top of page

GUEST POST: Kirsty McGowan

Updated: Apr 19, 2020

Kirsty is a final year Fashion Design student from Solent University and is currently completing her graduate collection, consisting of 6 garments to be presented at the Solent Graduate Fashion Show in June.



If you have any role in a fashion design degree, you will understand the sheer stress, pressure and volume of tears that goes in to making a final collection. Whether you are a lecturer there to strictly keep your students on a focused path, a younger student watching fearfully as you realise that – soon – this will be you, or one of the students going through the process yourself, here are a few tips on how to survive.


1. Be supportive. AND NICE


Honesty is helpful, especially when coming from a lecturer, and constructive criticism is motivational. Students rely on the feedback from their lecturers to improve their collections as they often have industry experience themselves. It can be hard to not take comments to heart but just remember lecturers are always there FOR YOU.


For fashion students in their first or second years, always offer help if you can. Pass the third years in the corridor and smile, ask them how their days are going. Even stop off in the studio to say hi. A friendly face is always welcome and building a network early on can give you a head start. Never be afraid to collaborate.


When you’re sharing a studio with someone, it can be pretty easy to get annoyed at them. After all, you are seeing them 24/7. If you can feel yourself reaching boiling point, take a break. Go for a walk, grab some food, hide in a toilet and cry. But don’t let yourself explode at each other. When one of you gets good news, congratulate them. When one of you is sobbing into their toile, go over and give them a hug. You are each other’s support. Be nice to each other.


2. Get organised

It can be hard to get one-on-one time with lecturers, especially if you have such a huge class, but don’t be afraid to ask for an extra tutorial or piece of advice. Don’t leave it too late.


The studio is your space, just be mindful of others, leave it as you found it. There is nothing worse than realising you have lost a pattern piece due to piles left around your area. Or you forget what part of an outfit you are meant to be doing because you keep jumping between garments.


TOP TIPS:


· Get a big folder, dividers, wallets, everything for your pattern pieces and keep them organised.


· When you start one outfit, stick with that outfit until it’s finished. Don’t let yourself get distracted by something else. Keep picking at it until it’s done.


3. Decorate your space

Your board is going to be the most important decoration of your area. As soon as you get space, start pinning up fabric samples, get your line up on display, flat drawings ready to go. It is a good idea to keep updating this board every time you have a new idea or find a fabric that you love. Use it to keep yourself inspired. Have at least one or two mannequins out to display your outfits on – this will help to keep you on track and allow you to show off your work. Keep your toile fabrics in your box and ORGANISE IT! Remember that you are going to be living in this space for at least three months, you want it to look pretty. And don’t forget to keep a stockpile of snacks ready on hand.



4. Give yourself a break


Whether you’re a lecturer, a younger student or an almost-graduate, it is CRUCIAL that you get a little me-time. You are not going to be productive if your energy is circling the drain. No amount of coffee is going to help you focus. Being in the studio 9-5 everyday is draining so make sure you schedule in some downtime in the evenings or on the weekends. Find a good book that you’ve been meaning to read, go to watch a movie in the cinema, treat yourself to a dinner out with friends. Anything to keep your mind somewhere else than your work for a while.


5. Get enough sleep


When you’re in full swing of an FMP, it can be easy to fall into the habit of staying up way past midnight trying to get more work done. By doing this, it’s likely the quality of work you’re producing at that time isn’t going to be great, and the work you’re doing in the studio is going to suffer. Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep. Even if that means you start a little later one day. It will be worth it in the long run.




We want to say a massive thank you to the lovely Kirsty for writing our first guest post for Generation XX! We hope her advice has been helpful to you, our readers. If you would like to find out more information about Kirsty, or to have a sneak-peak at her pending graduate collection, be sure to follow her Instagram page @kirsty_mcgowan_



We want our blog to create a community of like-minded people, as well as getting our readers excited for the upcoming Graduate Fashion Show at Solent University in June 2020. Keep your eyes peeled for new content coming very soon to Generation XX!


Credit to Loren Parkhurst for the footer graphic.

Comments


bottom of page