business card and Branding

Branding yourself correctly will get you the job.

Looking at tins of beans for example: a choice out of Tescos own or a well known brand!!!????

Within the creative industry you have to be creative. Always thinking of ways to stand out from the crowd. I have a few ideas for business card. I would like them vintage looking with a quirky cut. That would depend on my line of work but I would defiantly need to get some made. I would keep my C.V and business cards of similar design. I would like to have both a paper and digital C.V. And the same for my portfolio. Things like my research folders for my photo shoots and my trend book I would bring with me but everything else will be displayed digitally on CD/memory stick.

Here are just a few examples of some I like.

Reflection and Preparing for the future

The best decision I ever made was to come back to uni and finish FdA Fashion.
The promotional rout is deffinatly me and I now feel completly ready to start my career and battle it through the competitive world of Fashion, P.R and Events.
I think I am a strong candidate for a job role as I have many usefull skills and my drive and ambition shines through and employers have actually commented on the fact that they like that about me and it makes me stand out from the crowd. I am extremly confident in my own abilities and yet I always take into consideration my weaknesses and try to improve on them. I believe this to be very important as I do not want to come across as arrogant. Compitant and enthusiastic are the words I would like to use.
I have succeeded in taking advantage of the unique opportunities for work experience and have learnt invaluable skills which will see me throughout my career. I had set out a number of goals I wanted to achieve during this last year and I have no doubt that I have achieved more then I even emagined and for that I am proud of myself and I have shown that I can take a bad situation and turn it around into a positive.
When I was last at uni I was unhappy and demotivated this last year has been exciting and Inspiring and I have really wanted to get involved in as much as possible. I have grown as a person and my Ideas have evolved also into a more mature outlook and more professional. I do still have to work on my time management and a few other skills but I am happy with my progression so far. I am glad I returned as a mature student as I appreciate it a lot more and I have seen what life could be like working in an unsatisfying industry/job.
I believe I have made the right decision to leave this year and not do the top up year as I feel I have an impressive C.V which shows diversity and commitment and a willingness to learn.
My people skills are pretty good and I have the strength to take knock backs. I am very good at networking and keeping up to date on trend predictions, social skills, working as a team and marketing and deligation. I have experience in all P.R, Events and Fashion as well as many other industries such as a model agency and I enjoy all as much as eachother as they are very similar and tend to cross over.
I have decided to stay on at LMP Models one day a week voluntary for a while to build up a good relationship with clients, to meet industry professionals and network. It's all about networking and absorbing information.
Big Bear Events have offered me a job as an assistant events manager but are being quite unprofessional about getting back to me so I am unsure about that company at present. If I do not work with them I will look for a job in any of my chosen industries within the next few weeks as I believe I would have a lot to offer a prospective employee and I have more to offer in ways of experience and people skills then most graduates.
For now I am looking to stay in Bournemouth for about a year to get straight into industry as I cannot and will not work in a mundane job like insurance ever again.
I do have lined up a three month unpaid placement at Halpern. The P.R company I worked at in my first year at uni. Last time I did Fashion P.R but this time it would be leisure and lifestyle P.R. I may see what other payed jobs I can get as I think I have enough work experience now. I'm 26 this year and I need to start earning money. The P.R company Blow in London is another company I'm thinking of contacting as they organized many shows at London Fashion week and may be a big well known company to work for.
I'm planning on traveling next year and then on my return I will be thinking about setting up my own company. Most probably a model/events agency in Bournemouth as I believe there is a gap in the market for it. I'm talking with Sam Mason about it at the moment and we will be speaking to Matt Desmier within the next few weeks to discuss a business plan. We would like to make full use of the universities facilities. I work very well with Sam as proven on previous projects. We are also organizing the Burlesque tease event together and we encourage and motivate each other. We also have different strengths so when put together we are a strong alliance.
My sister is very similar to myself and would also like to join forces so that is a possibility.
Looking at many companies in Bournemouth we can see many weaknesses which could lead to our success. It's about professionalism at all times, aiming high, communication and forward thinking.
During this year I have taken a different type of interest. I have become much more business minded and determined to succeed. I have been to a number of the entrepreneur's lectures.
Untill then I will be looking to work for a p.r/events company or a model agency to gain as much experience as possible.

