Suzi Wong Evaluation

After having spent two weeks with Suzi Wong Creations I feel that I have learnt more than I could ever have imagined. At the beginning of the time period I was very much within my comfort zone redesigning the company's essentials, like business cards, compliment slips, letterheads and more. I felt as though I was putting all the skills I developed during my typography elective with Graham to good use. It was the first time that I had really worked to strict visual guidelines that were not to my own personal taste to ensure the company ethos was represented. In the end I was proud of my resolutions and hope that Suzi Wong felt the same way.

At the end of the first week I was presented with much more of a challenge; designing a graphic visual that would eventually be used as an item of clothing. In my two years of the course, I have never considered the apparel route. In the past I have proposed very early ideas that perhaps incorporate t-shirt designs, but never have I followed these ideas through. However with this, that was not an option. I had to see the challenge through to the end, and come up with an idea that would be suitable for both practical and theoretical purposes. For the former I was designing to strict dimensions and a pre-approved template that could be printed and assembled to form a pair of shorts. With the latter, I had to design a visual aesthetic that would appeal to a very specific target market; macho, tough, masculine and most importantly a winner. I was proud of my choice to design a destroyed/grungey Union Jack as it incorporated all the previously mentioned attributes of a typical customer, but also added the bonus feature of patriotism. The task was certainly a tough one that involved a lot of trial and error to ensure the right outcome, but I am confident that it was all worth it and I created a resolution that I was proud of. Below is a PDF that shows my design within the final proposed collection of new MMA shorts for Moko Clothing.

During my time at Suzi Wong Creations I have not only learnt a wealth of knowledge in regards to practical skills and dealing with clients, but I have also observed the amount of effort and commitment running a self sustaining, family business requires. Whilst sitting in the office or standing on the production floor, the dedication and enthusiasm is obvious. To succeed in the world of design it is clear to me now that you need both practical and social skills. Dealing with customers isn't always easy and sometimes it's hard to envision working for such demanding clients, but if the payoff is worth it then you have to put your personal feelings aside and adopt a much more professional conscience. I am definitely taking a lot away from my two weeks at Suzi Wong Creations; ranging from the drive to get out there and make a name for myself, to newly established connections in the design world that I can use to my advantage in the future. It was a great experience and certainly an eye opener for the future.