but I've only been there once. The matrons are very strict and weren't expecting us. I have learnt that Real Gap are not the most organised organisation! However, the family I am living with have found another orphange that actually want help, so I am starting there tomorrow!! :) 

I'm still doing the teaching everyday though, which I wasn't expecting to do, but loving!! The kids are now experts in 'Row, row, row your boat', 'The wheels on the bus' and 'I'm a little teapot'. I'm going to attempt 'Old MacDonald' tomorrow! He he. 

I've done a lot of trips on my days off, been to Kandy to watch the dancing and see the temple, climbed Sageria Rock and Adams Peak, visited lots of ruins and been to a beach on the East coast. The beach was quite emotional, the buildings had suffered many bombings in the mid 90s, and they started building them up again, to then be hit by the tsunami. Very sad. 

On a brighter note, I went to one of the teachers weddings last week, it was so beautiful and I got to wear a saree!! 

Better go, I said this was going to be a quick update and I've waffled on a wee bit! 

Speak soon, 

Love Becky xxx

PETA takes over Paris Fashion week

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is mounting a major assault during the current Paris Fashion Week.

Following a noisy demonstration outside the Jean Paul Gaultier show on Saturday night, PETA’s next platform will be at the Stella McCartney show tomorrow morning. computer-generated video features the singer, Pink, and the actor and comedian, Ricky Gervais, as the voices of skinned animals, demanding their skins back from a couple retrieving a fur coat and an alligator bag from a cloakroom. Pink’s voice is that of the alligator; Gervais’s that of the rabbit.

The commercial will be screened at a news conference following McCartney’s fashion show, where Stella McCartney, Pink and Dan Mathews, the vice-president of PETA, will lead a question-and-answer session.

PETA believes alligators killed for their skins may be beaten to death with hammers and axes, while undercover investigations of fur farms in China – now believed to be the world’s largest exporter of fur – revealed animals, including rabbits, cats and dogs, are often skinned alive.

Stella McCartney does Comic Relief

 

Making it even more of a family affair, a host of celebrities and friends of the fashion designer, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Keira Knightley, Claudia Schiffer and Sam Taylor-Wood, have been photographed by her sister, Mary McCartney, wearing the T-shirts.

The T-shirts, priced from £5.99 for babies and children, and from £9.99 for adults, are now on sale at 214 TK Maxx stores nationwide, with all net profits from sales going to Comic Relief ahead of Red Nose Day on March 13.

Its charitable activities range from supporting orphans in Africa who have lost their parents to Aids or helping older people in the UK who are abused by someone they should be able to trust.

 McCartney said: "It's a real honour to be involved in such a tremendous cause and be a part of the Red Nose Day campaign 2009. The designs of the T-shirts were inspired by iconic images of iconic people by iconic photographers and adding an element of humour to them."

In line with her beliefs, the T-shirts are manufactured in Africa, using Fairtrade-certified organic cotton co-operatives in Senegal, ensuring a pesticide and GM-free product at a fair price to farmers in developing countries.

Sir Paul McCartney has happily gone ‘Red Nose’ to promote the ‘photo’ T-shirts designed by his daughter Stella for this year’s Comic Relief.

The limited edition T-shirts, for children and adults, are available from TK Maxx outlets nationwide.

My favorite is the Beatles t-shirt shown above worn by my boyfriend Gavin, not only did they produce great music but its such an iconic image to.