Anthropologie: store design of dreams

Anthropologie is my absolute favourite store. Walking in to the store on Kings Road makes me feel like a kid in a sweet shop...I want it all. The store visual merchandising is phenomenal, their colour collections for both fashion and interiors are pure adventure and they get it right every. single. time! Colours, plants, lights..their fail safe rule appears to be that there are no rules. 

There is always a very cultured feel to the prints that they sell, I can imagine a person very well traveled to buy the prints for their home, lots of Indian or Moroccan inspired printed textiles with flashes of gorgeous colour. Not a dull tone in the house.  

If I were to get married I would totally want a design inspired wedding list from Anthropologie and some printed invitations, maybe a few patterned table decorations too. Well I would basically like Anthropologie to sponsor my wedding. If you are ever in London and don't drop in to Anthropologie, we need to talk.  

Inspiration: screen printing with colour focus

Here is a new colour design palette I am working on. I am introducing brighter colours. I would like my final graduate collection to consist of fresh, exciting and sophisticated samples. I would like to produce fashion/interior designs that you either want to wear or stare at all day. I really love the yellow, green and turquoise together but I think that a darker colour like a mocha would increase the level of its sophistication. What do you think? More pictures and updates to follow or take a look at my instagram for more updates.

           

Design update: screen printing and surface technique

I have been spending a lot of time in the studio at Uni over the past couple of weeks, playing with various design techniques. I have played with screen printing using matt lacquer, disperse dyes and standard binder. I have also combined screen printing and working back over this with hand painting. I am trying to create a flat surface that appears to be layered with depth to my colour palette; a result that always seems to get lost when you digitally develop. So I am working by hand on my surface designs until I get the desired surface. What do you think? 

surface design development

Above I have played with screen printing. I have used a few different binders to vary the opacity of the paint. I really love the sharpness of the red colour next to the flatness of the darker colour next to it. (picture directly above). At this point I am just experimenting with surface design, pattern and colour to explore what colour combinations I think will work, if the finals were to be for fashion or interiors. 

My original idea was to create large scale samples for my graduate design show in June, however I have got to a point where I need to choose a direction because scale and textile material for final printing needs to be considered. It is such a difficult decision to make and commit to! I am hoping to make the fashion/interiors decision by easter. Another update soon bloggers!

Inspiration: design development using colour