Who are these creatives that has excited you so?- i hear you ask, well: Karen Savage, Ruth Hogben and Elisha Smith Leverock. If you don't know their names, you should know their work and i highly recommend you researching them. Actually i don't recommend or suggest you look at their work- i am telling you that you need to!
The morning started off with a lecture and debate from Karen Savage; a fascinating and enthusiastic talent whom gained notoriety in the nineties for her t-shirt brand that reused and altered iconic imagery. The lecture centred around an article she wrote for 125 Magazine and how Karen was actually in breach of copyright laws while being in the height of demand and always a little bit of controversy (cheeky!) and how now copyright laws are readily available knowledge and is it good for economy and society to have all of these rules and restrictions? where the lines are blurred. I don't want to reveal too much about the lecture as i think you should read the article yourself, to gain a perspective, an opinion that is your own. But i will state that Karen Savage is a rebel with a humbling sense of goodness that encases her, a empowering and provocative woman.
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| An image of Karen Savage's tshirt brand ad. I believe the styling and photography was done by some of her ex-students. Image not my own.
Ruth Hogben then kicked off the courses afternoon with a talk about her career and how she got to where she is now. Chatting to us eager listeners about how it's ok to make mistakes and how she has done plenty while working out how as a person, as a creative she fits in to this industry. Telling tales of real life (not some glamourised, highly dramatic version you read so frequently.) inside the industry, inside her specialised area. Talking about those amazing moments as well as those nitty gritty 'i'd rather forget' ones. Hogben also showed a collection of her demanding and powerful works which she has done over recent years. Being blessed with learning from and working with a range of talents from Nick Knight to Gareth Pugh and Kanye West. Achieving such a incredible career, working with so many greats seems simply impossible or unrealistic for some. However when you hear how driven, focused and ambitious Hogben is, it was undeniable that this break was going to happen, especially with some one so talented. It has been a real honour and pleasure to listen to Hogben talk and engage in debate with the students. Additionally as she was so 'normal' it made her incredibly relatable and a great figure to look towards whilst i continue on with my studies!
Finally to finish the day of inspiring studies of was Elisa Smith Leverock, who offers a unique take on fashion/art films but always makes them captivating and enchanting, often taken the viewer into this world she has created by using her films, leaving the view wanting more. Smith Leverock's work is ever evolving but it always retains her personal charm that is what i think entices the viewer again and again. She spoke of collaborations and commissions she has under her belt in credited work, from Fred Butler to 2 Chainz. Talking of how she approaches the whole notion of creating a film; from whether is storyboard, treatment or characters which come into her mind first and how she tackles it. Smith Leverock's career seems to be less disciplined and more 'free' than the approach Hogben took. Falling into fashion film but dabbling in music videos whilst teaching herself how to use cameras and edit. I believe that Smith Leverock's approach to film making although structured has a more organic aesthetic to it.
This clearly displays the diversity within female film makers in particular and film makers in general. Disproving the idea that fashion films are all the same. Please take a look at all three of these creatives work. i hope you feel as moved, motivated and inspired as i do.
Fashion film makers and rebels of copyright, we salut you!
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