Sinead Freeman

Portfolio

I am an enthusiast of all platforms of creation.

Why choose one?

For me, keeping busy is always a pleasure, never a chore.

I have experience in several areas: exhibition work, catwalk shows both for Vauxhall Fashion Scout and GFW. I also had a four month internship with renowned Irish fashion designer, Helen McAlinden.

These have all helped to widen my prespective, contributing to the open-mindedness I pride myself on.

I like:

Minimalist typography

Authentic design

Spontaneous photography

Challenging concepts

sineadfreeman2009@gmail.com

+44 (0) 7740 867680

Conceptual

Publication

Written

Trend

Conceptual

BRiefResearch, design, promote and justify a concept for a curated fashion related exhibition at a museum/gallery/entertainment space in the UK.

ConceptInspired by Tom Ford’s fragrance collection, the conceptual exhibition will be a live installation, personifying selected scents. Transporting one into the sensual world of Tom Ford.

Layout, graphics and concept development by Sinead Free-man for an independent project from Tom Ford.

live installationThe concpet invisions and is inspired by four of Tom Ford fragrences, Neroli Portofino, Tabacco Vanille, Tuscan Leather and Noir de Noir. Each live installation is inpired by both the bottle and the scent, which stimulates all the senses.

BRiefCreate a fashion publication. Content must support the concept and illustrate themes explored.

ConceptCollision is a publication for the contemporary thinker who revels in intellectual literature, connoisseurs of design and an engaging approach to photography.

Publication

Photography, styling and editing all by Sinead Freeman

BRiefIt is the role of fashion writing to capture the imagination and strike a chord with the reader. It must also inform. This is your chance to paint a picture through words to enhance the reader’s experience and communication of your theme.

Written

Concept

The articles explores the concept, is it possible to separate the art from the artist or are the two so intangible that neither can be appreciated without the stigma of the other?

Words, Photography, styling, editing and layout all by Sinead Freeman

Just The Art Please

When presented with a simple question, the answer is often simple. Would you celebrate one of the best twenty first century film makers? Would you commend the brilliance and skill of one of the best designers in the world? Would applaud the work of director of a box office hit? Properly yes. What if those people had committed crimes or said or done heinous things. Do you think you could appreciate their achievements, despite their unsavoury character?The idea initially seems very clear, to be able to separate the art from the artist. Take for example Leni Riefenstahl; she is a woman who brought the art of film making into the next generation, at a time where men dominated not only the work force but in particular the film industry. She won many awards for films like “Triumph of the will” and “Olympia” Particularly for the techniques she applied which weren’t used at the time and are still used today, digging pits to get lower angles, using shadowy images, placing cameras on rails and even cameramen on roller blades. Most would consider this an impressive accomplishment but what if you were told that “Triumph of the will”, is known as one of the best propaganda films ever made? And in addition, her films aided Hitler’s rise to power and that he and she were close companions. This makes her character questionable and therefore, now her work is too. But what if we stopped for a moment to consider of all things her point of view? She was a woman, who was clearly naïve, she at the time was given a huge platform to develop herself as a film maker and she took it. She never joined the Nazi party nor was she ever convicted of any knowledge of war crimes. At first glance I think it easy to write off Riefenstahl‘s work and ignore the benefits she made to the world of film and photography, after all she was friends with Hitler of all people, but can we acknowledge her contributions without accepting the Nazi association? Riefenstahl has spent her whole 101 years fighting her Nazi stigma. Both Pre and Post war she led an extraordinary life. The film industry blacklisted her after Hitler’s downfall but was perfectly content to use her developed skills, in which she was generations ahead of her time. But is this fair? The world of film seemed to think so and separated the artist from the art, or rather the skills used in creating the art. Ray Muller, director of The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl said that “Her talent was her tragedy” And for some reason I can’t help feel apathetic towards her cause. Her work, after the war subsequently faced harsh criticism of being of “Nazi Aesthetic”. But Riefenstahl wasn’t fazed by her shortcomings, working well into her 90’s and even taking up scuba diving at the age of 71 to pursue underwater photography. She was clearly a

passionate and driven woman. I think it is impossible to consider her in normal terms for she was anything but ordinary.

If a person commits a grave crime, for instance rape, the average person would be disgusted. This person would be shunned in today’s society, would you go to your local grocer, pharmacist or dentist if they commit-ted such an offence? Would you continue to support them? And what if a filmmaker committed this crime? What if a rapist directed the film’s you love? Film’s like Chinatown, Rosemary’s Baby, Ghost Writer and The Pianist which were directed by Roman Polanski, a French/Polish film maker. Who raped a 13-year-old girl in 1977 and then fled to Europe to avoid conviction. Would you feel you’re betraying your morale and ethics by watching any of his films, now knowing what kind of person he is? Most would argue that this is an inexcus-able crime particular since the girl in question was a child at the time. Added to that, Polanski has completely avoided taking any responsibility for the crime. Is this where we are to draw the line. One can overlook taboo topics and slandering insults to a certain point, but rape, perhaps this is where one can no longer appreciate the artistic brilliance, as the creator has completely overshadowed his own work by his lack of inhumanity. The offense in question is quite unforgivable. Furthermore Polanski continued to act that it has been anything but inconvenience to his life. But if I was to boycott every artist and writer, would there anything left to enjoy? Picasso, T.S Elliot, Robert Frost, James Joyce and Beethoven were all not without major faults. Can I really believe that personal down falls automatically disqualify professional achievements? We know the world isn’t black and white but yet is there a point where it ought to be. I suppose in the end it is a personal choice and it is up to ourselves whether this is a person we are willing to support. Polanski’s new film, Carnage, debuts this winter with an impressive cast, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly. Will the strength of his work, lure you in and be too much to resist?

