Robert Peston Goes Shopping

Documentaries are a definite guilty pleasure of mine - and a series I came across recently really caught my attention.

Robert Peston, a British journalist, has created a three part series - this post being focused on the first!

In part one he charts how shopping in Britain was transformed from a chore to be endured in the 1950's into our favourite pastime by the 1980's. 

The retail industry employs 1 in every 9 of us making it a nation of shoppers and shopkeepers - Great Britain is quite frankly in love with if not addicted to shopping.

Peston covers the misogynistic values of the 50's when shopping was deemed 'a woman's job'.

Before self service stores were introduced, everything was served over a counter meaning hour long queues - not convenient in the slightest!

Self service was first introduced in the 1950's by now supermarket giant Sainsbury's - making shopping quicker, easier and more convenient for housewives across the country.

After the time of caution and rationing was abolished in 1954, employment was on the rise along with an increase in wages - this meaning consumers had a higher amount of disposable income.

This kick started the trend of people shopping around for cheaper deals - putting small independent food shops at serious risk of closure. 

Peston also covers the issues surrounding British manufacturing and how it slowly but surely disappeared over time due to a certain lack of skills and the inability to compete on price. 

The key message to be portrayed is that as a whole retailers became much more sophisticated in the 1960's and 70's, gaining a certain knack for identifying consumers needs and then working to fulfil them in as little time as possible.

In all honesty - who isn't guilty of spending money on things they don't reeeeealllyy need?
I'll hold my hands up and admit I definitely am!

The second episode focuses on the price of goods reducing which has resulted in 'fast fashion' and the third on the revolution of shopping and how the high street is coping with online shopping and the recession.

These episodes may still be available on BBC iPlayer but if not I'm sure they'll be lingering on YouTube somewhere - definitely worth a watch!

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: Google Images.

Trend Alert: Fragrance Advertisements

Ever since starting my degree i've forced myself to becomes more aware all of the time, which has meant forcing myself to watch and listen during ad breaks (yawn).

I usually only watch TV at night after the watershed (9pm) which seems to be the time for high end fragrance ad's to come out and play.

I've noticed a significant trend - Fragrance ad's LOVE water.

Versace - Eros 

Jimmy Choo - Illicit

Jimmy Choo - Illicit

CHANEL NO.5

CHANEL NO.5

Paco Rabanne - Olympia

And that's just a few examples!

Have you noticed any other fragrance advertisement trends? Let me know in the comments!

Love, Lana Skye x

Photo Credit: Google Images. 

Just A Little Heads Up

All FCP students have been given their first official individual/summative brief - eek!

This is going to involve producing a visual analysis report.

The subject matter this is based on has to be linked in with the previous formative project we completed before the Christmas holidays - mine being based on beauty!

One trend category my group focused on was texture and within that 'Pearl Shine'.

From this - I have decided to focus on 'pearl' in both literal and make-up terms!

I'm going be documenting my creative inspiration process here on my blog so that anybody who is interested can get a little insight into how things are going.

Love, Lana Skye x 

The True Cost

I recently watched a documentary called the True Cost' as part of my FCP studies that explored the impact of fashion on people and the planet.

Oh my goodness did it make me stop and think.

I am the epitome of a selfish shopper in that whenever I purchase anything, whether it be a new pair of jeans or a slightly more expensive designer bag, I never stop and think "I wonder who made it?" or "Do they get paid enough for the job they've done?"

Without even realising it, the price of goods just keeps on dropping, particularly in high street stores. Of course, this suits the majority of human beings just fine who have disposable income to spend - who doesn't love getting a bit of money off their purchase?

Not long ago it was 'Black Friday'. In America where it initially came about - it marks the unofficial beginning of the Christmas season, acting as a holiday due to employers giving their staff the day off as part of Thanksgiving weekend. Now, us Brits have adopted it into our yearly routine but for all of the wrong reasons - with retailers just using it as a ploy to make extra cash through cutting prices by around 50% or more. (I love a good bargain but can't think of anything more stressful than going shopping and having to deal with people fighting over items that they really don't need!)

'The True Cost' gave us a raw representation of what goes on behind the scenes, including the horrific work environments staff in third world countries are forced to be in daily, as well as the excessively poor amount of income they receive for their efforts. In 2014 it came to light that Garment factories in Bangladesh were failing to pay their workers minimum wage - leaving the majority earning just $2 for a full days work.  

Such bad press in itself explains why there has been an increase in UK retailers 'reshoring' their manufacturers and suppliers back into the UK - undeniably more expensive but a whole lot more ethical (Jack Wills being just one example!)

 Now more than ever, consumers are becoming much more aware and care about where products they buy are made - hopefully this will continue!

If you haven't seen this documentary then I highly recommend it - although a bit upsetting its the wakeup call everyone needs. If you have a Netflix account you'll be able to find it on there but if not then here's a link: http://truecostmovie.com

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: Google Images.

