idea of theme and colour palette

This is one of my theme ideas and its colour palette. My theme is the Queen Elizabeth I of England. I will imagine if Queen Elizabeth still alive, then design the lingerie for her. She is a strong and smart woman, which I think will match our personality of our likely costumers. Also, she is a queen who loves fashion. She is very picky on clothes and never wears the same clothes for second time. She loves velour, silk and the lace. I found the lace structure on her dresses is fantastic and inspired me a lot on design. I want to present the luxury royal mood and romance through my lingerie designs, which is also the main factor when I was choosing the colour for the colour palette.

I chose the black and cream as the natural colours, because black is the necessary colour to show the elegance and sexy mood. Cream can show the mood of romance and is the colour often appeared on the dresses of her. For the fashion colours, there are the light pink, rose red and purple. Sky blue and royal yellow are the highlight colours. On the button, there is the proportional colour palette.

the code of the colour palette:
Black: #000000
Cream Grey: #fffaec
Light Pink: #fec3bb
Rose Red: #920909
Purple: #4a0978
Sky Blue: #91d0f0
Royal Yellow: #fbe657


Elaine

The mood board created named: 'barely waking' has elements of the idea of the midsummer nights dream theme suggested by Jess - also is inkeeping with that feeling of daydreaming, drifting of conciousness, detatchment and preoccupation of the reverie name. So a reverie is a daydream, all the more appropriate for the summertime theme, because rather than a deep sleep and broad state of mind wandering, a daydream is streaked with light and romantic and positive. it is more like a concious fantasy because you are awake, barely awake, at the time- possibly drifting in and out of varying levels of conciousness. So it's all connected.

This Picture is of the queen of faries, titania, from "A Midsummers Night Dream' - i was googling and found this image with it's interesting headgear.

Imagining the lines as seaming and the folds and the way the flower encases and the shapes created are how i am begining to interperet Jos ideas in the collection to come.

The serene disposition also reminds me of the daydream factor.

Playing around with the word 'reverie' for a name is great - the word is very enticing - so i started thinking what happens in a daydream.. you are usually relaxed and dissassociating with the world - but if our character is a strong independant type we cannot steer too far away from that (at least in our first collection!)

all i can think of is deep in a reverie, or lost in a reverie (these sound too dark), dreaming of reveire (contradictory), creature of reverie (sounds like a lizard), consumed in a reverie (makes me think of someone eating a pie)

More thought needed

More ideas for overall theme, marketing and price point

Although we haven't really had a chance to discuss the "story" behind the Lady Libertine label, i thought i would brainstorm some ideas so that we could tie in the marketing and possible store layout because everyone seemed to agree that we liked the idea of there being a story that the customer could connect with. So i have looked at the idea of Lady Libertine being a burlesque dancer who's shows always have a component of the lady libertine from the film and book 'Frank and I' - perhaps beginning the routine dressed in masculine clothing, transforming into a beautiful, elegant, exotic woman... She is strong, confident, glamorous - like film stars of the time, some burlesque dancers were considered just as famous and glamorous. Women admire her, men desire her!

Keeping this idea in mind we have discussed possible marketing ideas, including a flip-book created out of a set of polaroid images of Lady Libertine performing a burlesque show in black and white or colour, signed 'with love from lady Libertine'. It could also be a way to photograph the collection... As discussed we are also looking into a 'Lady Libertine Branding' exercise, that will essentially be us dressing up as Lady Libertine while out one evening, and having polaroids taken of us with men who have been branded with a Lady Libertine logo somewhere on their bodies! These would be compiled and put on the website, and also displayed as the cover lining of our S/S09 lookbook...

Some of the labels we have researched have also have their own retail stores so i looked into how they have decorated and designed their interior as well as display of garments and hanging. The most obvious one that came to mind was Chantal Thomass, who's store in Paris is heavily themed and co-ordinated. You can see in the images below that it has a very french provincial bodiour feel, in her colours pink and black. Other labels like Fifi Chachnil, or the Melbourne boutique Smitten Kitten have also taken on this bodiour influence creating a very intimate, glamorous, provocative mood. AP stores are also appear to be themed in a similar way, however, in true AP style they are a litte more erotic and remind me of the old 'red-light' districts!

