3. Background Info Quote Diddy: “We've stepped out of that urban, hip-hop box that people tried to put us in, in the beginning," he said. "Our clothing is bought by all colors, all races. We live in a new America where that style of thinking is almost ancient right now — that because the designer is black that his clothes are black. Things have evolved and this is a true testament to that. Christian Louboutin is black, but that doesn't mean his shoes are black. I'm black but my clothes are for everybody.” New York Magazine, 5/5/10
4. Background Info Black is Beautiful! French Vogue, October 2009 L’OfficielHommes, March-April 2010
5. Background Info Africa: “Tribal” and “Ethnic” Chic Louis Vuitton’s Spring 2009 Collection Dior’s Spring 2008 Collection
6. Background info (updated) Essence magazine caused some controversy over the summer by hiring ElliannaPlacas, a white woman, to be their fashion director at the magazine. One of their former editors, Michaela Angela Davis, made her disappointment over the decision known through her Facebook and Twitter accounts, and that’s when the race conversation grew over the Internet.
7. Project Questions Can the Web be used as a medium in itself for creating fine art with something to ask/say? Why is a group’s culture and aesthetic easier to accept than the people responsible for creating them in the first place? Do they think it’s convenient to put on and take off whenever it suits them? Is a conversation on race and racism still important to conduct?
8. Thesis Idea Create a satirical fashion line and present it on the Web with its own site, with some interactive play pieces to emphasize the brand. The name of the fashion line is Noco; it is a play on the derogatory word “coon.” Domain name: thebarracoos.com “Coon” is possibly derived from the Portuguese word “barracoos,” which was the name of a building that used to house slaves ready for sale (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=coon)
9. Final Project: CroquisLookbook According to one of the advisors from the Parsons Fashion School, Priscilla Holcomb, a fashion designer creates a croquislookbook as the building block/prototype for his or her collection It contains an “inspiration collage” of images that the designer extracts ideas from for the collection Second, a “mood board” of fabric swatches and embellishment samples that might or will be used in making it Third, a collection of sketches depicting the collection, called “croquis.”
10. Precedents (updated) Damali Ayo’s Rent-A-Negro.com Jonah Peretti’sBlackPeopleLoveUs.com ForgetMeNotPanties.com Patrick Kelly, fashion designer (http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/patrick_kelly/) JetBlue Airlines’ “The Flyers Collection” ad campaign Betye Saar’s “The Liberation of Aunt Jemima” (http://www.netropolitan.org/saar/auntjemima.html)
12. 1. Interactive Play Piece Made with AS3, it will let users assemble their own “negro” with pre-designed puzzle pieces containing basic stereotypes of both black men and women. My ambition is to have users’ creations be shared on a special Facebook fan page and profile that I will be making for this “company.”
21. 2. Web Site MockUps Legal Notice (explanation of thesis project)
22. 2. Web Site MockUps Copyright (list of sources used for thesis project)
23. What I Did This Summer Engage in various sewing and crafting projects to improve my sewing skills and gain new fabric decorating techniques Put together some corporate ID for the company Documented all of it for the 10 Projects summer assignment Link to Projects Album:http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=487005&id=534535234&l=94e75d0f0d
24. My Agenda for Fall Refine and edit my fashion line ideas and web site mock-ups through professor mentorship Keep learning and improving my craft and web design skills Fine tune my intentions and message within this art piece by discussing the concept with friends and collegues