Exhibition

For the exhibition I am going to have 8 prints. The aim is to display a visual merchandising proposal for Chanel stores. I plan to take a trip to one of the main London stores and assess their visual merchandising style then work out how I could create a fresh new concept but still in keeping with the Chanel culture and branding.

What I am currently thinking is to have a mixture of vintage ornate looking gold photo frames on a mock up wall of decorative, lavish wall paper. The frames I am thinking will be wonky (similar to the picture here) and containing different sized prints from my photo shoot "A lust for Luxury". My model is called Sam King. I know him through uni and I organized a meeting with LMP Models as I think he has great potential. About two weeks ago he came in and I did his interview and kelly anne ( the company director) watched his walk. They still have yet to respond but I think there missing a great opportunity. He has agreed to be a live model for me at the exhibition. During my day style scouting with Paul Hartnett for menswear day during London Fashion week I noticed many of the models have this type of look and haircut and I think Sam could go far. That day really inspired me and I defiantly want to have a live model!

I would like him propped up at the bar blending in with the customers at the exhibition space wearing the clothes I have styled him in and a mask or lace across his eyes. Playing on the idea to see but not to be seen. Karl Lagerfeld loves that idea and is one of the main inspirations for my photo shoot. The customers will be confused as to who he is. I want my exhibition space to look regal and theatrical and the styling to be biker vampire like.

Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel shoot inspiration

Karl Lagerfeld has really inspired me. He is so blunt and to the point. He reminds me of a little vampire dressed all in black and leather and with his cool shades on.

He loves beauty, quality and originality. I hope to portray this in my images from my shoot. I am inspired by the same things as Karl also and so that is why I chose to base my shoot on Chanel.

The Adam Lambert music video "for your entertainment" is a big influence for the shoot. It's set in a similar scene to the theatre and he has the look that I want with the 80's rocker vibe. He reminds me of a male version of Lady Gaga and so is probably why I have taken an interest as I admire her style and charisma. Also for years I have been fascinated by the film "The Lost Boys". It has such style and is rebellious. It is a forward thinking vampire film unlike many others where they are based in the past. Perfect for forward thinking Chanel.

Chanel Photoshoot

The shoot is called " A lust for luxury". Inspired by Karl Lagerfelds idea "to see but not to be seen". Firstly I looked at the idea ofThe Phantom of the Opera and how the Phantom lusts after Christine from the shaddows. The film is everything Chanel, The colouring the setting, the theatre, the culture and romance. From there I headed into the direction of "The Interview with the Vampire". Again another film which has always inspired me. This time mixing sexual inuendos between two men. The idea of my shoot is one character is lusting after the other ones style, popularity and wealth. The idea of watching from the shaddows. One is the other ones understudy and desperatly wants to be in the lime light. So he sabotages the show buy having the female dancers seduce and intoxicate him leaving the understudy to shine and take his place. It's the progression from the old style Chanel into a new era. Coco Chanel to Karl Lagerfeld.

The shoot will be based in the Kings Theatre in Portsmouth, my sister and another photographer will be taking the pictures, I may get multi media to come and film the shoot also. Hair and make up will be done by Annie who works for LMP Models, my friend Magda will be an assistant and the models are Chris and Samuel from LMP Models also. I want the images to look classically Chanel with soft focus and almost like a painting. This is inspired by old style art/paintings. The Renaissance, but will have a new age rocker vibe to it.

There will also be a second shoot with Chris before the Burlesque event that I'm organizing with the burlesque dancers. The seduction scene. Hampton's has the perfect decor to blend with the shots from the theatre and I'm taking advantage of the girls already being there dressed up.