Quotation Reference: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/10671738/Why-are-UK-firms-bringing-manufacturing-back-home.html

Nature's Colour Palette's

Ever since creating my first colour palette a month or so ago I'm quite frankly hooked, ITS SO MUCH FUN!

This post is very image based, but in my opinion very visually appealing too. It's crazy to see just how many colours are created naturally in the world. It sounds so weird but I honestly find making these palettes so relaxing (don't knock it until you try it).

I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed creating them!

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: Google Images.

The Kylie Kraze

The Kardashian family are definitely like marmite - you really do either love them or hate them.

I'll hold my hands up and admit I really do love them (yes, I'm that girl who follows all 5 of the sisters on Instagram - SO WHAT!)

My favourite family member is definitely Kylie - not least because we are the same age, but I feel she spends the most time connecting with her fan base. (Little fact: She's the most viewed person EVER on Snapchat)!

About a year or so ago she hit the headlines globally due to her noticeably plumper pout.

She stayed silent about it for a while before trying to suggest that it was all in how she applies her lip products - but it then came to light that she had definitely received lip augmentation treatment. 

In typical Kardashian style however - she has decided to capitalise on the hype she has created by introducing her own 'Lip Kit' range. 

Said range consists of 3 different kits which all include both a matte liquid lipstick and a lip liner for the reasonable price of $29.

Left to Right: Candy K, Dolce K, True Brown.

Such pretty packaging!

In true Kardashian fashion - her collections sold out in a single minute, not bad!

I think it should definitely be mentioned just how prominent Kylie has been throughout the process of creating her range - if you take a look at her social media accounts you'll really see just how passionate she is about it!

So, are you a Kardashian lover or a Kardashian hater? Share your thoughts below!

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: Kylie Jenner's Instagram. 

Tom Bradby For ITV News

After being at University for almost three months now, it sounds pathetic but I really do miss having a TV! I didn't watch it a lot as i've become a bit of a Netflix lover, but one thing I really enjoyed was the News at Ten on ITV (don't knock a girl for being interested about whats going on in the world).

So as you can imagine, when I visited home for the first time I made the most of it, and I noticed something really interesting. It was my Dad who pointed out to me when ITV News started one night that they had recently introduced Tom Bradby as the new presenter for the 10 o'clock show. He's not a completely new figure as before now he's was the Political Editor for a number of years, but I have to say that I think he's brilliant.

Traditionally news presenters have always been neutral when it comes to topics they discuss, which although understandably safe, I found sooooo boring! Tom makes it much more interesting and refreshing, putting across his own opinions in a light hearted manner instead of being the stereotypical card board cut out that just reads from the screen with no opinion whatsoever.

To me, this sort of reshuffle was exactly what ITV needed! If you haven't seen him in action yet then I really recommend it, he presents most weeknights!

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: Google Images.

Why I Love The John Lewis Christmas Ad So Much?

My favourite time of year is in full swing - I couldn't be any happier to be home and enjoying such a precious time with my beautiful family and friends.

Of course with the build-up to Christmas it seems the raw competitive streak is unleashed within all major retailers for who will produce the best seasonal television advertisement.

John Lewis - for me you've pulled it out of the bag yet again!

The two minute clip focuses on a little girl who is desperately trying to reach an old man that lives alone on the moon whom she spied through a telescope. She seems to try everything with no success. Christmas Day arrives and she is surrounded by family and gifts. The man on the moon receives a gift of his own from the little girl - a telescope which has been transported to him tied to an array of helium balloons!

There are a number of reasons why this clip tugged at my little heartstrings, the first one being the undeniable kindness and perseverance shown by the little girl - after all, kindness and giving is what this time of year is all about!

Anyone who is as big of a Disney fan as me will also have likened the colourful balloons to the classic 'UP' - another tearjerker that is well worth a watch if you haven't done so already!

The third and most important reason why I adore it is due to the fact its raising awareness for a growing issue in the UK and beyond - loneliness within the elderly community. This is SO important and something that needs to be dealt with. After all, in time we will all age and I guarantee none of us would wish to be lonely and perhaps go a month without interacting with another human being - especially at this time of year.

With the ad came the #ManOnTheMoon which created a huge amount of awareness for the brand - being used in a whopping 22K+ tweets in an hour after its official release.

Of course - John Lewis have also created a telescope set for young children which is available to purchase in stores and online in time for Christmas!

What's been your favourite Christmas Ad this year?

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: Google Images.

Video Credit: YouTube.

A Disney Lover's Dream Come True

Anyone who knows me is aware that Disney is one of my favourite things in the world - so when I came across Scottish Fashion Blogger and Collage Artist 'Portis Wasp', its safe to say I got just a little bit excited!

Before now he has been pretty low profile but his status has gained momentum in recent months due to his Disney themed collages featuring various well-known celebrities.

He classes his work as being "pure mixed with something a little more provocative".

The rest of this post is going to consist of my favourite collages of his (this might be a long one so grab a cuppa and start scrolling - see if you can guess which films the characters are from!)

Gigi Hadid.

Diego Miguel.

