With the fashion world seemingly at a stand still, many events have been postponed or cancelled entirely. Having said that, adjustments are being to guarantee events, education and training are still accessible. One such organisation doing so is Caramel Rock. They state that they are “… an educational charity that provides training and job opportunities. They focus on empowering and supporting young people to access varied training and opportunities within the fashion industry. They provide services for people of different academic levels and age groups including young students on the verge of being expelled from school and seeking an intervention with our creative approach.”
Caramel Rock hosted a 3 day event featuring a variety of activities for fashion lovers of all levels and abilities. Personally, as someone new to fashion design, I looked forward to seeing what was on offer and was not disappointed. From illustration workshops to talks with members of the industry, there was something for everyone.
Day one involved an online fashion exhibition that celebrated the work of 25 fashion designers. In order to exhibit, students at Caramel Rock had to submit a 10-page sketchbook. Resources were available for people attending, providing knowledge on how to cut patterns at home. On Day two, a Design (Illustration) event was hosted by designer – Siah who led a workshop on embroidery illustration.
I had the opportunity to participate in one of the sessions on the last day. A workshop on illustration was run in which it was a complete eye opener for someone like me who has no background in art, let alone fashion. Drawing/illustration is really not my forte: I’m much more proficient with words. I’ve been intimidated by these things; it’s prevented me from stepping out into the world of fashion, design and broadly art.
As the session started, we were introduced to illustration with a definition, and soon after we began to construct a ‘Croquis’. As I hadn’t a ruler at hand, I struggled to draw the precise measurements for the figure, but could forgive myself considering it was my first attempt. The tutor – Jake London , was friendly and approachable, making the experience easier for novices to understand. Throughout the session he supported all of the attendees, answering their questions in detail at the end.
One thing that fascinates me particularly in terms of fashion illustration is that it didn’t necessarily need to be a clean figure with the product drawn on. It’s art . It can be avant garde, presenting concepts through a multitude of prisms and media. Illustrations from Matty Bovan and Richard Kilroy were presented to us – it truly changed my perspective on illustration. At its core, fashion is art, an expression of ideas. To reach this realisation made me feel especially fulfilled as a new creative.
Overall, the session was incredibly informative and successful, emphasising the importance of organisations like Caramel Rock and the help they provide. They make fashion accessible to those who otherwise would not get the chance to learn, myself included. I hope that awareness of such opportunities continues to grow, and that the industry begins to understand that fashion is for the many, not the few.
words by Louise WORTHINGON
Fashion editor – charis CRAWFOrd corri
*Disclaimer – All images within this article are sourced from Caramel Rock’s official website. Ragged Culture Publishing Ltd. does not own copyright of images featured in this article. All rights reserved*