So considering this research and trying to link in the story of lady Libertine i was looking at creating our retail store themed as backstage of an old theatre...the changeroom of Lady Libertine. Her dressing tables, cloth racks hanging with lingerie and silk stockings; mirrors framed with lights; chandeliers hanging from the roof; lay lounges padded in velvet; images/photographs of lady Libertine with many of her famous friends; bunches of flowers from her admirers; the changerooms draped with heavy velvet curtains like the stage... The colour scheme would of course depend on the final colour choice for the logo, but i can see lots of black, highlighted with nude pinks and peaches, and gold... So although the ideas are similar, it is a twist on the bodiour theme many labels we would consider our competitors have(?)...

While discussing the retail store i thought i should also mention the discussion we had in Friday's studio class about price point. We considered the fact that we are an Australian label, competing with predominatly well established European and American labels. We also want to remain fairly exclusive with a reputation for qualtiy fabrication and production. We discussed the fact that we do not want to just choose the 'easy-way-out" by slotting into our competitor's price point, so decided that a way to make Lady Libertine a little different could be the choice to create a price point that is not as expensive as our competitors but still reflects the exclusivity of our work. (considering the finacial markets also, this seems a sensible idea!) I went and looked at some of the prices for competitor garments available here in Melbourne and most started bras started around $120.00 going up to anywhere around $395.00. As discussed on Friday, i think we have decided to try and keep our price point at $100-120.00 for a bra, up to $80.00 for a brief or suspender belt, clinchers and corsets starting at $200.00...(let me know what you all think about this!)

We also discussed briefly our ideas about our target market...so i have listed below the ideas/points that i had:

- female, around 27 years of age

- she knows where she is in life and where she is heading (she is self-aware)

- she is confident, aware, intelligent, elegant, sophisticated and sensual

- she enjoys spending time with her close friends - shopping, eating out and going out for drinks

- she likes to 'dress-up' - to look good, stylish, fashionable

- she is either single or with a partner

- she has an 'urban' lifestyle, possibly living in or very near the city

- she is financially independant - works; has a career

- she likes the way lingerie makes her feel; the confidence it gives her - she feels empowered, sensual, for her it is not about pleasing her partner but she does enjoy the pleasure he gets from it

- she desires lingerie (all her clothes) that reflects her elegance and sexuality; she desires quality fabrics and production that reflect sophistication and excentuate the beauty of her body; she likes stylish designs - reflecting to some degree the fashion trends of outer wear...

Finally, i have been thinking and brainstorming about the final theme in terms of a name...like Madeline blogged before me, the name is so important!! Considering the theme idea we had about incorporating the wrapping of line around the body; the layering and seaming that represents this; and the concept of being tied up; tying the body up...i have looked at words that represent this, linking them with the idea of creating a dream state - a reverie 9as mentioned by Madelaine also) I have just listed words and ideas below that we could possibly use:

reverie - dream; contemplation; muse; meditation; rever; daydream; preoccupation; detatchment

seams - bond; bound; union; coupling; connection; structure; closure

tie/tie up - enclose; enfold; cloak; bound; viel; shroud; restrain

"shrouded in your reverie" "bound to your reverie" "your muse, your reverie"

'a reverie cloaked in you"

-Joanna

Revised Colours and shapes.

After discussing our colour palettes on Tuesday, i tried to incorporate all aspects that went want to include in our overall theme in a simply visual sense. I was aiming to also get an idea of how we were actually going to translate our concepts of colours and of wrapping, tying and layering into wearable garments and forms...

I also started brainstorming words and ideas for our theme name, though it has proven quite difficult... a name is so important. I think it was Jess who last week suggested something along the lines of a Midsummer Night's Dream, or rather creating the atmosphere similar to the play, that sort of fantasy in another world. I began following this train of thought and the concept of a reverie, a daydream. We're now playing around with different titles until we can pinpoint something which really captures the essence of our theme.

