Designers
Design & Technology: AQA GCSE, topic 7.3.1
Textile Designers
Famous designers can help influence your designs and provide you with inspiration for your ideas. You need to analyse, research and investigate at least two past or present designers.
Alexander McQueen
- Was the chief designer for Givenchy who created his own fashion label.
- His designs use shock tactics and can be controversial.
- He has won British Designer of the Year four times.
Coco Chanel
- A french designer who founded the very popular brand Chanel.
- Products include high quality clothing, jewellery and fragrances.
- First founded in 1910 and became very popular after World War One.
Chanel
Vivienne Westwood
- A British designer who influenced the punk era of the 1970s.
- Vivienne Westwood designs are statement pieces that stand out on the catwalk.
- A lot of her recent designs include the use of tartan or tweed.
Textile Designers
Famous designers can help influence your designs and provide you with inspiration for your ideas. You need to analyse, research and investigate at least two past or present designers.
William Morris
- William Morris is famous for block printed fabric and wallpaper designs.
- One of the most famous British designers especially for his role in the arts and crafts movement in the 1880s.
- A design movement is when a style influences society such as clothing styles or furniture styles (think how popular IKEA is now).
The arts and crafts movement
- The arts and crafts movement was seen as a return to simple, natural crafts that were not as industrial items were not mass produced.
Mary Quant
- Helped influence the popular 1960s Mod fashion which was about dressing to please yourself.
- Famous for the mini skirt and her range of cosmetics.
- Her designs used geometric shapes and flower power to make her designs iconic.
- Iconic means it is easily recognised by anyone even after many years.
Graphic Designers
Famous designers can help influence your designs and provide you with inspiration for your ideas. You need to analyse, research and investigate at least two past or present designers.
Harry Beck
- Designed the London Underground map in 1931.
- Harry Beck took the approach to simplify the complex map of twisting tracks.
- He was influenced by the way electrical circuits are drawn out (electronic schematics).
- This type of design has been used around the world for public transport maps.
Harry Beck
Test yourself on Designers
Who of the following is NOT a textile designer?
When was the fashion house of Chanel first founded?
Which designer designed the London Underground map in 1931?
What did Harry Beck design in 1931?