Kylie Jenner.

Joan Smalls.

Kate Moss.

Chrissy Teigen.

Candice Swanepoel.

Khloe Kardashian.

Rihanna.

Kylie Jenner.

Zendaya.

I think the reason why I've connected with his work so much is due to the simplicity of it - he admits it himself that he was never a whizz on Photoshop and that is all he uses - genius!

I think the fact that he mainly focuses on the classic Disney films such as 'The Lady and the Tramp' and 'Peter Pan' makes his collages even better - the juxtaposition between old and new being even more apparent.

I hope you enjoyed this post - if you don't follow Portis Wasp on Instagram already then please do so, I'll link his Instagram down below.

Which collage was your favourite?

Love, Lana Skye x 

Quote Credit: http://www.mtv.co.uk/mtv-style-0/news/if-you-love-disney-hot-models-portis-wasp-is-about-to-be-your-new-bff

Photo Credit: @PortisWasp1 (Instagram).

Brand Presentation - Benefit Cosmetics

Welcome back!

On Monday of this week our four week long Trend Brief came to an end through the form of a presentation.

We had to critically analyse how one brand adopted and communicated the specific AW15 trends we had identified in the previous weeks (again, bit of a mouthful!)

For this task - we decided to focus on Benefit Cosmetics and I am so glad we did. It's such a lighthearted and playful brand full of personality - making it an enjoyable one to research.

Below are some of the slides from our presentation just so you guys can get a feel for what we created.

Opening slide with a large image of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco as this is where the brand originated from.

Brief intro slide - always important to remind your audience what you've discovered previously.

We incorporated Benefit's signature speech bubble throughout our presentation through the form of 'breather slides'.
We were praised for this massively - yay!

Are they not the coolest brand values you've ever read!?

One thing we really got praised for in our formative feedback was how in-keeping our presentation was with the brand itself - this was such a massive compliment and I'm so glad people grasped it!

Now, I'm not the most confident of people when it comes to public speaking as I've mentioned before in previous blog posts - but I am beyond chuffed with how our presentation went! We all spoke confidently and clearly and as a result kept our audience engaged as well as receiving lots of positive feedback (hard work really does pay off!)

As well as all of this we produced a team sketchbook and diary so we could document our process and creative inspiration!

I think the key lesson I've learned throughout this brief is that if you're passionate about what you're putting across then confidence comes naturally because you really do know your stuff!

I can already feel myself becoming better at public speaking and cannot wait to become desensitised to it and for it to become second nature to me.

No rest for the wicked though - we've all been given our first summative (i.e. marked) briefs so I'll be sure to keep you all updated on that & tomorrow we receive our New York brief - eeeeeek exciting!!

Love, Lana Skye x 

The Nottingham Contemporary

So I finally decided to take a trip to the Nottingham Contemporary with a couple of my flat mates.

The Nottingham Contemporary is an art centre located in the Lace Market area. 

Weirdest shaped building I've ever seen.

One thing I loved about the exterior of the building was the lace incorporated in the ridges - you can't notice it until you're right up close!

There were four solo shows in each of the galleries which all reflected on identity and what it means to feel alien, but two in particular really stood out to me: 

This was so cool, the whole room was yellow and there were soooo many sets of headphones hanging from the ceiling that
you could walk in between and put on. 

Giant lips on a Grecian style piller - RANDOM

I loved the nail art in this shot!

The weirdest one by far that we found was a blacked out box room that had a really big dentist type chair in it. You basically had to lie down on the chair and look up to see a pair of shadowed hands making various different shapes - strange but oddly relaxing. 

If you're ever in Nottingham then I would definitely recommend going along for half an hour or so - it's completely free to get in!

Love, Lana Skye x 

The British Fashion Awards 2015

On Monday 23rd November the London Coliseum played host to one of the biggest and best ceremonies, the British Fashion Awards. 

Here, the talent within the British fashion industry is celebrated, whether it be style icons and models to emerging stars and brands - nothing has gone unnoticed since the first ceremony in 1989.

Sadly, it isn't a televised event so instead I spent my evening refreshing the official website to see who the winners were. 

There were a number of people I was so pleased to see win, including:

I thought this was very well deserved - unlike commercial models such as Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid - Jourdan did
it the hard way and worked her way up in the ruthless modelling industry.

A 'Marmite' character to say the very least - I'm definitely a lover!

The absolute messiah's of fashion film - check out their latest Festive Film starring Romeo Beckham here: https://uk.burberry.com/gifts/the-festive-film/

One designer who I wasn't so happy about winning the Accessory award was Charlotte Olympia...

I was put off her products completely when I saw these - really not a fan!

I couldn't finish this blog post without showing you all who I thought was the best dressed female at the event...

I am literally OBSESSED with this look! So effortlessly glamorous
with the slightly Christmassy style jumper paired with the Beyonce
esque leotard - well done Tanya Burr!

Do you think all of the winners were deserving of the awards or did you perhaps also disagree with one or two?

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: Google Images.