TED Talk: Julie Burstein- 4 lessons in creativity
In this TED talk, Julie shares about writing a book about creativity.
I learned that we should pay close attention to the world around us because being open about your first experience might just change you. We should embrace the challenge in our way and strive for the best, pushing up against the limits of what we can't do helps up focus in finding our voice.
In conclusion, the four key aspects of life that we have to embrace our experiences, challenges, limitations, and loss. In order to create a stand between what we see in the world and what we hope for, we have to be passionate. As quoted from Julie herself, "We all live off a cycle of creation and destruction, of control and letting, of picking up the pieces and making something new."
Designer that broke the rules
1. Coco Chanel
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| Coco Chanel image credit: http://a2.files.biography.com/image/upload/c_fit,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,h_1200,q_80,w_1200/MTE5NDg0MDU0OTE5ODA4NTI3.jpg |
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| Coco Chanel 'freed' women out of uncomfortable corsets. image credit: https://kingydesignhistory2012.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/coco_chanel_design_2.jpg |
Suzy Parker in Chanel, Vogue 1956.
image credit: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/25/98/be/2598be37a8fb3f512e20e3d1a3668f42.jpg
Coco Chanel is a classic example of fashion designer who broke the rules. She successfully created her own fashion perspective, disregarding the conventions of her time period. I adore the fact that she always stood for what she believed in and it was what made her the pioneer of fashion. Her elegantly evergreen designs will only create more influence in fashion designs to come.
I am always fascinated by her simple and subtle designs that turn out looking classy as ever, effortlessly. She successfully built a career that allowed her to voice out through her designs. She broke the rules by figuratively and literally ripping apart the use of uncomfortable corset and allowed women to move freely within their clothing.
2. Christian Dior
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| Christian Dior image credit: http://couturestyle.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/5657_christian_dior.jpg |
Dior's famous New Look collection with padding at the hips to achieve exaggerated hourglass look.
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| The new look consists of full bustlines, tiny waists, and full skirts. |
Christian Dior is from a wealthy family and he could've been a diplomat but he chose to go after his dream and nurture his talent in fashion. He broke the rules of fashion by breaking the rules of the ordinary. He turned silhouettes and curves, which was deemed to be an evening wear during that time period, into a daytime piece.
3. Balmain
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| Pierre Balmain image credit: https://makeupmob.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pierre-balmain.jpg |
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| Balmain is famous for their minimalistic and timeless beauty designs which emphasized on women's hips. image credits: http://20thcenturydesignersfinalproject.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/3/4/13348615/2323581_orig.jpg |
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| Balmain's semi fitted A line dress from 1748. image credit: http://www.sovintagepatterns.com/assets/images/1748n11.jpg |
Pierre Balmain has fashion running through his veins. He was true to himself and he believed deeply in bringing beauty to the human form by creating designs that can inspire anyone, anywhere, anytime. Although his brand stayed true to the trends of the period, it was created with an extra specialty, contributing to his remarkable success.
4. Balenciaga
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| Cristobal Balenciaga image credit: http://66.media.tumblr.com/be0fe4f972a9130110b82de48fb6c02c/tumblr_naa45ieFrX1rf1jvro1_1280.jpg |
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| Balenciaga reshaped women's silhouette in the 1950s, his designs diluted into our everyday apparel today. image credit: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsXicrax0-z2_bZLRZqXLwBNyQKf_YOxp-KcmqXSjdn1q9HdIDBD-zMQsb65Y2-4XveEcHSOshH6RmQDv4XAFLJ__K71t8egHsvB9h01a-65q3kmj5WHXwHe0C8KQPIA4NGTZOW5LI6uQ/s1600/Crist%C3%B3bal+Balenciaga+(10).jpg |
his creations all on his own. This was how Balenciaga was able to different himself from other designers. He broke the rules of fashion by hiring middle-aged, emotionless models, who are not deemed as pretty for societal standards. It was intriguing how he stayed out of the spotlight all the time. He'd watch hi fashion shows behind a white curtain. He was able to stay creative and stay away from the chaos and distractions of fame. Balenciaga blatantly broke the rules and became one of the most well-known names in the fashion industry. I learn that it is crucial not to change for anyone. Know yourself and your brand, and strive your best to master your craft.
5. Alexander McQueen
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| Alexander McQueen image credit: http://blogs-images.forbes.com/declaneytan/files/2016/08/Alexander-McQueen.jpg |
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| Alexander McQueen Spring Summer 2001, titled VOSS, had a dramatic catwalk show with an enormous glass box dominating the room. image credit: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/73/eb/ef/73ebef4db7b821a8b20ef31aa4e22e37.jpg |
Thinking out of the box- an EGGciting EGGxperience!
In order to stimulate our brains to produce ideas more creatively, we had an eggciting eggxperience to perform an eggsperiment that had no yolk encouraged us to think outside of the box. We were required to come up with a package for a raw egg that would survive a 3-storey fall from the classroom window to the concrete floor.
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| We sandwich-ed the egg with tissues in the styrofoam cup. |
Our initial plan was to attach a plastic to the cup to act as a parachute, thinking it could then landed gracefully on the concrete floor. However, due to our lack of time and proper planning, we couldn't achieve it. I felt that we could've had some members working on wrapping the egg in the cup and other members working on the parachute.
Egg protection program is ongoing.
After feeling half disappointed about the lack of proper planning in our team, we still had to face the cold hard truth that the egg still has to be thrown off the ground for the results. My heart was palpitating at a breakneck speed as my group member stood on top of the bench, beads of perspiration dotted his forehead. A pierceable sound was heard when the egg hit the ground. I thought it was the end.
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| The moment of truth that would show if we succeeded in this activity. |
To the group members joy, we DID NOT BREAK THE EGG! I felt a sense of relief. Although the egg protection coat wasn't as visually pleasing as it is supposed to be, I'm glad that it still worked.
A Picture A Day
Day 1
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| The stickers on my laptop and my printed duvet created a corresponding match. |
Day 2
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| I started working on a new sketch with colour pencils, it truly requires a lot of patience and determination to achieve the likeness in the portrait. |
Day 3
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| This is Gardens by the Bay's spectacular view. This is how I would picture a futuristic world, everything will be in glasshouses as the Earth's atmosphere is destroyed. |
Day 4
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| In the process of thinking creatively, mindlessly doodling out your thought is also important. |
Day 5
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| When I was cruising back to my homeland- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the weekends, I managed to capture this beautiful sunset. The sun looked like an egg broken into a sunset and the clouds caught on fire. |
For this week during class, I learned that it is alright to bend the rules sometimes, in a good way. As a creative person, our mind should not be so dull and stubborn to blindly follow the rules. I went back to my homeland during the weekends. I did not even notice how homesick I was until I arrived back home. I missed the food, I missed the company. Most importantly, I missed my bed. Being back at home made me realize the importance for me to do well for my studies and make my parents proud. After all, they had given me all their support to pursue my passion.
