About Me

Hello,

My name is Jasmin Cunningham and I am currently studying Fashion Buying (with Design) at De Montfort University, Leicester. I have always had an interest in fashion and textiles back from the age of around 12 when I started textiles at secondary school. At A-Level I studied Textiles following that I studied a Pre-Degree course in art and design. Over the years this has built my knowledge in the textile industry primarily, but also looking how many textile techniques are applied to fashion garments. I chose to study Fashion Buying (with design) because I’m interested in the commercial side of fashion, and how it works behind the scenes of big high street fashion chains. I’m on the design pathway because I love creating things, and believe that this is an area I’m competent in.

I have developed an interest in the lingerie sector of the fashion industry. This interest grew significantly when I applied to study contour fashion at DMU. One of my favourite lingerie designers/retailers is La Perla. I first came across this designer in Vogue magazine when I saw an advert for their brand. Founded in 1954 in Bologna, the Italian brand develop high quality luxury lingerie. They also design ready to wear pieces, shoes and bags, beach wear, night wear and men’s. (The impression LLC. 2016).

Figure 1: (The impression LLC. 2016). La Perla Advertising Campaign 2015. I came across these images in Vogue and that’s where the love for their designs began.

Whilst studying textiles in college I also found a love for embroidery textile artists. Although this isn’t exactly fashion related, embroidery is becoming more prominent in fashion. Kirsty Whitlock was one of the artists I studied in college. She’s a first-class honours graduate of De Montfort university having studied design Craft in 2009. In this image, of which I responded too in one of my college projects, she uses recycled materials and embroidery as a response to consumerism. This is about how we are wasteful and happy to throw away things we no longer use without consideration on the environment and others. (Sam and Whitlock K. 2013)

Figure 2: (Sam and Whitlock K. 2013) Bags of Aggro by Kirsty Whitlock

Figure 1: The impression LLC. (2016). La-Perla-ad-advertisement-campaign-lingerie-spring-2015-the-impression-01. [Image] Available at: http://theimpression.com/top-underwear-ad-campaigns-the-vault/la-perla-ad-advertisement-campaign-lingerie-spring-2015-the-impression-01-2/ [accessed 09/02/17]

Figure 2: Whitlock K (2010) Kirsty Whitlock Bags of Aggro. [Image] Available at: http://www.textileartist.org/kirsty-whitlock-from-conception-to-creation/ [Accessed 13/02/17]

Sam and Whitlock K. (2013) Kirsty Whitlock interview: Embroidery transformations Available at: http://www.textileartist.org/embroidery-transforms-kirsty-whitlock/ [Accessed 13/02/17]

Gonslaves R (2015) What lies beneath La Perla’s 60 years of luxury lingerie? Independent. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/what-lies-beneath-la-perlas-luxury-lingerie-9804676.html [accessed 09/02/17]