Studio philosophy
‘...to see what everyone else has seen, and think what no one else has thought.’ Einstein A, 1937
‘Human creativity is the ultimate economic resource. The ability to come up with new ideas and better ways of doing things is ultimately what raises productivity and thus living standards.’ Florida R, 2002
What does it mean to be working at your optimum creatively yet producing work that is commercially viable? Where does design meet commercial in a digital revolution? We will explore the balance between contemporary design practice, utility and aesthetics and visionary manufacturing techniques.
This studio aims to explore the challenges of making contemporary design accessible yet critically and creatively complex. We will investigate a variety of outputs from couture to prêt-à-porter, one-off to batch, ready-made to customized or co-designed.
This studio will leave you with an individuated design philosophy, skill-specific expertise utilising cutting edge technology and an understanding of the relevance of your work within the context of your chosen field. You are the designers of tomorrow. You are creating design for the future of your field.
Design is the connective tissue between pure creation & commerce. The designer is the innovator, entrepreneur, experimenter, the creative. Think the unthinkable, propose the unexpected, challenge behaviour.
This studio will drive you to explore the spectrum of creative & commercial contexts for your practice. Get your work out of your head, off the bench and into the real world. Consider the ethical & economic challenges of the bespoke, customised, batch and mass produced. Push your design capability to innovate in each realm from luxury to 'off the peg'.
Be a contemporary, have a voice, find the balance, push your creativity, work in commerce. You are the next generation.
Projects
Through a series of ’LIVE’ projects, expect to be challenged by academics, have your process critiqued by industry leaders, pushed to be cutting edge, have your personal and professional skills questioned, be trained in new techniques; exposed to alternative design practices and introduced to trade fairs, suppliers and manufacturers. Tutorials, briefings and critiques will be supplemented by a seminar programme from key industry leaders.
In short, this studio is designed to deliver the design knowledge and thinking that will allow for a smooth transition in to industry, to secure consultancy, employment, launch your own design company, gain commissions and ultimately achieve the profile that leads to a viable and long term career.
Clients/ Mentors: London Design Guide, Max Fraser, Louis Vuitton.
Study Trips
Premiere Vision Paris (FEB 2014 – and Sept 2014), Pitti Filati Florence (Jan 2014 – Or July 2014), Linea Pelli Florence (March 2014), London Fashion Week (Feb 2014), Paris Fashion Week (March 2014), Venice.
Details
| Course | Fashion & Textiles MA Jewellery MA Product Design MA MA by Project |
|---|---|
| Tutor | Aimee McWilliams Jez Bradley Charlotte Gorse |
| Where | Studio 8, 4th Floor, Commercial Road |
| When | Mondays, Thursdays |