- Madeline

Additional concept for theme and colour palette.

This is one page from my folio where i was brainstorming ideas, colours and fabrics. I chose a part of one of my ideas which tied in with themes of others in the group. It was basically the idea of plumage and the colours and sculptural possibilities which could arise from the imagery of feathers as isolate objects as well as multiple ones which create pattern and form in themselves. Our aim is to create a colour palette which has classic and wearable core colours in it but which also has hues which are atypical for a high end lingerie brand.

I found some of these images of feathers inspiring , especially in their naturally occurring placement and array of colours which can almost seem to clash or be discordant but which actually combine to create a bold and beautiful amalgamation of colour. There is also an aspect of iridescence in the colour of the feathers themselves as well as the effect light has on them which ties in with both Jo and Jemmy's theme ideas.

The natural structure and form in my concept also has links to Meg's theme of visible outer seams and structure and vertical lines....

The Pantone colour chips i used in this colour palette are as follows ( from top to bottom ):

Black- Pantone 426 C Solid coated

Oyster- Pantone 4755C Pastel

Nude- Pantone 475C Solid coated

Purple- Pantone 2685C Solid coated

Melon- Pantone 1635 C Solid coated

Cool grey- Pantone 7543C Pastel

Citrus-Pantone 101C Solid coated

-Madeline.

Possible colour palette idea for S/S09 collection

At the base of this image is a possible colour palette for our S/S09 collection (sorry i couldnt work out how to remove the background!)... The pantone numbers are, from left to right:

Black

Pale Pink - Pantone (pastel uncoated) 9021U

Mushroom - Pantone (matte) 482M

Pink Coral - Pantone (matte) 205M

Lime Yellow - Pantone (coated) 587C

Purple - Pantone (coated) 5275C

Pale Blue - Pantone (matte) 5315M

Metallic purple/Grey - Pantone (metallic coated) 8160C (not sure about this colour but just thought a metallic might give something a little more, and add to that "pop" of colour and texture we were discussing??)

Thinking about the theme ideas too...we could have a broad theme of tying; wrapping; layering and within that we could focus more detail on the theme idea Jess had explored "tie me up"; my research into the Bolshoi Ballet piece "Misericordes" as well as the more gothic ideas about the lace and the use of external seams and lines - Meg- (tying the body up from the outside?? - looking at constriction of clothing/lingerie and the constricting ideas and associations we have with clothing/apperance??) the contrast between the black and the nudes/pale colours work well in terms of teh ideas of flesh and fabric (tying up) as well as the purples and pinks associated with flesh/brusing etc (maybe a little too dark!!??). The lime/yellow creates that pop! we talked about as well as a lift from the darker colourings...

Jo

Theme board ideas for Spring/Summer09 Collection

"From the moment the lights went out everything had change..."

This is the first of three possible theme ideas i researched for the Lady Libertine S/S09 collection. It is based around the tendrals created by glow-worms! These amazing animals are the larvae of these very delicate flys that only live a few days. As glow-worms they create these beautiful pearl-like; silk tendrals which light up like fairy lights by the glow they emit. The darker side to these beautiful filaments is that they are created to attract prey! (they are nocturnal animals)

There are probably a few directions this theme could be taken...i looked at focusing on the delicate; feminity of the silk filament strands that originally attracted me to them. There is a sense of mystery and fantasy associated with the animal as well as their slowing silk strands. They are fine; gentle and delicate as are the adult fly the worms gorw into. I found myself feeling a sense of grace and beauty...reflected in the garment fabrications and rounded; delicate shapes. Details of pearl and lace would be used heavily...

I also looked at focusing on the darker side of the strands and the purpose behind them. The glow of the strands is mesmerizing in its intention. I found myself thinking of a more raw; almost grunge collection with the use of elastine mesh; sequines; metallics; satin and detailing of black and green pearls...

