面料是服装的灵魂

在服装行业日益发展的现在，面料也在悄无声息的发展，设计师的设计离不了面料的呈现，面料是服装的灵魂，就像是油画的画布，陶瓷的陶土。服装设计少不了面料。随着一批又一批新锐设计师的涌现，他们对新的面料也越来越苛求，大家也开始关注起了面料。

海外各大艺术院校也都设立了面料设计这一专业，但是不同的学校风格也大多不同。伦敦艺术大学切尔西学院的面料更多的是关注于面料本身，从不同的材质到不同的纹理以及印花去进行面料的创作。下面我们可以看一下切尔西艺术学院面料设计的毕业生们，在完成这一课程后，对这一专业有什么感受。

Lucy Hardcastle graduated from BA Textile Design in 2014 and has since collaborated with various brands on interactive projects and set up her own creative studio in London. We interviewed Lucy about how her time at Chelsea influenced her professional career development.

What have you been working on since graduating?

I have an interdisciplinary practice ranging from creating still imagery, to video, to sculptures to spaces and installations.

How has your practice developed since graduating?

I have developed my designing style into creative direction, I now work on a wide range of projects from moving image content for brands to interactive experiences. I now have a creative studio, Lucy Hardcastle Studio and a growing team.

What work/projects/exhibitions have you got coming up?

I have a few events happening for London Design Festival and am currently working on a few personal short films as well as exploring more interactive projects.

How did your time at Chelsea push your practice? Did it challenge your ways in thinking in anyway?

My tutors at Chelsea gave me the right balance of freedom and support to explore areas that went beyond my Textile course, and inform how I still work to this day.

What was unique about studying at Chelsea College of Arts?

That the textile course was creatively open and not only focused on the commercial industry.

What was the most valuable thing you learned on the course?

The most valuable thing I learnt was the importance of research.

In what ways did the summer shows enhance your practice? Did they lead to any new opportunities?

Yes – my studio partner who I still work with now I actually met at the show! It also gave me the opportunity to create some PR for my work and get it out to journalists and blogs.

What advice would you give to our graduating students?

Develop as many employable and interchangeable skills as you can while you have access to the facilities, and be at your show every single day ready to speak to people as you never know who could see your work.

Describe your time at Chelsea in 3 words

Explorative, Informative, Supportive