Final Evaluation

I have really enjoyed Self Directed Project, for me personally I enjoyed being able to choose what costume I got to make, as this is unlikely in the industry, but I also loved the freedom that came with it. Being the designer and maker for my costume made it easy for me to know what to do and I got a taste of what third year will be like as I was working very independently when compared to past projects. Even though I am not a ‘designer’ I was glad I got the opportunity to improve on my design skills and photoshop work as well as my making skills.
However, I would have liked the experience to have worked in a team/with a designer, but then I would not have been able to make the costume I chose. The costume I chose to make was a key part in this project as I am fascinated by the character’s clothing and I felt it would be a way to ensure that my time management would be better.
Although I did leave a lot to the last minute, I do feel that my time management was a lot better than in previous projects. The character really motivated me and once I got stuck into my work I was excited and efficient. I had low motivation during the middle of the project, during the Easter Holiday, and I found it difficult to get back into my work. Perhaps if I had given myself less work to do over Easter in my time plan, I wouldn’t have felt behind, which made it harder to get back my motivation. However, I was pleased that my panic set in a lot sooner than normal, as it gave me time to catch up on things I had left and ensure that my costume did not suffer.
I chose this costume as it related to my work experience at We Will Rock You and also because it incorporated corsetry. I learnt a lot about corsets and am happy to have gained this skill, I think it has helped me widen my skills and therefore become a better maker, but it has also helped me to trust my judgement and my own skills. I felt while drafting my corset that it was too much guess work and not as precise as I was used to being, but once I had my fitting and very little needed changing, it gave me such a boost and faith in my own work. This confidence, to me, is just as important as learning new skills. Making a corset also gave me a chance to put into practice the skills I had learnt at my work placement as I chose to make it out of fake leather. I sourced a jacket and made it into a corset, which is something I’ve not done before, and this recycling skill is something I think would be very useful in today’s theatre’s as the environment and small budgets is a very common issue.
The costume I designed incorporated a large over-the-top cloak and collar piece, which seemed standard when designing for such an extravagant character. However, I hadn’t thought too much about the construction of it when I designed it, and was really glad that it pushed me further with my work. The structured collar is something I’d never done before and had avoided in previous projects, and this unit forced me to take on this challenge and I’m so glad I did. The blocking net I used was extremely annoying to work with and involved a lot of trial and error but despite that I thoroughly enjoyed it and showed me that my making skills can match my interest in flamboyant costumes.
I am really happy with how my costume looks and how all the individual pieces go so well together. I think I have translated the 2D design to 3D form really effectively with all the contrasting fabrics combining well to make one whole costume. There are some embellishments like diamonte’s or beading that I wanted to add onto the cloak and the collar, but I was unsure of whether it would add or spoil the outfit. This is something I will consider before I have a photo shoot of the costume that will eventually go in my portfolio.
Overall, I am really pleased and happy with this project, that it allowed me to gain the skills I was desperate to learn but it also helped me as an independent maker in teaching me better time management and also gave me faith in my own work.

Covering Cruella's Collar

To cover the collar I used the same pattern pieces I did with the blocking net, and machining the pieces together in the same way. I wanted the black satin to cover the outside of the collar piece and the faux fur to cover the inside (which will be seen when worn). I made the satin cover first, which again was a bit of trial and error when trying to get it to the exact right shape as the blocking net, which has changed shape a bit after all my manipulation when machining together. I repeated the process of getting two separate pieces (collar and shoulder pieces) and then machining together at the neckline - exactly how I constructed the blocking net. This is visually pleasing as you can see the structured look of th collar without any of the blocking net on show.
I found the most difficult part of covering the collar was slip stitching the faux fur onto the piece, around the whole edge. I secured the black satin to the blocking net first - at the neckline and around the edge, then covered with the fur by turnin over the edges and hand-sewing on. This was very time consuming, and working with fur meant I was not able to see the hem clearly or my stitching. However, even though it took a lot of manipulating and time for hand-sewing it has a really good effect and has turned out exactly how I want.
I should have thought more in-dept about how exactly I would cover the collar piece, and maybe I would have sewn the fur on first which might have made it easier.

Cruella's Cloak

The cloak I knew would be very straight forward, as it has little shape to it. However, it is all about when the actor moves while wearing the cloak, how it will drag behind and its over-the-top style will give a huge sense of importance and status.

I experimented on the stand with different patterns, and finally decided on using pleats to add a bit of interest to the cloak. I thought that the fabric would look flat and boring if made exactly like the design and pleating the top fabric at the neckline adds a bit of interest and shadows to the fabric.

The main design feature on the cloak is the fur lining, so I felt a bit lost with what to do with the top fabric. I didn't want it plain and flat, yet I have to be careful not to challenge other aspects of my costume with the cloak, as the corset and the collar are the main features.