The anti- Semitic stigma forever associated with Hitler and the holocaust even now is still fresh in our conscience and not to be taken lightly. One would argue that any racist antics would besmirch anyone’s reputation and is not tolerated in today’s society, right? But what does one fashion lover do when a creative genius like John Galliano gets caught up in it all? On the 25th February this year the world was shocked when a video of Galliano slurring anti-Semitic insults towards two costumers in a Parisian café was leaked. “I love Hitler and people like you would be dead today.” The video reaction was immediate and the backlash pressured The House of Dior to suspend the designer, until Natalie Portman, actress and face of Dior spoke out in response to the video, “As an individual who is proud to be Jewish I will not be associated with Mr Galliano in any way.” Just hours afterwards (the first day of Paris Fashion Week) Dior buckled to the growing pressure and outrage, and fired Galliano. However it is clear that the designer was intoxicated and was under serious pressures, having to produce at least 12 collections per year. The balance between fashion and the business of fashion is very challenging. Mr Galliano admits that “After every creative high, I would crash and alcohol would help me” It is clear Mr Galliano was indulging in a creative crash and while many people were cutting their ties with him, in contrast many took a precarious stance and stood by him. It makes me wonder though when will enough time pass to forgive and forget or will being a fan of John Galliano be deplorable forever.One could never argue that what Galliano said was just in any terms. However after hearing Patricia Fields comments, made me evaluate Galliano’s situation in a different light. “It’s a farce. But people in fashion don’t recognise the farce in it. All of a sudden they don’t know him”. This in retro respect fits his character. Galliano’s collections are dominated by theatre and drama and even his first collection, Les Incrayables was inspired by his part timework as a dresser in Danton, a national theatre production. His whole aesthetic is to bring his vision to life. “Sometimes you make mistakes. I don’t think he is anti-Semitic” Said Eva Green, a Jewish actress and Dior model “I think it’s more that he was probably a bit drunk”. Although many fashion figures are furious by his behaviour, Karl Lagerfeld for one, I don’t think he is the first to make a mistake, is he? Naomi Campbell and her blackberry smack, Marc Jacobs and his stint in rehab, Calvin Klein and dash-ing across a sports pitch under some influence, Kate Moss and cocaine and the late Alexander McQueen and Yves Saint Laurent, who fought their own demons. Yes, they all had their own setbacks, but their scan-dals didn’t spell the end of their careers. I think the big question is when is it going to be socially acceptable to fall in love with Galliano again, or rather his creations? Kate Moss took a stand last July when she reached out to Galliano to design her wedding dress. “She dared me to be Galliano again” Well for me the time has come, to forgive and forget and welcome John Galliano with open arms. In this case it is apparent; you can’t have the art without the artist and I don’t want a world without Galliano.

BRiefDevelop a live trend based blog and create an online identity

Trend

Concept Through research of past and present trends, a communist angle was developed. Creating a trend with a political stance brings depth and perceptive, as well as the opportunity to reimage a contentious issue.

Words and Layout by Sinead Freeman.

Stud

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Tatto

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WHAT ABOUT THE...?

In the height of the 90's music and fashion were interlinked.The grunge era had begun and with it so did the grunge style.However the style did not evolve out of a conscious attempt to create an appeal-ing fashion; music journalist Charles R. Cross said, "[Nirvana front-man] Kurt Cobain was just too lazy to shampoo," and Sub Pop's Jonathan Poneman said, "This [clothing]is cheap, it's durable, and it's kind of timeless. It also runs against the grain of the whole flashy aesthetic that existed in the 80s." Accoring to wikipedia "In the mid-1990s the grunge style resulted in a decline in bright colors from 1995 until the late 2000s, and was dominated by tartan flannel shirts, stonewashed blue jeans, and dark colors like, maroon,forest green, indigo,white

and black"

You The People, Have The PowerIf there were to be rebellion, a red one, how would it work? How would it be different from the horrific stories that have plagued the pages of our history books? At the moment the world is driven by money and greed, not driven by people. The new regime must be driven by people for people with only human na-ture and community to be kept in mind. The next generation, or should I say my generation need to start believing in our abil-ity to do anything. We have seen previous generations make mis-take after mistake and it’s time to make the world better even if that means we stumble across some hurdles. Be the world’s creators or even recreators. The world is forever changing and repeating so are trends to recreate or reintroduce the idea of making something old new. We are more connected than ever be-fore in history. We can communicate with anyone in the world at the click of button. Information is passed and shared quick-er than it be controlled and censored which gives everyone a voice, a free voice.

I do not want you to follow me or anyone else; if you are look-ing for a Moses to lead you out of this capitalist wilderness, you will stay right where you are. I would not lead you into the Promised Land if I could, because if I led you in, some one else would lead you out. You must use your heads as well as your hands, and get yourself out of your present condition; as it is now the capitalists use your heads and your hands.”—Eugene V. Debs

So be different in the choices we make. Staying connected not just through the Internet but recognizing each other anywhere in the world. To realize the essence of what it means to be hu-man. We should push and inspire one another. To give each other hope and break down the barriers holding us back.

The SymbolThe SignalThe CodeThe Red

The Bracelet

Extract from the fashion-whispers.blogspot.co.uk words by Sinead Freeman