I have just returned from my placement in London, working with fashion designer Georgie Ichikawa. One of the reasons why I chose this placement was that I really like his design aesthetic. Taking cultural inspirations from his Japenese origins, he combines them with contemporary pattern cutting and tailoring techniques, producing garments that are both unique and personal to himself. I feel that this is quite similar to my own aesthetic as I too look at ways to explore innovative pattern cutting.

While I was working with Geogie, I got to see first hand what it is like designing and running your own label. As Georgie is a fairly new designer, I was able to get much more involved than I probably would have done if I was working for a more established brand. I undertook tasks such as photographing and editing garments to be put in his online store and was even entrusted with pattern cutting, grading and sampling of T-shirts, again to be sold online.

Through my time working with Georgie, I feel that I have learned new skills which I can develop through in my own work and I have a better understanding of what is required when running your own business.

http://www.georgieichikawa.com/

http://www.jhb-gi.com/