Once I had the patterns, it was simply a case of cutting out and making. This didn't really challenge me in my making skills as I knew how I was going to construct it. However, the corset and the collar are the areas in which I wanted to be challenged and further my skills, and making the cloak was exciting as I got to start to work in my top fabric and use the faux fur I've ordered online.
Working with the fur did teach me to be careful with cutting out and sewing together, as it was easy for the fur to slip on the machine. I also hadn't appreciated how thick the fur could be when sewn together, and perhaps I should have considered this when I made my fabric choices. However, I did want a thick fur fabric to go with the flamboyant nature of my design, and where the seams get a bit chunky the collar covers it.

I'm really happy with how the cloak looks and working in top fabric really motivated me. I did not do a toile for my cloak as I needed the motivation of top fabric but also because of time. Not making a toile cloak has not really affected the garment as it is not fitted to the body. The length is the only thing that really needed to be considered, so I changed the height of the mannequin to my model's height using the 'nape to ground' measurement.

Collar Construction

Once I had my pattern out of card, I had to cut it into smaller pattern pieces in order to lie flat on the blocking net to cut out. Working with the blocking net was really interesting for me as you could watch the collar slowly form in front of you with everynew panel you added on, however with this came the problem of trying to fit a large curved collar around a sewing machine. Also, the sewing machine didn't like working with blocking net sometimes, especially as I doubled up the blocking net to make the structure stronger.

Making the collar piece and the shoulder structure piece individually was relatively straight forward, it was when I had to attach the two pieces together that made it extremely difficult to manipulate and sew. I had to trim into the collar's seam allowance to get the two pieces to overlap so I could machine together. I had to really manipulate the blocking net, I was forcing it in a different direction to how I cut it out and wanted it to be just to fit in a small space. This was callenging but I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge.

To finish the structure of the collar piece (before I can cover it) I had to machine millinery wire around the entire edge. Although when machining it on I didn't see how it could aid the structure, once away from the sewing machine it is clear that the wire really helps to shape the collar and you can change the shape easily and it will stay that way.

Spikey Gloves

I'm not sure whether it is because I know this character's costumes so well or whether I had a secret wish to wear them myself, but Cruella De Vil always wears gloves with fingernails on, it is very iconic to her character and helps to create the esstential 'evil' look. This is why her classic feminine and sexy gloves were on my design, to me lace gloves with false nails attached.
I sourced a pair of lace gloves off ebay and bought a pack of false nails, I knew exactly how I wanted the gloves to look and to be honest any gloves with fingernails on that I did manage to find were for halloween and looked tacky. I want my costume to reflect Cruella at her peek, very couture and classic.
I used calico to stuff the gloves, which also gave the glue something to stick to and the lace wasn't very secure. I filed and painted the nails with my own design.
I really loved working on something small and fun, it was different but adds so much to my overall design and costume.




The only thing I would maybe change is the fabric of the gloves. I decided upon lace as I thought it would make a good contrast to the matt blackness of the cloak, however, as the false nails are so loose on the gloves and everyone's fingernails are different shapes and sizes, you can see through the lace to the real fingernails underneath. The most successful gloves used on the films are the opaque ones, although she does wear one pair of lace gloves.

Drafting Cruella's Collar

I was really stuck with how to go about making this wonderful collar I had designed, I knew how I wanted it to look but had no clue how to make it. After talking with one of the technicians in the studio I was told to draft out my collar on the stand using card. This was very effective and allowed me to see how the collar would look and take shape, much more than drafting in calico would.
When drafting it was a case of trial and error and simply cutting into the card and adding new pieces with masking tape.




This ad hoc way of working suited me very well, I like trying something out and seeing what I can do. This also allows me to get stuck into my project without feeling the need to check everything I do every day, I've put trust in myself and my capabilities as I love working on this costume and feel like I know what I'm doing and where I am going with it.

Cruella's Collar

The collar I designed was very over-the-top and very structured so I knew that making this item would be challenging. Making something as strong and rigid would require me to use blocking net and millinery wire (usually used for making hats) which is something I've not used before and would further my skills, especially as I am a fan of extravagant costumes and am really motivated to create something unusual and flamboyant. The shape I designed was very strongly influenced by an existing Cruella De Vil costume, but I accentuated the line of the shoulders and made the collar larger to frame the face.
This is the costume I took the idea from (it is used in the film 102 Dalmatians).

Mid-Way Reflection

I chose to make this Cruella Costume as I hoped it would be motivating and help me to keep with my time plan I made at the beginning of the project. Although it is exciting and I am really enjoying it, my time management is not what I would like it. My Easter Holiday was when I started to drift away from my time plan and I was not as productive as I had planned. Perhaps I should have taken into account that I would want a break from my work and only set myself smaller tasks to do.

