About me
As a designer I am interested in how fashion and global trends are always shifting and how the world is on a constant forward journey.
I am passionate about garment design, prints and textile design, illustration, trends, social media platforms and fashion personal relations.
During my graduation year in 2014, I was recognized on many platforms. I won first place in the Foschini Design Awards and I was a top 6 Elle Rising Star Finalist across the whole of Africa, which awarded me the opportunity of showcasing my graduate collection at Africa Fashion Week 2014.
Before and whilst studying I worked continuously in various areas of the fashion industry; exercising my ability to adapt, multitask, work with people and communicate clearly which I believe will be an advantage in any future fashion design role. My Accounting Degree has given me a strong sense of commercial acumen which is an extra benefit to my skill set.
I am highly organised, driven and trend aware with a strong commercial eye. I am looking to gain more experience as a designer in a commercial fashion or trend forecasting environment in London.
Projects
- Graduate Collection Illustrations and Technical Flats // Modern Eclectic // By Frances PaulsTHE INSPIRATION BEHIND MODERN ECLECTIC ...the soft, faded, sun-kissed colours that we find above the ocean's surface, the tones of the sand, sun-bleached sarongs and faded wood paint.........and how these colours are contrasted by the bright luminescent underwater life with it's naturally bright graphic colour-blocked panels........ Within Modern Eclectic I explored and manipulated many printed textiles and was inspired to create my own textiles through silk screening and laser cutting. I expe
- Avant Garde Ethereal Warrior // by Frances PaulsThe Ethereal Warrior Avant Garde design was created for a second year college Avant Garde project. The story includes an inspiration board, a hair and make up styling board, a story board as well as photographs of the realized garment. The main element of the brief was to create a warrior woman outfit using mainly the South African textile isishweshwe. The silhouette of my design, draws inspiration from a Samurai Princess Warrior and other oriental aspects but other than that its abstract. The garment features graphic paneling of the variously bleached and redyed Shweshwe as well as the prints which I created myself which were inspired by the Shweshwe designs themselves. I wanted a palette that was more washed out and ethereal than the otherwise bright textile, so I bleached the three types of Shweshwe that I used into various different tonal levels. I used pleating to create an armor like breast plate, I embellished the shoulder panels with candle-wicking embroidery and I also used PU and organdy overlays to create surfaces which reflect light in varying capacity.
- Graduate Collection Shoot // Modern Eclectic // by Frances PaulsMODERN ECLECTIC SHOOT My graduate collection was photographed in collaboration with the very talented team listed below: Designer: Frances Pauls Photographer: Kleinjan Groenewald Hair and Make Up: Vanessa Kroeger Model: Mishka Patel THE INSPIRATION BEHIND MODERN ECLECTIC ...the soft, faded, sun-kissed colours that we find above the ocean's surface, the tones of the sand, sun-bleached sarongs and faded wood paint.........and how these colours are contrasted by the bright luminescent underwater life with it's naturally bright graphic colour-blocked panels........ Within Modern Eclectic I explored and manipulated many printed textiles and was inspired to create my own textiles through silk screening and laser cutting. I experimented with fading hand-selected Isishweshwe prints, bringing them down to more pastel washed-out tones that are quite unexpected for this textile. Inspired by these prints, I then designed my own patterns which I silk screened onto fine silk as well as laser cut into luxury fabrics, resulting in an eclectic mix of prints and colour. Combining this eclectic feast of prints and colour with a sophisticated sports luxe aesthetic I achieved a sports-deluxe collection which speaks equally of decorative elements as it does minimalism.
- MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION WEEK AFRICA 2014 // GRADUATE COLLECTION // MODERN ECLECTIC // by Frances PaulsPRESENTING MODERN ECLECTIC AT AFRICA FASHION WEEK 2014 As part of being a top 6 finalist of Elle Rising Star Africa 2014 in collaboration with Mr Price and Africa Fashion International. I was awarded the opportunity of presenting my graduate collection at Africa Fashion Week 2014. THE INSPIRATION BEHIND MODERN ECLECTIC ...the soft, faded, sun-kissed colours that we find above the ocean's surface, the tones of the sand, sun-bleached sarongs and faded wood paint.........and how these colours are contrasted by the bright luminescent underwater life with it's naturally bright graphic colour-blocked panels........ Within Modern Eclectic I explored and manipulated many printed textiles and was inspired to create my own textiles through silk screening and laser cutting. I experimented with fading hand-selected Isishweshwe prints, bringing them down to more pastel washed-out tones that are quite unexpected for this textile. Inspired by these prints, I then designed my own patterns which I silk screened onto fine silk as well as laser cut into luxury fabrics, resulting in an eclectic mix of prints and colour. Combining this eclectic feast of prints and colour with a sophisticated sports luxe aesthetic I achieved a sports-deluxe collection which speaks equally of decorative elements as it does minimalism.
- MACRO TREND FORECASTING // NO IDENTITY TREND REPORT // BY FRANCES PAULSAs part of a Cool Fashion Hunting short course at Central Saint Martins in August 2015, we were required to observe London for a week and then report a trend/concept/idea inspired by something or a collection of things that we observed during the week. My Macro trend presentation was titled 'NO IDENTITY'.
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Work history
Wardrobe Assistant on Mat Joubert TV Series
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Opportunity to work under the Scottish Emmy Award winning Costume Designer Kate Carin and gain valuable experience in the world of Film and Costume.
(I worked on this job for the full duration of the production)
Duties Included:
• Office administration multitasking and assisting the Costume Designer.
• Setting up and running the costume budget on excel, ensuring the costume buyers cash flow was timeously replenished, working with the financial accounts team and doing weekly budget reconciliations.
• Dealing with high profile actors.
• Last minute costume buying for lead actors, buying according to a theme and aesthetic.
• Coordinating and managing costumes of characters on set.
Design Internship at Foschini Head Office
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As part of winning first place in the 2014 Foschini Design Awards, I was invited to intern at the Foschini Design Center and design garments to be manufactured for store.
Duties included:
• Designing and presenting a collection to be manufactured for Foschini Stores. Collection to be fashion forward, commercially viable and to target a specific target market.
• Brief the manufacturing department on designs chosen to be manufactured. Handing over full spec CADs, along with fabric and trim specs.
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Skills
- Fashion
- Print Design
- Design
- Illustrator
- Photoshop
- Fashion Illustration
- Social Media
- Fashion Buying
- Apparel Design
- Assisting
- Trend Theme Research
- Trend Forecasting and Research
- Trend Concept Design
Education
Textile Design Cool Fashion Hunting Short Course
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Textile Design & Cool Fashion Hunting short course
Fashion Design
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Fashion
Awards
Academic Awards Achieved at Graduation at Cape Town College of Fashion Design
1. Achiever of the Year Award.
2. Merit Award for Outstanding Achievements in All Areas.
3. Betty Keet Couture Award.
4. Merit Award for Academic Achievement in Pattern Design 3.
Cuddlers rebranding childrenswear collection First Place winner
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