Portfolio overview: Graduate Diploma CSM '15-16

Draping light - cover

Here's the thing: Grad Dip was not the course for me.

I was struggling with the aftermath of a lot of untreated trauma coming from all over my life, and it'd take me 6 more years until I found the right treatment (cause on top of all my trauma, I'd also experienced substantial emotional abuse in therapy).

I have a lot of comments about the course, which I've shared extensively here and on my YouTube channel, but if you're not at a level to apply to the MA, please do not overlook the Graduate Diploma course.

I've included some of my favourite work produced then, just for reference: it doesn't mean your portfolio for application should look like this. And it definitely doesn't mean this is good material to apply for a job - when in doubt, contact me for a consulting call or portfolio advice.

Enjoy the pictures :)

Draping Lights

This was our first project, and I totally bombed it... Couldn't even make a lineup. But I made some cool studies.

Light loops
Draping lights - materials
Draping lights - BW

Cutting Project

Cutting project - cover
Once again, cool studies but not enough Design Development. If you're struggling with your mental health, please do look for support: it won't just get better if you just push yourself to do better work.

Being half-Japanese but growing up in Brazil, the kimono had always been an elusive piece to me. And even though I studied in Tokyo for 2 years, it was only in London, many years later, that I bought my first one!

Traditionally worn in a very constricting way and with MANY layers as not to show any skin, in this project I wanted to use similar geometrical pattern pieces to make a more dramatic silhouette.

Cutting project - collages
Cutting project - kimono drapings
Cutting project - sketches
Cutting project - final studies
Cutting project - photoshoot

McQueen project

McQueen project - intro

Theatrical, dark, extreme.

Everything about Alexander McQueen felt like the polar opposite of how I saw myself. How would I bring my own voice and my own point of view to this project?

My answer was to create a story of the light at the end of tunnel: a drowned world of anthropomorphic goldfish, inspired by Japanese tales and Ukiyo-e by Utagawa Kuniyoshi.

McQueen project - collage and textile samples 1
McQueen project - collage and textile samples 2

And the results were...

McQueen project - looks
not bad, not top of the class.

I didn't bomb this one completely, but I didn't do the assignment: this project was all about creating textile samples worthy of McQueen's most extravagant runway shows, and I did a much better job at creating beautiful images than at making exciting textiles.

Think I got a C+, but it's still one of my favourites because of the photos I did with a friend:

McQueen project - Arturo becomes a fish
Arturo becomes a fish 1
Arturo becomes a fish 2

Project ME

Cat becomes her

'What do you surround yourself with? What would the most authentic, unashamedly fabulous version of yourself look like?'

Starting off with a stupid name, Project Me was all about stop trying to be Fashion.

My project was about adding more kawaii nonsense to my beloved everyday clothes.
A sense of familiarity was meant to be kept with instantly recognisable pieces, but with proportions, colours and motifs only a cartoon character would wear.

Olivia Suguri - cat drapings: sketches
Olivia Suguri - textile development
Olivia Suguri - Project Me lineup
I still bombed this one, and have lots of comments on these illustrations... hindsight is a bitch.

Final Project: Final Fantasy VII

Olivia Suguri - Final Fantasy
The beginning of my work with digital placement print
Olivia Suguri - Final Fantasy: intro
Continuing with the cartoons from Project ME
Olivia Suguri - Final Fantasy: paper drapings
Olivia Suguri - Final Fantasy: block figures
Olivia Suguri - Final Fantasy: colour study
Olivia Suguri - block dress
Olivia Suguri - block kimono
Olivia Suguri - Final Fantasy: Mean Red kitty & koi