However, this all sounds negative but I have got my motivation back and have realised my issue with my time much sooner than I have in recent projects. I have got the time to get sorted and achieve the costume I want and to a standard I wish to achieve.

On another note, I've found it difficult to keep up to date with my blog during this project. This is bcause during a making project I tend to avoid my computer as I find the internet a distraction.

Working in Faux Leather

I've found working with the jacket I sourced off Ebay completely different to work with and not like anything I've used before. It has been a bit of 'Trial and Error' to understand how the fabric acts however, as the amount of fabric available has been limited it was important not to waste anything.
When placing my top fabric over the cotton drill to match and hide the seams, I noticed the difference in the fabrics and how the leather does not have any 'give' in it and also how I cannot make mistakes with it as any machine or pin marks are permanent and will be obvious if seen!

I am really happy with how the top fabric looks on the corset and seeing this has given me motivation as I lost it during the Easter Holiday's. My next stage with the corset is placing the studs and putting in the busk, which I am nervous about because the studs must be in the right place first time round as I cannot change it once I pushed holes in it.

Sourcing Top Fabric

I wanted to have an element of recyling in my project as I think it will add another level of problem solving which will give me more skills in the industry. Recyling because of funding is a large part of theatre currently, and as I've not properly explored this avenue I wanted to use an old jacket for my top fabric for my corset. This has made me much more aware of the fabric I'm using and how much I waste in other projects. I also wanted a leather looking fabric and I want to put studs on the edges. The choice of fabric and the stud idea came from my work placement at We Will Rock You. I was doing a lot of work using leather and studs for the main character in the musical and I thought it would be great to put the skills into practice and on a larger scale.

The leather jacket I sourced from ebay for £10 and it has two pockets on the front. As fabric is limited I decided to use the pockets on the corset, on the centre panels of each side so they are directly under the arm. This makes my corset more contemporary and links with the studs which is also a modern feature.
I do not want to make a historical corset but it will be in the style of a 19th Century corset and the patterns are very similar. The exernal embelishments will make it contemorary and more like the character.

First Fitting

My first fitting was for the corset and the skirt and it went really well. I decided to make the skirt out of a lycra type fabric as this would be easy to construct along with the corset and the cloak, but also have a really great look and shape of a sexy tight pencil skirt. To make the skirt I just used my model's waist and hip measurement and also the 'outside leg to knee' to draft out a rough pattern and make the essential fitting to her body at the fitting. The skirt was too long and too big so I used safety pins to mark the new shape of the skirt. Making in top fabric was ok for the skirt as it lycra and could be shaped to the body without a toile first.

The corset fitted extremely well, and I was happily surprised by this. Having never made a corset before drafting the patterns was new to me and I was a little unsure of what I had drawn. However, I did everything correctly but was doubtful in my skills. This fitting really boosted my confidence as there were minor changes (at the back and over the bust) and I'm really happy with how it went.

Final Design

I wanted my own Final Design for this costume as I am using a variety of images of existing costumes as research that I want to combine for this particular Cruella De Vil outfit. I asked a costume designer on my course (Siu Ping Wan) to draw up my ideas in a Fina Design. This was extremely helpful as it allowed me to spend my time on pattern drafting and getting ready for my fitting.



However, at the fitting it became clear that some of my design decisions that I had made in my head were not clear on the Final Design. This is why I drew up my own Final Design with all the little details and the character shape and pose that I felt weren't quite right on the other design.

Self-Directed Project

'Self-Directed Project' is the current unit I am doing on my course at The Arts University College of Bournemouth. In this project we are free to choose the areas we wish to specify in and as a maker I have decided to go into female dress, specifically corsets and fantasy garments. I am fascinated by over-the-top designs and how they transform between a 2D design to a 3D form.

When thinking about the skills I wish to have when I leave university, knowing how to make a corset is definately one of them, so I had an idea of where I wanted to go when looking at designs I could make.

I decided to make a costume for Cruella De Vil, played by Glenn Close in the Live Action films '101 Dalmations' and '102 Dalmations'. Her costumes are completely crazy and over-the-top yet extremely feminine and luxurious. Her costumes include high collars, large shoulder pads and corsets, and almost always in extremely difficult fabrics. I am excited to work in these types of fabrics as it will push my skills further and also allow me to use the skills I learnt at my work placement at 'We Will Rock You' as I was working in leather and using studs.



I found it difficult finding designs for the films but could find lots and photographs of her costumes. I experimented designing a combination of her garments to create a design that included everything I wanted to make to progress in this course. I will use photoshop to look at different fabrics on my design to see what will look best, and once I am happy I will ask a designer on my course to draw out my Final Design. I will submit this along with my learning agreement and my work plan.