Boudicca

Boudicca is a label with two designers Zowie Broach and Brian Kirkby created and named after a British warrior. They are a global label who have done innovative work in both couture and and ready-to-wear lines. And we have been lucky enough to get a lecture with Zowie from the label. 

I thought meeting Zowie from Boudicca was really influencing and inspiring. The ethos that Boudicca has developed due lack of financing and not wanting to sell out and dilute their message is what I find so influencing when I had began to feel that my fashion work had become too much of a box ticking exercise rather than actually creating and designing from my heart, but listening to how Zowie ad worked it really has made me want to get the balance so that my work can stand out and be the statement I am looking for whilst still getting the marks needed to pass my course. 

I found it really influencing that they don’t look into what other designers are doing and that  their work is completely what they are feeling influenced by in their own creative environment. A lot of their research comes from reading, old essays which is a source I wouldn’t have ever thought of using, so this is something I am going to look into in future projects. 

Their ethos of make and do and mend I think really gives strong character to their work and creates more innovative outcomes, which I think is key to their brand in some respects  as they wouldn’t have generated the outcomes they have if they had, had a generous sponsor. 

I think only being able to buy their retail items in certain stores and having a high price bracket makes it more of a desirable item and keeps a certain status to what they are creating. Having a global brand when hearing Zowie talk about it doesn’t sound as scary as I would have thought it to be, which encourages me to continue to work hard and keep making plans for my business, as i maybe able to one day make it more than I initially thought. 

I really like how they describe the clothing the create, they say how they concentrate on how it feels which I think is a really key and good aspect to concentrate on, if something fits well and you feel good in it you are going to go back for more, this is something again i think as a young designer can get forgotten when trying to concentrate on the appearance, which won’t necessarily bring you the kind of costumer base you are routing for. 

Overall I feel that the presentation was really beneficial and it was something personally I really needed for a creative boost to keep me motivated to work for what I really want. I felt the honesty of their work and the presentation we got was what was so beneficial, being able to look through collection books and sketch books taught us a lot learning how they map out their creative journey and how this can sometimes be putting just words on a page or picking out of one magazine what you think is key. 

  

Below are photographs of the clothes that she brought with her for us to have a look at and try on to get a feel of the making style of their works.