The production and consumption of children’s fashion causes harm to children on many levels, in many different aspects of society. I have begun the research for my Final Major Project by visualising my dissertation which is entitled “You are what you wear: How does children’s clothing restricts their career ambitions?”. Concentrating on creating a campaign against stereotypical gendered/ sexist children’s clothing, I have collaborated with John Lewis, the first major UK store to remove boy’s and girl’s labels from children’s clothing in a bid to reduce gender stereotypes.
The process that I have undertaken to do this is: create a 360 degree campaign including aspects such as; content creation, social media, website, marketing, co-branding, networking, PR stunts, collaborating with bloggers, organising events and sales opportunities. My dissertation as well as my 360 degree campaign has highlighted to me my interest in gender and in particular a new gender neutral generation that could be emerging. I see this developing into a 360 degree campaign for a new gender neutral campaign range in a high street shop such as Monki, And other stories or Zara for my final major project. I will be moving away from children’s clothing and focussing on adults clothing, with a target market of 20-30 years old.
The research that I have undertaken to visualise my dissertation and prepare for my final major project has influenced both what format my final major project is going to take as well as the topic I am going to be covering. The research has overall been very helpful, however, I was unable to find out answers to questions such as “where do children get their fashion inspiration from?” because I could not find any fashion buyers who were willing to answer my questions, this means that carrying my project forwards, I am going to be researching into my own age group (20-30 years old), as research is more accessible and ethical.
My final major project is going to be a 360 degree campaign concentrating on a new gender neutral clothing range for a well established high street fashion store. The campaigns target market will be between 20-30, therefore will be mainly projected through social media, editorials in magazines, word of mouth, adverts in store, bloggers, events, speeches and presentations. My aims and objectives for this final major project is to make a step towards a gender neutral generation where non-binary gender is widely accepted by everybody.
In order to achieve my aims for my final major project I need to ensure that my campaign is marketed as successfully as possible to its target market. The new range needs to be stylish and attractive to all males and females in order for it to sell and therefore catch on to other high street stores, which will help towards my project aim. I hope to gain skills such as management skills, photography skills, marketing skills, layout and typography skills, which I will need in order to progress into my social media marketing career. I hope that this final major project will showcase all of the skills that I have learnt throughout my university career.
I have taken visual inspiration from a Vogue article “Generation Gender Neutral” for my Final Major Project. Suzy Menkes begins her article by saying:
“Two figures are silhouetted on the street at dusk: floppy hair, loose, elongated sweaters cropped at the knees, skinny pants, sneakers. Two guys hanging out? Girl-meets-boy? A dynamic female duo? Who knows? Because you can’t judge the sex of millennials by their clothes.”
This quote sums up the angle I am taking on the style of my campaign, as well as the photography by Steven Meisel (Fig 1, Fig 2, Fig 3, Fig 4). 
Timeline:
Dec 5 Briefing FMP
Write brief for FMP
Continue with researching into the gender neutral generation
Begin making a media pack for the campaign including: the budget, who is involved, mission, vision, aesthetic plans, photography and styling plans, illustration plans, models
Create social media platforms for the campaign
Jan 9 Formative Crits
Mood board
Designs for the clothes range
Buy the clothing/ do the styling for models
Cast models
Photoshoot number 1
Edit photos for numerous purposes (editorial/ advertorial/ social media)
Feb 6 Informal Crits/presentations
Photoshoot number 2 and 3
Edit photos for numerous purposes (editorial/ advertorial/ social media)
Plan events
Invite bloggers
Feb 27 -Mar 13 Formative Presentations depending on specialism
Design final editorials
Write campaign press release
March 23 -April 15 Easter
Assemble final media pack
Print out final photoshoots, clothing designs, mood boards and social media ready for Brighton show and GFW
April 17 Crits Requirement requests for graduate show
April 24 Forms in for Brighton Graduate show
May 7 Nominees go forward for GFW – work should be finished this week
May 14 Paint and ready room for Brighton Show
Work up at the end of the week
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