London College for Design & Fashion (LCDF - Hanoi) is to me one of the most important things in my life. Despite having different goals in high school, I have always since aspired to be where I am now. It would seem far-fetched then,
because who would’ve thought I would have the most meaningful 4 years of my life insofar as my journey in fashion.
Like many other freshmen, I stepped through the gates with excitement and trepidation swirling me, wondering about the excitement of meeting new people, about who they are. Would I be able to keep up with all their talent and skill, through the trials and tribulations that an ambitious fashion student would soon face? Or would I forge my own path through my creative approaches and my personal tenacity in the demanding field?
My first course was Foundation 12. As the name suggests, it was the foundation for new students to adjust to the intensive workload and course demands of the subject. This class serves as a bridge for Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing students to learn in the same room. I made some wonderful friends in one of the most memorable courses I’ve had.
What was I able to learn during that time? We had three classes: Contextual Studies (history of fashion), Conceptual Studies (developing of ideas) and Drawing from Observation (drawing for fashion design). Whether or not I had pre-existing fashion knowledge, everything I gathered from these classes were thoroughly taught: analytic skill sets, research methods and creative development. Lectures were only 1-2 hours long, then I had the rest of class time for practical work.
I got to learn about draping, design deconstruction and collage-making, skills that were necessary in discovering the creative skills I had deep within. These skills were imperative to liberating myself from looking at secondary online sources, such as Pinterest, Google, Vogue Runway and the like. The trends and definitions of fashion that I have learnt will be written in greater detail in the next articles. These skills laid the foundation for my entire work process, one of which was Draping.
What I am most grateful for is the loved ones in my life who stuck with me since the beginning. From using the same sewing machine, to recycling extra fabric to complete the long projects, all those cherished memories of mine are the driving forces of my ambitions and my devoted work ethic.
What about you, Reader? What are some things that drive you to pursue your goals? Please be welcome to share with me!