Over the years we have seen glue sticks used for so many different applications, from industrial to home crafts and just as you think you have seen everything, something unique comes along and stops us in our tracks !
When glue sticks become fashion !
Meet Alisa Vaseghi who is a London Based Fashion Designer, Stylist and Visual Creative Studying at The University of East London, on the Fashion Design course. Alisa is also interested in so many different things such as Film editing, Fashion, Photography and Art and Design. When speaking with Alisa it becomes clear she could never really imagine herself doing one thing, and I’m pretty sure that she’ll end up doing four or five different things.
Alisa has such a creative mind it’s always working overtime, exploring new ways to experiment with Tecbond glue sticks to create new ideas and ways to achieve new pieces.
To explore further we had an interview with Alisa to see what makes her mind tick:
1) How did you get the idea to work with hot melt adhesives as a medium?
I’ve had the idea of working with hot melt adhesives more than 4 years now. As a Designer I love working with unusual materials. I think typical fabrics are boring.
2) Have you or do you work with other mediums?
I studied BTEC Fashion & Textiles at Plymouth College of art and design and for our final major project we had to produce 6 outfits for our final collections. I made my collection using plumbing pipes that were cut up and made into three dimensional garments and using bigger pipes I knitted the other half using Sheep Felting wool which I had to order from farms.
Next I am looking to discover more with hot melt adhesives. In the future I would love to try wood and maybe mix all the different materials all up!
We are more than just a glue stick !
3) Was it trial and error in the early days, or did it all just click?
I always had the imagination of making garments from glue but never felt confident enough to do this. So my second year Module at my University we had to produce a garment and I went for it! I purchased different types of coloured glue first and sampled! And kept sampling and draping on the mannequins and then eventually figured out my final piece!
4) How long does it take to produce a piece; do you work from a plan or does the design simply flow as you go?
My first glue dress which I used over 500 melted sticks took about 2 months to complete. I love having a simple easy plan when I produce a piece, but I will mainly tell myself I am going to produce a top for example and then go with the flow and my design simply happens! It only takes one thing to inspire me and then I will be fully focused.
5) Who is your target audience for these designs?
I would say most of my fashion pieces are art based. They are to inspire people and make them look at creativity on a bigger scale. Even though, I would love it if people started wearing glue dresses, maybe sometime in the future.
6) Which artists inspire you?
I don’t look at artists for inspiration, I look at life. I look at objects. I take inspiration from materials and everyday life, I feel there is a lot of things in life people don’t consider as important, people need to open their eyes and look outside of the box. I want my fashion pieces to do this, I want it to question people
7) Have you exhibited your work?
I am currently working with many different talented artists and collaborating as much as I can for magazines and work with portfolios. I will be exhibiting my final Collection for Graduate Fashion Week 2017 in London.
8) Could you be commissioned by our readers to produce a piece?
Of course! Email me right away! I am always up for producing new work!
9) Going forward what are your plans, where do you see yourself in 5,10 years?
What I enjoy most about what I do is the creative process we go through. I feel being involved in different sectors within the creative industries has really exceled my work ethic.
I am interested in so many different things such as film editing, fashion, photography, art and design, this does prove to be challenging to do so many disciplines but every day I am motivated and dedicated to improving my skills and productivity.
I could never really imagine myself doing one thing, and I’m pretty sure that I’ll end up doing four or five different things. I find it difficult to choose between creative careers because I fear how wide the range of choice is. I want to be a Renaissance woman, I want to paint, and I want to make beautiful fashion pieces, and I want to create breath taking films and I want to just do everything.
To determine what I will do for many years to come is scary even though having many options available is pleasant.
I believe through dedication and hard work I will end up where I need to be.
10) Do you have any advice for budding artists/ designers?
Work Harder!
Amazingly Alisa created these pieces of work using a Tec 305-12 glue gun and Tecbond coloured glue sticks by squirting the glue into cold water in her bath. The glue hitting the water lost all tack and cooled quickly allowing Alisa to blend the strands. Alisa is now powering away with the Tec 810-12 and Tec 6300 spray glue gun creating a new world of ideas and patterns.
