My Dissertation...

Surprisingly I have been really enjoying writing my dissertation (I know it sounds crazy) lol, most of my friends who are writing theirs are not particularly enjoying it! Luckily for me my uni gave us the option between doing an 8,000 word dissertation or a 4,000 word written piece with a fashion practical, - this could be in the form of photography, performance, film, installation or dress. I chose to do the 4,000 word dissertation as I don’t always feel confident with my writing as it depends on what I’m writing about, but having said that I found quite easy as there is so much I want to talk about and discuss and I’m realising it probably going to be difficult to fit it all in 4,000 words! Anyway, my dissertation question/topic is: How Has Vivienne Westwoods Early Punk Style Influenced Fashion?’. I chose this topic as I’m fascinated with subcultures delving into their attitudes, styles and what they stood for! I also find it interesting how the anti fashion styles have been implemented into contemporary fashion. The punk subculture is defiantly a subculture that gets referenced continuously within fashion and occurs season after season! I have been thinking about my practical piece for some time now and I have decided to recreate 5 outfits from 5 different designers who have all been influenced by punk and of course Westwood created punk, so that will be the connection! I will be creating the outfits myself and styling them for the shoot, a friend of mine who I went to college with and now comes to the same uni as me will be photographing it for me, as I don't always feel confident with photography as strange as it sounds so I'd rather have someone who I know is amazing do it for me.
 The whole DIY attitude the punks had is what made their fashion and style so infamous, they often used recycled materials and implemented them into their clothing, creating their own versions of what Westwood and McLaren made and sold at their shop on Kings Road. Some of the outfits that I'll be recreating were on display at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY (May 2013) where they had the exhibition PUNK: Chaos to Couture celebrating the culture in every aspect!

Outfits I'll be recreating:  

Alexander McQueen S/S 1999: Graffiti Dress

Ashish A/W 11

Karl Lagerfeld Vogue March 2011

Zandra Rhodes: Conceptual Chic Collection 1977

Maison Martin Margiela 1992