"Misericordes"

This is the second of possible S/S09 themes i researched. It is inspired by the previous post i made of the performance of the Misericordes ballet piece. The piece i selected is a pas de deux and is a love scene that carries with it a sense of sadness and deep intimacy. Throughout, the choreographer uses repatition of line; angle; contrasted with wrapping and intertwining of the male and female body in a silencing intimacy. The partners balance each other to create images of symmetry. From the film footage you can see that there is no backdrop or detail to costuming...it is very much about the beauty of the movement; of the dancers and the fabric of the costumes against the skin.

As previously mentioned the collection could reflect thesse contrasting images of angle and line against the softness of the wrapping. The pieces would reflect an elegance; symmetry; almost weightlessness while including the sense of sadness and darkness about the piece (?). The use of repatition in the line (diagonally and horizontally - seen in the pas de deux movements- created with seams and contrasting fabrications??) and mimicking of shapes across the body contrasting with flashes of bare skin in deep 'V' necks and backs (?). Fabrications would also reflect the mood of the piece mixing elastine mesh with silks; designed laces and soft velvet trims...

"These hands that made me"

This is the third of my three possible Lady Libertine S/S09 collection themes, based around the traditional dress and crafts of the Peruvian people/culture. it details a lot of hand embrodiery of bright, bold colours contrasted against neutral fabrics and tones. (Reflected in designs through contrast in fabrications; textures and detailing.) These handcrafted designs are geometric; symmetrical and find themselves repeated heavily throughout garments and crafts. This connection with the hand creates a sense of connection and raw beauty in the mix of designs and fabrications.

Peruvian costume also has a heavy focus on layering and wrapping - these ideas easily reflected in our designs, along with the repatition of bold geometric lines. I think the collection would create an uplifting change to the muted and soft tones of current lingerie collections, with "hero" peices reflecting hand embroided panels (traditionally crafted) and detailing...

-Joanna

Our original concept for the label came from this image of the original Lady Libertine. I love its quality and soft sepia tones and the potential it posesses to allude to an entire story beneath the photograph. It has such mystery behind it.

I stumbled across this picture below when researching images for other topics and thought it had such a similar feel to the initial picture of Lady Libertine. Again the sepia tones used and an aspect of collage or layering create a mysterious air, and the cabbage roses again give the image a victorian feel...

spring/summer09 collection - theme ideas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aplQFb4Gj50

The link above is to a video of the Bolshoi ballet doing a pas de duex section of a piece called 'Misericordes' by british choreographer Christopher Wheeldon...the piece is so amazing! it is quite long but if you want fast-forward to about the 5min mark, that is where i really fell in love with it!

Look at the lines and shapes of the dancers bodies, particularly the shapes the female makes against the man...there is a strong focus on symmerty, wrapping and line. The music is amazing too...a piece called "Third Symphony" by Estonian composer Avro Port. The piece is obviously about love but it also has a quite sad feel to it...and although the colours are quite dark they are all very neutral and soft, and im sure we could come up with a lighter; more summer feeling colour palette based around it...

In terms of a possible collection i have lots of ideas about: - line (shapes across the body that wrap around - you can see this in the footage) as well as pleating and pintucking (very delicate and soft in silks?? that possibly twist and wrap??)
- a lot of symmerty and balance - shapes mimicking each other on each side of the body
- there is such a sense of gentle flow and movement throughout most of the piece so think the fabrics could reflect these sorts of ideas (also look at the fabrics of the girls skirts) - use silks, chiffons, mesh with elastine??
- there is a sense of repatition in the work to which could be reflected in our designs as well as a sense of beauty in simplicity; the stage is so bare - focus is very much on the movement and shapes being created by the dancers not so much about costume and show...

anyway...check out the link above and let me know what you think...i know this is probably a hard theme to go with but is its definatly worth a look! i will try and scan and post some possible shilouettes and garment ideas with possible colour palette a little later...

- Joanna

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